Methland (Nick Reding): About a small IA town, representative of many rural midwest towns

[lindisfarne]

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/51041562.html?page=2&c=y
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Subtitled "The Death and Life of an American Small Town," the nonfiction book details the methamphetamine scourge of the town (pop. 6,000) from 2005 to 2007, as well as signs of a more recent turnaround in its fortunes. Reding uses the former railroad hub of the Chicago Great Western line as a case study of various ills in the rural Midwest, including big agribusiness, immigrant labor, a poor economy and the influx of Mexican drug trafficking.

Reding's other book, "The Last Cowboys at the End of the World: The Story of the Gauchos of Patagonia," sold 3,000 copies in four years and is out of print. Out for less than two months from publisher Bloomsbury, "Methland" is already in its fifth hardcover printing and was featured on the cover of the New York Times Book Review July 5.
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"All Midwest towns had this problem. We're not the only one," said Deb Kunkle, city editor of the Oelwein Daily Register and a well-known former bartender. In the book, Reding says he chose Oelwein after becoming friendly with a town doctor, Clay Hallberg -- who became one of his featured "characters."

"The mayor said it's worth the read," Kunkle said, referring to another character, Mayor Larry Murphy. "Others have said, 'I've never heard such filth in my life!' We've had some people threaten to withdraw their support of the library if the author comes for a signing."
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An interesting read

[WCGreen]

1. I listened to the NPR review and it made want to pick it up...