Americans hang on after recession claims wealth

LOST WEALTH: Mike Lamm works on a ring Thursday in his jewelry shop in Mediapolis, Iowa. These days, people aren’t buying much jewelry. What saves him is his ability to repair watches and make rings. There’s still enough call for that kind of work in the small town in rural southeastern ...

STRUGGLING: Michael and Patricia Jackson stand in the doorway of their home Saturday in Marietta, Ga. On a suburban cul-de-sac northwest of Atlanta, the Jacksons are struggling to keep a house worth $100,000 less than they owe. Their voices and those of many others tell the story of a country that, ...