I thought this was an interesting portrait in time of Kansas City (and by extension, other midsize midwestern cities). I'm only only passingly familiar with Kansas City, though. I spent some holidays there 15-20 years ago with a former girlfriend's parents, and at that time I'd say that the provincial effects being described were still there, but fading. It's possibly my impression was because they had moved there from California, but if so, perhaps that's a relevant recent development.<p>If we assume for sake of argument that the author's description is accurate for 35 years ago, I'd wonder how much things have changed since. Do current KC residents recognize the city that is being described? My guess would be that since then there have been a lot of national trends that have homogenized country (reducing the distance between the Coastal and Flyover Elite) but also a lot of fractures that have divided the previously more uniform midwestern metropoli.<p>Any current residents want to do a point-by-point evaluation?