Summary
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis is a powerful and controversial 2016 book by JD Vance that offers a personal account of growing up in a poor Rust Belt town. Drawing on his own experiences, Vance provides an intimate look at the struggles of America's white working class and explores the decline of this demographic over the past 40 years.
The memoir became a surprise bestseller and cultural touchstone, praised for its raw honesty but also criticized for its broad generalizations. It won the 2017 Audie Award for Nonfiction and sparked intense debate about poverty, upward mobility, and the American dream. The book's popularity surged again during the 2016 presidential election as readers sought to understand the rise of Donald Trump.
In 2020, Hillbilly Elegy was adapted into a Netflix film directed by Ron Howard and starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams. While the movie received mixed reviews, it brought renewed attention to Vance's story and themes. The book remains a lightning rod for discussions about class, culture, and politics in America.
Plot
JD Vance's memoir Hillbilly Elegy begins with the story of his grandparents, who moved from Kentucky's Appalachia region to Ohio in search of better economic opportunities after World War II. Despite escaping grinding poverty, Vance's family struggled to fully adapt to middle-class life in their new home of Middletown, Ohio.
The narrative focuses on Vance's turbulent upbringing, shaped by his mother's instability and addiction issues. He recounts a childhood marked by frequent moves, his mother's failed relationships, and exposure to domestic violence. Throughout these hardships, Vance's grandparents, especially his tough but loving grandmother, serve as stabilizing influences in his life.
Despite the challenges of his youth, Vance manages to excel academically. He joins the Marines after high school, then attends Ohio State University and ultimately Yale Law School. The memoir traces his journey from a troubled “hillbilly” background to academic and professional success, highlighting the cultural values and personal resilience that enabled his upward mobility.
Throughout the book, Vance reflects on the broader socioeconomic issues facing his community. He examines how the decline of industry in the Rust Belt has impacted working-class families like his own. Vance also explores the complex interplay of personal responsibility and systemic factors in perpetuating cycles of poverty and social dysfunction in Appalachian and Rust Belt communities.
Themes
Cultural decline of working-class America
Impact of family dysfunction on upward mobility
Persistence of Appalachian values and traditions
Challenges of escaping generational poverty
Role of education in social advancement
Effects of substance abuse on families and communities
Loss of the American Dream for rural white Americans
Setting
JD Vance's memoir Hillbilly Elegy is primarily set in the Rust Belt region of the United States, specifically in Middletown, Ohio. The story spans several decades, from the post-World War II era to the early 2010s, chronicling the experiences of three generations of Vance's family. This timeframe allows Vance to explore the socioeconomic changes that have affected the region over the years, particularly the decline of industrial jobs and the resulting impact on working-class communities.
The larger geographical area that serves as a backdrop for the memoir is Appalachia, with a focus on the cultural ties between Ohio and Kentucky. Vance's family originates from Breathitt County in eastern Kentucky, and their Appalachian roots play a significant role in shaping their values and experiences. The narrative frequently shifts between Middletown and the family's ancestral home in Kentucky, highlighting the cultural and economic connections between these two areas.
Specific places that feature prominently in the book include Vance's grandparents' home in Middletown, which serves as a central location for many of the family's experiences. Additionally, Vance's journey takes him to Ohio State University and later to Yale Law School, providing a stark contrast to his working-class upbringing and illustrating his trajectory of upward mobility. These diverse settings allow Vance to examine the complex interplay between geography, culture, and socioeconomic status in shaping individual and community outcomes.
Key figures
JD Vance: The author and main character of the memoir. Growing up in a dysfunctional family in Ohio, Vance overcomes numerous obstacles to eventually graduate from Yale Law School. His experiences form the core of the book as he reflects on the cultural and economic challenges facing working-class white Americans. Vance's journey from a troubled childhood to academic and professional success serves as a lens through which he examines broader societal issues.
Mamaw (Bonnie Vance): JD's maternal grandmother and one of his primary guardians. A tough, foul-mouthed woman originally from Kentucky, Mamaw plays a crucial role in JD's upbringing and success. Despite her own flaws, she provides stability and encouragement, pushing JD to excel academically. Mamaw's influence is a constant theme throughout the book, representing both the positive and negative aspects of Appalachian culture.
Bev Vance: JD's mother, who struggles with drug addiction and unstable relationships throughout his childhood. Her volatile behavior and substance abuse issues significantly impact JD's early life, contributing to the family's instability. Bev's struggles exemplify many of the problems Vance identifies in his community, including the cycle of poverty and addiction.
Papaw (James Lee Vance): JD's maternal grandfather. While less prominent in the narrative than Mamaw, Papaw's life story illustrates the economic migration from Appalachia to industrial Midwest cities. His alcoholism and eventual sobriety provide context for the family's challenges and resilience.
Lindsay: JD's older sister. She plays a supportive role in JD's life, often helping to care for him during their mother's absences or crises.
Aunt Wee (Jimmy Blanton): JD's aunt, who provides additional family support. She represents another example of the extended family network that is crucial in Appalachian culture.
Critical reception
Hillbilly Elegy received widespread attention and acclaim upon its release in 2016, becoming a New York Times bestseller. The New York Times reviewer Jennifer Senior praised Vance's “compassionate, discerning sociological analysis” and his confrontation of social taboos. Many conservative commentators, including Mona Charen of National Review and Rod Dreher of The American Conservative, expressed admiration for the book. A Brookings Institution report noted how the memoir provided an “emotional portrait” that aligned with their findings on family stability and upward mobility.
However, the book also faced significant criticism from other journalists and academics. Writers like Jared Yates Sexton of Salon and Sarah Jones of The New Republic argued that Vance overgeneralized from his personal experiences and ignored important factors like racism. Historian Bob Hutton, writing in Jacobin, criticized Vance's logic and scholarship. The book provoked a response anthology titled Appalachian Reckoning, whose contributors argued that Vance reproduced myths about poverty. Despite the mixed reception, Hillbilly Elegy remained influential, particularly for its perceived insights into Donald Trump's political rise.
Quick facts
The book spent 74 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list
It was adapted into a 2020 Netflix film directed by Ron Howard
Vance credits his Yale professor Amy Chua as the “authorial godmother” who encouraged him to write the memoir
The book does not mention Donald Trump, despite being seen as explaining his rise to power
It won the 2017 Audie Award for Nonfiction
Vance signed an $8 million deal to write a sequel in 2017
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the book moved him to tears
It sparked a response anthology called Appalachian Reckoning: A Region Responds to Hillbilly Elegy
The book was briefly censored in China on WeChat in 2024
A false claim about a controversial passage in the book went viral as a meme in 2024
About the author
JD Vance is an American politician, attorney, and author who rose to prominence with his 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy. Born in 1984 in Middletown, Ohio, Vance grew up in a working-class family and joined the Marine Corps after high school, serving in Iraq. He went on to graduate from Ohio State University and Yale Law School, embarking on a career that spanned law, venture capital, and politics.
Vance's bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy chronicled his upbringing in the Rust Belt and Appalachia, offering insights into the socioeconomic challenges of those regions. The book's success catapulted Vance into the national spotlight, particularly during the 2016 presidential election. It was later adapted into a feature film directed by Ron Howard in 2020.
In 2022, Vance successfully ran for the United States Senate, representing Ohio as a Republican. His political positions have been characterized as nationally conservative and right-wing populist. Initially critical of Donald Trump, Vance later became a strong supporter of the former president. In July 2024, Trump selected Vance as his running mate for the 2024 presidential election, making Vance the Republican nominee for Vice President.
Throughout his career, Vance has been involved in various ventures, including founding a nonprofit called Our Ohio Renewal and serving on the board of AppHarvest, an agricultural technology company. His rapid rise in politics and selection as a vice-presidential candidate have made him a significant figure in the Republican Party. Vance is married to Usha Chilukuri, and they have three children. In 2019, he converted to Catholicism, citing the influence of Catholic theology on his sociopolitical views.
