This comprehensive investigation of social life in small, rural U.S. communities by distinguished scholar Wuthnow is a remarkable contribution to the rural sociological literature. The author combines data from the U.S. census, national surveys, and his own quantitative and qualitative research to illuminate how rural residents view the changes in small town life over the past few decades. . . . An important, thought-provoking picture of small town life.
One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013
Small-Town America fills a significant gap in the sociological literature. . . . [Wuthnow] offers a more balanced view of small-town life and culture. Drawing on more than seven hundred in-depth interviews in hundreds of towns across America and three decades of census data, Robert Wuthnow shows the fragility of community in small towns.---Batya Roded, Geography Research Forum
[A] rich tapestry depicting the pleasures and difficulties of life in small-town America, the histories and the promises of these places, and the hopes and fears of the people who choose to live there.---Elizabeth Dilley, Christian Century
I learned a great deal about small-town America from this book. In a sense, there is no other sociological study of small-town America to equal it. It fills a significant gap in the sociological literature.---John A. Coleman, America
"This engaging book offers a reassessment of small-town life, avoiding nostalgic simplifications and placing the small town into proper perspective relative to the rest of American society. Wuthnow navigates through misperceptions held by many people—including some social scientists—and offers a more balanced view of small-town life and culture. I know of no other book like it."—Wade Clark Roof, University of California, Santa Barbara
Small-Town America is full of surprising findings. . . . [A]cutely aware of the fragility of small towns, Wuthnow believes they have a viable future.---Glenn C. Altschuler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
In Small-Town America there is a wealth of information for the field researcher, the demographer, the survey designer, and the community theorist. We are confident that Wuthnow's work will lead to more insightful explorations in community theory and how rural America continues to play a significant role in American society.---Matthew L. McKnight and Ralph B. Brown, American Journal of Sociology
"Small-Town America fills a significant gap in the sociological literature. Grounded in a nationally representative survey, ethnographic site visits, and scores of in-depth interviews, Wuthnow's nuanced and sensitive book draws on the voices of small-town Americans and challenges enduring stereotypes. Wuthnow takes the conversation deeper, and he does not avoid the hot-button issues."—John Schmalzbauer, Missouri State University
