“We began this project with one purpose in mind: we wanted to take a fresh look at the country, its disappointments and its possibilities.” In James and Deborah Fallows’ bestselling new book Our Towns, two seasoned journalists go on a remarkable exploration of America’s “flyover country,” creating a surprising, necessary, portrait of the civic and economic reinvention taking place across America.
The results, which they share in their colorful and illuminating talks, provide a much-needed view of America’s neglected towns (and townspeople), accomplishing exactly what the authors intended—and then some. “Our Towns will become a classic, joining the ranks of American odysseys from De Tocqueville to Dos Passos. The landscape unfurls beneath us; the language of different regions echoes in our ears. Most important, this book is a tonic for what ails us as a nation, a captivating story of energy and renewal across the land” says Anne-Marie Slaughter, President and CEO of New America, and former Director of Policy Planning for the U.S. State Department.
