Reviews

I am not a largely political person, however, I wanted to read this memoir to get to know J.D. Vance who is running for Vice President. I appreciated his vulnerability in sharing and I believe it made him a little more relatable. Regardless of one’s political leanings, I feel that this book is a really good picture of what a white working-class family may look like. I enjoyed that this book was written before J.D.’s political career began so that is not a major component of this book. It was definitely more of his personal journey to get to where he is today.

This book was an easy read for me, there were not a lot of parts that I didn’t understand. I only had a couple moments like that. J.D.’s writing was easy to follow and created an empathic response in me. This made it a book that I had to take breaks from at certain points as there are some heavy topics discussed in this book. I don’t know if I ever would have picked up this book, had I not been curious based on his current political aspirations.

I found the dynamics he describes in the white working class very interesting. The dichotomy of good values conflicting with some choices that are made, leave a lot to think about for me. As he states, only the families within that culture can truly make that change, but it certainly helps create empathy in reading their story.

I am glad I did pick it up, though as it definitely answered some questions I have always had about certain populations that I had worked with before in a previous life. It helped me understand the differences between how I was raised and how the people I had interacted with were maybe raised. I definitely have my eyes open to issues that I didn’t even know existed. I definitely understood more about why J.D. might lean in the direction he does. I found it a very interesting read!

Content Warnings:

Language: Explicit

Spice: None

TW: Illegal drug use, rape mentioned, murder, violence (non-graphic), neglected children, affairs, poverty/starvation

deschatjes's review

Go to review page

4.0

Fascinating look at the other side of America

bibliophileroxy's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional informative slow-paced

2.0

sailonsilver's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging informative slow-paced

3.0

nstarzl's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative reflective sad fast-paced

3.5

carivinci's review against another edition

Go to review page

slow-paced

3.25

I like the author, so i read the book. He does a good job of portraying what it's like to grow up as a hillbilly...in a very disfunctional family. He made it...mist do not.
My big question is...on TV he talks about his Mawmau & how she begged meals on wheels to give her extra food so that she & JD could both eat. A strong story. Yet, he doesn't mention this at all in the book.

swoo's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Wow! What an inspiring story - he truly lived the American dream.

More...