Dan Barry is someone I have raved about here before. IMO he is the best newspaper reporter in America. He has a dream beat, writing about what catches his fancy anywhere in the U.S. This one is as good as any of his I can remember. It is set in Elyria, Ohio, a place of about 25,000 people not far from Cleveland. It can go straight into the time capsule: middle America in the new century. It's long but I don't think you will mind.

One of the things I admire about him is he gets the job done with telling details rather than jamming the gas pedal to the floor.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/14/us/this-land-corner-of-hope-and-worry-elyria.html?ref=danbarry

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/15/us/this-land-elyria-mayor-dreams-of-better-days.html?ref=danbarry

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/us/this-land-elyria-after-years-of-refills-waitress-aims-higher.html?ref=danbarry

The Times charges non-subscribers for online access now but you can read a certain number (10?) free each month.

PS -- If you want a good movie that covers a lot of the same territory, check out "Nobody's Fool" with Paul Newman.