“Hollowing Out the Middle is a worthy contribution to a conversation we desperately need to have.” —Wall Street Journal

"The undoing of Middle America is the great secret tragedy of our times. For shining a bright, unwavering light on the unfolding disaster, Patrick Carr and Maria Kefalas deserve enormous credit; for proposing solutions that actually have a chance of succeeding, they deserve the gratitude of frustrated midwesterners everywhere." —Thomas Frank, author of What’s the Matter With Kansas?

"A brave and daunting examination of why the most talented, the most productive young people leave our small towns and what can be done to stop this exodus." —Mildred Armstrong Kalish, author of Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm during the Great Depression

"Hollowing Out the Middle is a rural panorama of heart-wrenching proportion."
—Stephen G. Bloom, author of Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America and The Oxford Project

"With heart, compassion, and a magnifying glass, Linda Nathan takes us into the world of an urban high school, with its daily trials, defeats, joys, and victories. This book does not shy away from raising questions, encouraging self-reflection, and ultimately opening minds." —Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent, Boston Public Schools

"As a 29-year army and Army Reserve colonel, I urge everyone-especially women considering joining the U.S. military-to read this important book. Through unforgettable stories, The Lonely Soldier explains the shocking frequency of sexual assault and what can be done." —Army Reserve Colonel Ann Wright

"This book is long overdue and should be mandatory reading for all those who have seen combat, including in Iraq, and for those who love them and live with them." —Margaret Ferguson, national board chair of the Gold Star Wives of America