41 pages • 1 hour read
Nick RedingMethland
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2009A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Methland: The Death and Life of a Small American Town by Nick Reding is a nonfiction book chronicling the meth epidemic in Oelwein, Iowa, and its impact on rural America. The book blends sociology, economics, memoir, and history, detailing how corporate greed, pharmaceutical lobbying, and flawed immigration policies exacerbate the crisis. Reding uses personal stories of locals like Mayor Larry Murphy and prosecutor Nathan Lein to illustrate the human cost of meth addiction, ultimately offering a perspective that holds some hope for resolving the issue. The book includes detailed accounts of violence, addiction, and disfigurement.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Nick Reding's Methland delves into the methamphetamine crisis affecting rural America, with Oelwein, Iowa, as a focal point. Reviews praise its in-depth research and compelling narrative that humanizes the epidemic's impact. However, some criticize its occasional overgeneralization and lack of broader socioeconomic analysis. Overall, it's a gripping, though sometimes narrow, exploration of a national tragedy.
Who Should Read Methland?
Readers who appreciate sociological investigations and narratives on America's rural struggles will find Methland compelling. Comparable to Hillbilly Elegy and Evicted, this book appeals to those interested in the intersection of public health, economics, and community in small-town America.