Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. VanceMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. It's a memoir, of sorts - to the extent Between the World and Me is, in that Vance tells his story of growing up in rural Kentucky, using the narrative as a jumping-off point to characterize Appalachia.
Vance grows up with domestic violence, drugs, poverty, and many other poor circumstances. And yet, he perseveres, ultimately attending Yale Law School. In describing his life story, and what differences he experienced that enabled him to break the cycles his family had settled into, he did a great job explaining the life choices and prejudices that exist in Appalachia today. Though published several months before Trump's victory, it goes a long way to describe a community that, illogically, will end up voting for Trump.
I'm glad I read this and will be interested to follow Vance's career, as he is only 33.
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