Publisher's Synopsis
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis is a memoir by J. D. Vance about the Appalachian values of his upbringing and their relation to the social problems of his hometown. 1 Summary 2 Publication 3 Reception 4 References 5 External links Summary Vance describes his upbringing and family background. He writes about a family history of poverty and low-paying, physical jobs that have since disappeared or worsened in their guarantees, and compares this life with his perspective after leaving that area and life. Vance was raised in Middletown, Ohio, though his ancestors were from Breathitt County, Kentucky. Their Appalachian values include traits like loyalty, love of country, and tendency towards violence and verbal abuse. He recounts his grandparents' alcoholism and abuse, and his unstable mother's history of drug addictions and failed relationships. Vance's grandparents eventually reconcile and become his de facto guardians, particularly spurred by his tough but loving grandmother, such that Vance was able to leave his town and ascend social ladders to attend Ohio State University and Yale Law School. Alongside his personal history, Vance raises questions such as the responsibility of his family and people for their own misfortune. Vance blames hillbilly culture and its encouragement of social rot. Comparatively, he feels that economic insecurity plays a much lesser role. While there is danger in blaming a people for their misfortunes, Vance has greater credence as an insider to the culture. As a grocery store cashier working checkout, he watched people on welfare talk on cell phones while Vance himself could not afford one. This resentment towards those who profited from misdeeds while he struggled, especially combined with his values of personal responsibility and tough love, is a microcosm of Appalachia's overall political swing from strong Democratic Party to strong Republican affiliations. Likewise, he recounts stories about lack of work ethic. For example, someone who did not like his job's hours and quit only to post on social media about the "Obama economy," and a co-worker who would skip work even though his girlfriend was pregnant.
