"Nobody writing today captures the sweep and depth of American places the way Brian Alexander captures them. Now, in The Mayor, Alexander gives us a look at one of the poorest, most broken, places in America and the result is not only an indictment of American moral, political, and economic culture, but a ray of hope for changing our future."
—Beth Macy, Nieman Fellow, Guggenheim Fellow and author of Factory Man, Dopesick and Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America

"The Mayor beautifully captures what’s gone wrong—and could go right—in areas of the US left behind by capitalism gone off the rails. With an ear attuned to both racial and class dynamics, he captures the poignancy of people who feel deeply rooted in the “warm bath” of the communities they grew up in. They want them to thrive; if voters want to preserve democracy, they’ll make sure they do."
—Joan C. Williams, Distinguished Professor (Emerita) and Director, Equality Action Center, UC Law SF, author of Outclassed

"We are fortunate that Brian Alexander, one of the foremost chroniclers of off-the-beaten track America, has taken it upon himself to tell the story of local government in one particularly overlooked small city. The Mayor is rich in character, texture and drama and manages to be maddening and inspiring at the same time."
—Alec MacGillis, reporter, ProPublica, author of Fulfilment

"Alexander brings us Chester, Pennsylvania, in all its joy, sorrow, and harrowing blight... an exquisite, searing account of a long-shot attempt to resurrect democracy in the only bankrupt city in America. An illuminating dive into the betrayal of our small towns—and our country."
—Andrea Pitzer, author of Icebound

"Driven by his deep love for the invisible forces that bind communities together, Brian Alexander bears witness to the tenacity of tiny Chester, Pa., still punching back despite absorbing the body blows of American racial capitalism for over a century. Equal parts sweeping history and intimate snapshot, The Mayor offers a gripping portrait of the toughest small city in the country."
—Benjamin Herold, author, Disillusioned: Five Families and the Unraveling of America's Suburbs

"Throughout the country, there is despair. This wonderful, engaging book does much more than show the human side of this despair. It illustrates that even in the most dire circumstances, there is hope. It starts with the human side of the story: leadership, hard work, and talking to people to bring them together."
—Daron Acemoglu, Institute Professor, MIT, winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, and author of New York Times bestseller Why Nations Fail