Small Town Living

Book excerpt: Celebrate the joys of small town life in this stunning, coast-to-coast photographic ode to country stores, main streets, and the inspiring creatives who have embraced life outside the city center. "An idyllic celebration of the rural life." —Publishers Weekly Big changes are taking place in how we live—and what we look for in the place we call home. From remote work options to the pull of wide open spaces and simpler lives, families, couples, and singles alike are looking away from major metropolitan areas and towards small towns. But where to go? How? When? There’s a lot to consider when you’re thinking about making the move to a small town—or just daydreaming about doing so. With the wisdom of an author who has made the move herself, Small Town Living answers these key questions in this sweeping, lushly photographed celebration of living small. Author and photographer Erin Austen Abbott has traversed the country to find creatives—from aquaculture preservationists to visual artists to entrepreneurs—who have opted for cozy towns over metropolitan bustle. In illuminating interviews and atmospheric photographs Austen Abbott showcases nearly two dozen couples and individuals who have embraced small town life, from the wilds of rural Maine, to the plains of Texas, villages of the Hudson Valley, and breathtaking seascapes of the Pacific Northwest. Woven throughout these regional chapters (East, Midwest, South, and West) are tips and sidebars to help readers begin their own small town journeys—from determining what's really important to you (like proximity to a university or access to hiking trails) to sensitively integrating into the community. A rich appendix showcases dozens of small towns grouped by themes like Small Museums, LGBTQIA+ Friendly, Film Festivals, as well as a list of small towns by state to inspire wanderlust.