Dave Davies

They live together.

Yes.

Let's take another break here.

We are speaking with Beth Macy.

Her new book is Paper Girl, a memoir of home and family in a fractured America.

We'll continue our conversation after this short break.

This is Fresh Air.

Urbana and the surrounding county, Champaign County, right, our Trump country, he probably knew this.

I wonder if – were you surprised when you started doing interviews at the depth and intensity of the support he had there?

Now, it's interesting that you also report that you talked to people who were, you know, affluent and educated folks in Urbana, people who were developers and the like.

And many of them held these conspiratorial views too.

And some of them were old friends of yours.

Like I think one of your very first friend was an African-American woman named Joy, who is very active in her church now.

And you had some real back and forth with her, right?

With you sending her information about mainstream media and fact checking and all of that.

How did that go?

You spent more time in Urbana, I guess, over the last two or three years when you were reporting for this book than you had in decades.

Do you think you'll stay in closer touch with old friends that you had and new ones you made?

Beth Macy, thanks for speaking with us again.

Beth Macy's new book is Paper Girl, a memoir of home and family in a fractured America.