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Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America Paperback – February 5, 2019

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 532 ratings

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • "James and Deborah Fallows have always moved to where history is being made.... They have an excellent sense of where world-shaping events are taking place at any moment" —The New York Times • The basis for the HBO documentary streaming on HBO Max

For five years, James and Deborah Fallows have travelled across America in a single-engine prop airplane. Visiting dozens of towns, the America they saw is acutely conscious of its problems—from economic dislocation to the opioid scourge—but it is also crafting solutions, with a practical-minded determination at dramatic odds with the bitter paralysis of national politics. At times of dysfunction on a national level, reform possibilities have often arisen from the local level. The Fallowses describe America in the middle of one of these creative waves.

Their view of the country is as complex and contradictory as America itself, but it also reflects the energy, the generosity and compassion, the dreams, and the determination of many who are in the midst of making things better.
Our Towns is the story of their journey—and an account of a country busy remaking itself.
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Editorial Reviews

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"James and Deborah Fallows have always moved to where history is being made.... They have an excellent sense of where world-shaping events are taking place at any moment—and a fervent commitment to be there to see it happen.... In these cities, the Fallows argue, citizen participants are coping with declining industries, creating new civic cultures, assimilating waves of immigration, and collaborating across party-lines to revive everything from arts programs to tech seedbeds."—David Brooks, The New York Times

"A tonic of a book about the can-do America unready to succumb to rot."
—Roger Cohen, The New York Times

“I’ve been waiting for this book for years. . . . Buy this book. . . . This country is more united than divided...and this book will prove it.”
—Joe Scarborough, co-host of Morning Joe on MSNBC

“Knowing the Fallows and their work, I assumed this new co-authored book of theirs would be typically savvy, sensitive, articulate and prescient. What I didn't expect was how a record of experiences of current middle American communities, through their lenses, would be such a page turner! I've guessed for many years that real change in this world would be effected by and within small communities—places where people feel connected and capable of impact on some larger scale.
Our Towns is a monumental validation of that hypothesis—with real stories and real people, who are really getting things done. James & Deborah—thanks for your journey, your open and honest observations, and helping to shine light for us at the end of many tunnels.” —David Allen, author of Getting Things Done; the Art of Stress-Free Productivity

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.” —Anne-Marie Slaughter, President & CEO, New America

“In the tradition of John Steinbeck and Studs Terkel, the Fallows have crisscrossed the country in search of the extraordinary strength and character of ordinary people and places. What they’ve found—in towns we know and others off the beaten path—should give us all great hope for the future.” —California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr.

"Reminiscent of Charles Kuralt's On The Road with Charles Kuralt, this unique look at the heart of America will bring hope and insight to readers. Highly recommended."—David Miller, Library Journal 

“An illuminating trip through ‘parts of the country generally missed by the media spotlight.’ . . . Writing with lively curiosity and open minds, the couple have created textured portraits of 29 American cities, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Eastport, Maine, to Redlands, California. . . . A well-reported, optimistic portrait of America’s future.” Kirkus Reviews

“An eye-opening, keenly optimistic reminder of the strength of America’s vital center.”
—Publishers Weekly

About the Author

JAMES FALLOWS has been a national correspondent for The Atlantic for more than thirty-five years, reporting from China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, and across the United States. He is the author of eleven previous books. His work has also appeared in many other magazines and as public-radio commentaries since the 1980s. He has won a National Book Award and a National Magazine Award. For two years he was President Jimmy Carter’s chief speechwriter.

DEBORAH FALLOWS is a linguist and writer who holds a PhD in theoretical linguistics and is the author of two previous books. She has written for The Atlantic, National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times, and The Washington Monthly, and has worked at the Pew Research Center, Oxygen Media, and Georgetown University. She and her husband have two sons and five grandchildren.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group; Reprint edition (February 5, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0525432442
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0525432449
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.19 x 0.98 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 532 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
532 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book insightful and interesting, providing them with information about the real America. They describe it as an easy, enjoyable read with well-written content. However, some readers feel the book becomes repetitive after a while, turning a good idea into a tedious slog.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

43 customers mention "Insight"43 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and entertaining, providing an interesting look at America. They appreciate the thoughtful and clear-eyed views on American cities and towns. The book provides creative ideas and uplifting accounts of can-do ingenuity. Readers also mention that the writing is good and the details are interesting.

"...And if you care about our country and our people, it is truly inspirational." Read more

"...a realistic assessment of what went wrong; the energy and creativity in educational institutions, appreciation of quality of life factors, the..." Read more

"If you like hearing about interesting small town history this is your book...." Read more

"...The writing is good and the details are interesting...." Read more

35 customers mention "Readability"32 positive3 negative

Customers find the book engaging and interesting. They enjoy reading it from start to finish, finding it entertaining and clear-eyed. The concluding chapter is praised as excellent. Overall, readers recommend the book for government officials, city leaders, and entrepreneurs.

"...This book is interesting throughout if you care about how people in other places live...." Read more

"...contacts and depths of travel, insight, and thought made this an enjoyable book...." Read more

"...In all, however, a good and uplifting read!" Read more

"...So too is the excellent concluding chapter which sums up the common characteristics that are underwriting success in the towns studied...." Read more

20 customers mention "Writing quality"14 positive6 negative

Customers praise the book's writing quality. They find it well-written and timely. The writers are praised for their positive attitude and positive outlook. The paperback seems well-printed, and the book is an easy read with thorough research.

"...The writing is good and the details are interesting...." Read more

"...which sums up the common characteristics that are underwriting success in the towns studied...." Read more

"...Self-absorbed authors and somnambulent prose, I had to quit at the 1/3 mark. Any more and I felt I was wasting my life...." Read more

"This is a very thoughtful, very well-written exploration of the positive developments happening all over the country that escape the attention of..." Read more

10 customers mention "Repetition"0 positive10 negative

Customers find the book repetitive and tedious after a while. They describe it as boring and disjointed.

"...Frankly, the book often becomes tedious. The picture of many community leaders is often two dimensional...." Read more

"...My only negative reaction Is that the book gets a bit repetitive, because they found pretty much the same types of community activism at work in..." Read more

"...I felt that I often had trouble trying to make sense of a disjointed narrative...." Read more

"...After a while, the stories do get a bit repetitive." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2019
    The authors are regular contributors to the Atlantic. This book grew out of an idea -- to learn how people in small-to-medium sized towns can rebuild/reinvent their communities if they are willing to separate themselves from the polarized world of national politics. The places they study are in red and blue states, have red and blue ideas, but mostly have leaders that don't think in red and blue. They visited several dozen towns throughout the US, spent several weeks in each, getting to know the town, what is happening to give them new life. The calamities can be the closing of factories, the loss of a military base, the end of an industry that caused the town to be there in the first place. The end of coal mining in some towns, the end of logging or fishing in others, as those natural resources have been either worked out or are no longer competitive. Shopping centers and strip malls lead to the destruction of downtown businesses.

    There are many examples of public/private partnerships, nearly all where the owner of a large company decides to "give back" to the community. Where people who grew up there, left for school, worked for a while somewhere else, and returned home. The unifying theme is that natural leaders (sometimes elected, but often not) take the bull by the horns and develop things that put the town back on a growth track. A coffee house, a brew pub, innovative schools that teach what people need to know for the new economy, help for immigrants (many of the towns studied have strongly benefited from immigrants, who often replace locals who have moved away). In more than a few of these towns, there was a leader who introduced the concept of developing hubs for technical and business innovation -- everything from facilitating business startups, to welcoming scientists and computer programmers to develop software that can be used by the local or regional economy. In Fresno, for example, someone is thinking about software apps to help the farmers in the great Central Valley operate more efficiently.

    This book is interesting throughout if you care about how people in other places live. I've travelled quite a bit, but I often found myself looking up places on the map. And if you care about our country and our people, it is truly inspirational.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2018
    You can look up at the night sky and get a good picture of what all those suns looked like millions and millions of years ago. If you visited a city 10, 20 or 30 years ago, your impression of the place might be equally dated. James and Deborah Fallows undertook a "100,000+' mile journey around America for three or four years examining where there might be some positive directions in places that had been hit hard by economic tidal waves, shifting demographics and/or other phenomena that were beyond their control. Despite massive dysfunction in national politics, they have found considerable evidence of growth and optimism, laced with hard work.

    Some common denominators were a realistic assessment of what went wrong; the energy and creativity in educational institutions, appreciation of quality of life factors, the welcoming and contribution of new immigrants; the focus on getting a few things right with a new direction and majority community participation.

    Frankly, the book often becomes tedious. The picture of many community leaders is often two dimensional. One can only appreciate so many references to swimming pools and elementary schools. Their affection for small airports and brew pubs may or may not resonate. But the patient. disciplined and contrasting window on places that don't get a lot of positive press coverage is worthwhile. In my prior life, I spent weeks in random places (wherever my company was involved in serious litigation). I nearly always came away with a respect, and sometimes an affection, for places I would rarely have sought out on my own. It's good to know there is still a lot of constructive energy in many small cities and towns in Middle America.
    36 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2024
    If you like hearing about interesting small town history this is your book. It is especially helpful if you travel and want to see some "non touristy" places in average towns throughout the US
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2018
    This book is written by a man and woman, professional journalists, who fly a plane to scads of smaller American cities and, presumeably, give an objective view of the quality of life in each city. The writing is good and the details are interesting. I'm about 75% through the book, and I'm growing weary of unflagging optimism about the future of the communities. It's almost as if the Chambers of Commerce had paid for promotional space. There's at least one hero or heroine in each city that is devoting life to making all things better. There are two communities yet to read about with which I'm very familiar, and, in fact, I bought the book to see what's said about them. I'll render final judgment after that. Meanwhile, I'll try to overlook the grins and fist pumping.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2024
    The book was a gift and it was delivered quickly
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2024
    The contacts and depths of travel, insight, and thought made this an enjoyable book. It will be used years from now to remember how the time was when they visited.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2018
    I enjoyed reading about the Fallows‘ exploration of American towns and small cities. They make an interesting point about local community spirit overcoming national political divisiveness. My only negative reaction Is that the book gets a bit repetitive, because they found pretty much the same types of community activism at work in most of the places they visited and therefore repeat the same observations several times. In all, however, a good and uplifting read!
    6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Notler
    5.0 out of 5 stars A marvelous read.
    Reviewed in Canada on August 4, 2018
    Doesn't pull punches on the negatives, but essentially explores and highlights very positive local endeavours toward making the USA a successful, functioning entity. From Maine to Mississippi to California, provides numerous examples of people from different backgrounds, with differing political opinions, working together for the betterment of their towns. A marvelous read.
  • Elmer Fudd Gantry
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hairy premise
    Reviewed in Australia on September 12, 2018
    None of these towns were mine, 18 stars
  • Nambu
    5.0 out of 5 stars Deep in the Heart of America Today
    Reviewed in Japan on July 1, 2018
    James and Deborah Fallows are highly qualified to describe the American experience in small towns across the country, which they covered in their small private plane over a five year period. They usually visited each community once for a general glance, then returned for in-depth interviews and visits to local businesses and organizations after significant preparation. The Fallows team has lived and written in many parts of the world, including Japan and China, and across the U.S. and they are both balanced and insightful. An excellent read for anyone interested in what makes America work today, on a local level.