Abstract
America's rural communities face a difficult decision: to retain their distinctive local traits (their souls) as they have historically or to do whatever is necessary to attract new industries and jobs and change into something that is difficult to know in advance. The one certainty is that if choosing this latter option, the new community will be different from the old and, in being different, may be distasteful and unliked by many long-time local people. This review essay concludes with this conundrum: to change and survive or to refuse to change and run the risk of perishing. Not easy choices; not easy times.
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