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The Hard Way on Purpose: Essays and Dispatches from the Rust Belt, is a nonfiction title. Author David Giffels takes us on his personal journey through the wreckage and resurgence of America’s Rust Belt. A native who never knew the good times, yet never abandoned his hometown of Akron. Giffels touches on the idiosyncrasies of a region where industry has fallen, bowling is a legitimate profession, bizarre weather is the norm, rock ‘n’ roll is desperate, thrift store culture thrives, and sports is heartbreak. This collection of essays talks about coming of age in the Midwest and about the stubborn, optimistic, and resourceful people who prevail there.