Hillbilly Elegy - J. D. Vance

Hillbilly Elegy

By J. D. Vance

  • Release Date: 2018-05-01
  • Genre: Sociology
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 2,615 Ratings

Description

Hillbilly Elegy recounts J.D. Vance's powerful origin story...

From a former marine and Yale Law School graduate now serving as a U.S. Senator from Ohio and the Republican Vice Presidential candidate for the 2024 election, an incisive account of growing up in a poor Rust Belt town that offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America's white working class.

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"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 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, 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.

Reviews

  • Hillbilly Elegy

    5
    By MMZanini
    Amazing book! Thank you JD. Your book reflected a lot of my experiences growing up as poor white “racehorse” trash in the west. Carry on as will I.
  • Success through adversity

    5
    By Alaskabho
    This book is a glimpse into the life of a child that was a part of a vulnerable population that is not talked about in the forefront of political issues in our country. This child became a very successful adult and now VP candidate through the support of his strong willed grandparents.
  • Candid truth

    5
    By Ger buddy
    A window into the life of many middle class, middle America factory towns as the manufacturing landscape changed. How the old culture distilled wisdom as it faded in the 90s and little bits of “old school” precipitated out in the last generations that knew it.
  • A HeartFelt Story

    5
    By stick2024
    As the world yes the world awaits to see who the next president of the United States of America will be , I pray it will be in 2028 JD Vance! Then I know that ALLof America can receive what is necessary to achieve not to just receive!
  • Amazing and captivating

    5
    By Fertility Lady
    Loved it! Raw and truthful.
  • Hillbilly Elegy

    5
    By Rosimom
    Strong Language, which I would usually toss out, but I stuck with it. It’s really a good book and absolutely amazing how well J.D. has done ! Carol, in Utah
  • So glad I read this

    5
    By A Love Story
    I’m from Kentucky, born & raised there. I love that place like nobody’s business. My husband is also a born & raised Kentuckian. I am from the largest city, while he is from one of the smallest towns. They don’t even have a stoplight! We’ve learned a lot from each other and our families. We both went to college in KY, but in roll reversals. He went to the largest college & I went to one of the smallest. Our ancestors came in from the east & from the south to settle in the western art of the state, so were pure KY with roots all over this beautiful Commonwealth. Thank you for your love for our beautiful Appalachian mountains & the people who live there. Our people are survivors! My husband always refers to my dad as the toughest man he ever knew. Life wasn’t always the calmest at my childhood home, but I knew that if anybody ever messed with me, my parents had my back. You are a good man, JD Vance. Never forget that your real Father has your back too, so don’t go wandering off without Him! May He continue to bless you.
  • Skepital Reader

    5
    By Chasemax1
    I went into this in 2024 since J.D. Vance is now running aside Trump as his VP. I thought it might be a good way to get to know the real J.D. and what his politics were. After completing it, I think it do? I am a lifetime Republicanas were my parents and realtives. But with the way thingsare today I am truly scared to see where this world headed. My wish and prayer is for us all to just get along.I don’t have to agree with your thoughts or sentiments on things, but it not my rightto judge you or treat you inhumaley because of them. The sooner we all cometogether and realize this, the better this world willbe and then we can on with living a full, safe and happy life.
  • Loved it!

    5
    By upside downz
    Honest and truthful! Sheer strength JD! Great book and encouraging to read.
  • Good background on JD

    4
    By dffyuytrc
    A little too detailed for me. I would prefer to know more about his recent life vs. older stories about the family struggles.