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Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2010 > June > 23 > Entry
Meth kills
I’m reading a depressing book, “Methland-the Death and Life of an American Small Town” (Bloomsbury) by Nick Reding.
It is the story of how the scourge of meth labs and meth abuse rent the social fabric of the small town of Oelwein, Iowa.
Oelwein was typical of many small midwestern towns. Local industry was in decline. The farm crisis and consolidation of family farms into big agribusiness concerns had been another blow to the local area. And many of the gifted young people could not leave soon enough - they went off to college then never returned except, perhaps, for visits.
When the scourge of meth hit Oelwein it wreaked a terrible devastation upon the town. In small Iowa towns they are used to dealing with damaging storms. But when the tornado of meth swept through it took all that they could do just to survive.
They did. Things got better. But it is a harrowing story. And it could happen where you live….
Just out in paperback.
Vick Mickunas
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: scribbles and scraps
Comments
By anke
June 29, 2010 5:23 PM | Link to this
Mark, you may be speaking from past experience, I am not sure….but I was under the impression that meth was very addictive. I do not think anyone choses to die from a drug! But they are so hooked by that time, if you were to say “hey, today you will die from meth”, they would just disregard you. I would never do meth (not that I do any drug)…but you would think, will all of the negativity, and bad press surrounding Meth…that would alone be enough to deter people, but lets face it, there are a lot of dumb and easily persuaded people out there. I feel horrible for all of the families out there that have had to endure the hell of a family member on any drug, let alone Meth.
By notsure
June 29, 2010 5:22 PM | Link to this
Mark, you may be speaking from past experience, I am not sure….but I was under the impression that meth was very addictive. I do not think anyone choses to die from a drug! But they are so hooked by that time, if you were to say “hey, today you will die from meth”, they would just disregard you. I would never do meth (not that I do any drug)…but you would think, will all of the negativity, and bad press surrounding Meth…that would alone be enough to deter people, but lets face it, there are a lot of dumb and easily persuaded people out there. I feel horrible for all of the families out there that have had to endure the hell of a family member on any drug, let alone Meth.
By Mark from St Paul
June 27, 2010 11:24 AM | Link to this
I’m surprised you’re not getting more comments on this given your very active “conservative” base of readers. Meth is the drug of the right. The small town I grew up near in Iowa was introduced to the culture wars back in ‘72 when speed — not pot — started coming into town. Kids that left to become hippies didn’t come back, but rednecked truck drivers did and they brought back methamphetamines. Meth was very common in the factory I worked at in Des Moines, so much so that plant mechanics on 3-wheeled bikes would deliver it to your machines after you paged them. But don’t feel sorry for meth users. No other drug is as brutally honest. Not the first time you take it, but by the fifth or sixth time it’s pretty damned obvious what you’re doing to yourself. The truth is that people who die from meth choose to die. It’s not physically addictive, and the psychological perks stop long before you’re “hooked.” Meth is a way of life that’s only attractive to the unemployed and people with no future. That’s a good description of people who live in small towns in corporate America.