Garrison Keillor tells the story of Lake Woebegon, Minnesota (pop. 942). With almost utter honesty, he chronicles the town's history, explains its traditions (including the Living Flag and the Sons of Knute Ice Melt contest), and gives the complete scoop on all the local clelebrities, from Ralph of Ralph's Pretty Good Grocery to Dorothy of the Chatterbox Cafe. Filled with warmth and humor, sadness and tenderness, Lake Woebegon Days is an unforgettable portrait of small-town American life, of why "we are what we are" and why "smart doesn't count for much."

There's humour here, yes, but there's also a lot of subtle satire and criticism. Keillor certainly doesn't portray small-town life in the US as idyllic or innocent, no matter what nostalgia tries to make us believe. There's a lot of unhappiness, anger and frustration in Lake Woebegon, and it sometimes makes for some rather depressing reading. Sometimes the narrative bogs down a bit and some sections seem to go on far too long, but overall an interesting and insightful read.

Released as part of the "Oh, The Places We Can Go" challenge. Happy reading!