Earl Johansen and Nearly Kelly have been friends since they were boys in Campbell, Iowa. Now old men, Nearly lives in the Veterans Home, where Earl is his frequent visitor and steadfast companion. As his health deteriorates and they reminiscence about days gone by, Nearly has only one regret--something Earl and a couple of new friends might help him resolve. Citizens of Campbell is the story of a small Iowa town, the unlikely but enduring friendship between two World War II veterans, and the timeless gifts of living a simple life. "I adore Ann Reed and have always admired her sharp, witty song-smithing, marveling at her ability to weave lyrical musical tales. Now Ann uses those formidable talents in a different realm. Enjoy this gifted storyteller's first novel." ―Cathy Wurzer, Minnesota Public Radio News/Twin Cities PBS host "With Citizens of Campbell, Ann Reed has manifested a sly, wise novel about an unlikely family of human beings, unattached in the traditional sense, but whose fierce attachments speak to the unruly nature of love. At the novel's center are Earl Johansen and Nearly Walking Elk Kelly, aging World War II vets who occupy the profound territory between friendship and kinship. We also meet those who parent, though they are not parents. And those for whom love transcends blood, age, race, sexuality and even the force of habit. The novel's complexity unfolds with beautiful simplicity in the small town of Campbell, Iowa. Reed's ear is true. Her characters would be at home in a Mark Twain novel, colorful and plainspoken in speech, and surprisingly ... in deed." --Patricia Weaver Francisco, author of Telling Songwriter, singer, and guitarist Ann Reed has been performing for more than thirty- five years with her rich-as-chocolate voice and songs that find a permanent place in the heart. Her talent for telling stories from the human experience led her to write her first novel, Citizens of Campbell. Ann Reed lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.