THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER IS NOW A MAJOR-MOTION PICTURE DIRECTED BY RON HOWARD AND STARRING AMY ADAMS, GLENN CLOSE, AND GABRIEL BASSO“You will not read a more important book about America this year.“—The Economist “A riveting book.”—The Wall Street Journal“Essential reading.”—David Brooks, New York TimesHillbilly Elegy is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis—that of … Journal
“Essential reading.”—David Brooks, New York Times
Hillbilly Elegy is a passionate and personal analysis of a culture in crisis—that of white working-class Americans. The disintegration of this group, a process that has been slowly occurring now for more than forty years, has been reported with growing frequency and alarm, but has never before been written about as searingly from the inside. J. D. Vance tells the true story of what a social, regional, and class decline feels like when you were born with it hung around your neck.
The Vance family story begins hopefully in postwar America. J. D.’s grandparents were “dirt poor and in love,” and moved north from Kentucky’s Appalachia region to Ohio in the hopes of escaping the dreadful poverty around them. They raised a middle-class family, and eventually one of their grandchildren would graduate from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of success in achieving generational upward mobility. But as the family saga of Hillbilly Elegy plays out, we learn that J.D.’s grandparents, aunt, uncle, sister, and, most of all, his mother struggled profoundly with the demands of their new middle-class life, never fully escaping the legacy of abuse, alcoholism, poverty, and trauma so characteristic of their part of America. With piercing honesty, Vance shows how he himself still carries around the demons of his chaotic family history.
A deeply moving memoir, with its share of humor and vividly colorful figures, Hillbilly Elegy is the story of how upward mobility really feels. And it is an urgent and troubling meditation on the loss of the American dream for a large segment of this country.
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I expected an examination of the people and culture of Appalachia but found a not entirely compelling memoir instead.
Much better than Netflix movie. Enjoyed description of Appalachia, transformation of main character, and decision to write. Hope his efforts will help this area.
This book opened my eyes to perspectives I had never been able to consider previously. I am full of admiration for the author and hope that he will run for office someday.
Insightful.
The rise from poverty and illiteracy to comfort and higher education thru encouragement and perseverance.
So much of the content in this book speaks to me. I could relate to many of JD’s stories growing up in Appalachia. He is a talented writer and storyteller.
This book really drew me in seeing the class divisions of white people; especially those of the working class in Kentucky’s Appalachia. It is shocking to see how generation after generation, a culture of people don’t try to overcome the social status of what they are born into but rather accept it and watch the further decline without trying to do better. There are exceptions to this, such as the Author who came from an unhealthy upbringing but thankfully had strong role models in his maternal grandparents. They wanted their grandson to want to be better for himself. And his family escapes the neighboring poverty and climbs into the middle working class. But that has many injustices in its own rights and that is discussed by the Author with such honesty by sharing his point of view.
In the book he introduces you to his family; albeit dysfunctional, there is love and that’s what gets this boy to eventually attend Yale Law School. He shares his special relationships, especially with his boisterous spirited grandma with a mouth like a truck driver and a heart of gold. His mom with her many addictions and many men she paraded in and out of his life. His sister and reuniting with the birth father who gave him up for adoption, are all such soulful stories. I was proud at what the Author had survived and what he did to fight to better his life. The transformation is miraculous. His opinions on society and the problems we face as a nation are interesting and make a lot of sense. I’m so excited to see the Netflix movie adaptation coming out on November 24th as well.
Mr. Vance writes a wonderful book about an area that is often overlooked in this country. The plight of people based on geography and willingness, or lack thereof, was an interesting subject. Highly recommended.
Didn’t seem to affect me as much as others that I saw that reviewed the book. Interesting topic of a poor white man growing up in KY and OH to get out and make it on his own.
Wish I could say why, but I didn’t like it as much as the others in the book group did. I appreciated the fact that it was autobiographical, not someone just formulating theories about caste and class from speculation.
In an era where Donald Trump can be elected president, I understand why Hillbilly Elegy currently has such a big following. And while I did feel the book offers some useful insight into why the 2016 election turned out as it did, I did not find this book lived up to all the hype.
J.D. Vance, a self-described hillbilly and former marine, now an upper class attorney in San Francisco tells the story of his rags-to-riches climb from poverty and societal hopelessness to realizing the American dream. While an unstable mother with a string of boyfriends/husbands and a recurring drug problem held him back, the steady love of an older sister and his grandparents encouraged him on. A powerful story like this should have been a real emotional grabber. But it wasn’t for me. In fact, at times, it was downright dry.
For most of the book, Vance concentrates on his life’s story. And that at least is interesting. But toward the end, he begins citing research and the book takes on a didactic flavor that became boring. He readily admits that he has no comprehensive explanation for his “hillbilly world.” So why all the effort to include the literature? I would have preferred that he just stuck to his own story, and written it more as a participant than as an observer.
This book will stay in my memory for a long time.
I was amazed that I recognized traits of my own family in this book.
Very interesting read.
Unfortunately, a book about the time we live in.
This book is not an easy read — with all the hardship etc. — but it is moving,
informative, and definitely an eye opener to what some folks in our country
face and overcome.
Well written. unfortunately the author announces near the end that he’s a political conservative without explaining why or offering policy solutions to the problems he describes.
It explains a lot about the current political climate. One realizes the importance of education and life experiences.
Learned about a subculture I did not understand!
The author seemed unaware or unwilling to acknowledge the
assistance he received in order to rise “above”.
He seems arrogant and entitled.