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annies1's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve listened to this many times. This is an excellent book. It’s multi faceted and it looks at so many different things that I won’t label it as one thing or another. It’s very enlightening.
abbyprinceatwood's review against another edition
1.0
While I largely appreciated the story and am drawn to an underdog story, this memoir just felt gross to me. Vance uses the word “hillbilly” with a level of affection early in the book; but later on it seems only something he wants to be separate from. Everything about him (his education, his social status, his politics, his income) has changed by the end of the book. I was willing to hang in until he proclaimed that America’s meritocracy was made for men like Barack Obama. Vance’s white male privilege has made so many things, including his views on meritocracy, a matter of convenience.
bigmads's review against another edition
2.0
Insipid and Vacuous. Filled with pointless moralizing, written by unreliable narrator, and ultimately based on a selective view of reality, Hillbilly Elegy provides little insight into anything but Vance's politics. The story does nothing interesting or original and mostly exists as propaganda. If you're curious about the lives of insulated, rural Americans trying to function in this economy, there are much better books.
jencunn2024's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interesting memoir and study of growing up in the white working class. It brings to light both the possibilities of upward mobility and be the many blocks jades, challenges, and hindrances that hold these people back, that make them repeat the same from generation to generation. I’m excited to watch the show to get more of the personal aspects to the story for J. D. Vance. I was actually somewhat surprised at how much of his memoir was an analysis of his experiences rather than his personal story. So I’m hoping for more of that with the show.
kim_j_dare's review against another edition
3.0
Eh. I listened to the author read the audiobook version. Interesting, but a thread of condescension runs through.
oktofon's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Interesting story of a controversial political figure. Suffers from flat and repetitive writing.
moco71's review against another edition
4.0
I'm glad I read this - reminds me of some people I know but don't spend a lot of time with. The author was able to overcome some serious odds to get a college education and a more stable life than he grew up with. Very inspiring, but the "lessons learned" or ways to help others like him are limited and rely on people making better decisions, wanting a different lifestyle, taking responsibility for their actions, and also being given more opportunities.