<span><span>Something truly fascinating is afoot in a region of the Upper Midwest</span></span><br><span><span>commonly known as the Driftless. Covering parts of four states—Illinois,</span></span><br><span><span>Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota—that share a shoreline with the Mississippi</span></span><br><span><span>River, the Driftless area was spared the glacial activity that leveled the rest of the</span></span><br><span><span>Midwest landscape. What is left is a common culture of tucked away hills and</span></span><br><span><span>valleys, where small-scale farming, a respect and love of nature, and close-knit</span></span><br><span><span>community are the norm. Attitudes and lifestyles in the Driftless run counter to</span></span><br><span><span>many of the trends in the rest of the nation and just might be a future blueprint</span></span><br><span><span>for a downsized United States.</span></span><br><br><span><span>A seasoned journalist known for his nuanced reporting, Stephen J. Lyons tells the</span></span><br><span><span>stories of the Driftless through the colorful and unforgettable voices of residents</span></span><br><span><span>who defy easy characterizations and lazy narratives. Readers will meet seed savers,</span></span><br><span><span>off-the-gridders, birders, farmers, musicians, artists, and writers, all who share a</span></span><br><span><span>common bond in a separate nation called the Driftless.</span></span><br><span><span><br><br></span></span>