The Hard Way on Purpose: Essays and Dispatches from the Rust Belt
By David Giffels

I enjoyed Giffels‘ memoirs and tales of growing up in Akron, Ohio, a city (he is constantly reminding readers) known as the rubber capital of the world.

To people a generation older than Giffels, the world of Akron was falling apart in the 1980s. To Giffels, who came of age in the 80s, the urban crisis was situation normal. He–and I imagine other young people who grew up in Great Lakes towns in the 80s and 90s–dealt with the surreal decomposition of the built environment and its attendant social oddities with a sense of humor. This resonated with me. I didn’t grow up in Akron or a town with a nationally known industry attached to its identity, but I did grow up in a post-industrial Great Lakes town. I’ve seen people respond to the “Rust Belt” as Giffels has–with humor. A sense of humor can keep your heart tender towards your home town and keep your mind open to the new society of weirdness that forms in the wake of manufacturing’s departure.

The Hard Way on Purpose is an excellent read for anyone who is wondering if the Great Lakes region has unique insights to offer the national culture. Giffels’ unequivocal answer, he would say with a wry smile, is: yes.