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dellaposta's review against another edition
2.0
The book is part memoir and part social commentary on the decline of the white working class. The memoir part benefits from good writing, but is largely the expected family melodrama with some memorable characters (Mamaw!). The social commentary features few genuine insights and ranges from generic platitudes (e.g. That the decline of the white working class has cultural as well as economic antecedents) to self-serving apologetics (e.g. That Appalachian whites mistrust Obama because of his "elitism," not his race). Knowing that the author has already announced interest in a run for office in Ohio, it is not difficult to see the real aim here - indeed, the book reminded me in some ways of Dreams from My Father. Ultimately, I learned little besides some interesting history of Appalachian culture and migration in the first few chapters.
christinehonn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
This memoir shines when Vance talks about his personal experiences (especially from his childhood) - those are the parts I found most interesting. I found myself skimming over everything else; when Vance tries to zoom out and look at the "big picture" of Appalachian culture and its effects it often comes across condescending and as a lecture on a topic he's very conservative about. The book really started to lose me after he became a Marine. It was upsetting to learn that this man is an avid Trump supporter (even now in June 2024!). Would Mamaw, the guardian who has almost legendary status in this book, approve of that? My heart tells me no.
Edited to add that I watched the movie on Netflix and it's one of those rare instances where the movie is better than the book in my opinion, since it focuses much more heavily on Vance family dynamics than overarching Appalachian issues.
Edited to add that I watched the movie on Netflix and it's one of those rare instances where the movie is better than the book in my opinion, since it focuses much more heavily on Vance family dynamics than overarching Appalachian issues.
machka_llesan's review against another edition
2.0
Hailed as one of the most important books of 2016, I was excited to read “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance. What started as excitement quickly turned into distaste with intermittent moments of agreement. I have many thoughts on Vance’s memoir, but because I dissent with its overall positive reception, I feel like I have to put my thoughts out in a coherent format.
First, I will give my praise for certain parts of “Hillbilly Elegy.” To my surprise, there were moments in the memoir where I felt somewhat of a connection to the experiences of Vance. For example, he recounts his experiences going to Yale and the socio-economic class tension that follow. As someone from a working class community, it immediately brought me back to the moment as a college freshman I was made to feel naive for having never met someone whose parent went on international business trips. It brought me back to graduating college when I realized that one of my friends’ personal connections consisted of lawyers, doctors, PhD students, and the like who got him a finance job in Dubai after college, whereas my personal connections were working class individuals who could not get me an equivalent job in the field I had studied. It brought me back to the moment my college boyfriend told me I could have gone to a much more prominent university for free, but I had applied to only two universities based solely on cost because I didn’t know that people like me would get good financial aid at expensive schools.
I appreciate that Vance brings up that “there is a cultural movement in the white working class to blame problems on society or the government, and that movement gains adherents by the day” which is “where the rhetoric of modern conservatives fails.” There is even a moment where he cites studies that show working class boys do worse in school because they view schoolwork as a feminine endeavor – a phenomenon I had tried explaining to a friend just days before reading it in “Hillbilly Elegy.”
Vance recognizes these cultural beliefs and lack of social capital are what limits the socio-economic mobility of many working class people – unfortunately he recognizes this at the tail end of his book, long after my opinion of him had already been formed. Had his book consisted of just those few last chapters, I am certain I would have enjoyed his book. However, the bulk of the memoir was difficult to read for the following reasons.
Vance’s main argument throughout the rest of his memoir is that family stability and personal responsibility for actions and choices will stop the descent of Scots-Irish “hillbilly” culture (of which he is a part) into poverty, drugs, and violence. He often writes at length about how lazy hillbillies are and how they are unaware of their own laziness, but then follows it up with short phrases that admit that problems of unemployment often extend much deeper than just laziness – such as the fact that factories were closing and leaving people too poor to move away. Vance glosses over macro-level events that are impacting people’s economic situations. Rather than recognizing this is a systemic problem that is coupled with a lack of social capital, he blames only the actions of the poor.
Vance also spends a significant amount of time deriding governmental social programs. Perhaps the biggest irony of the memoir is that Vance criticizes people who live on government assistance (because it’s taxpayer-funded) and make bad life choices, but he himself chose to enlist in the Marines to “learn how to be an adult,” which is obviously four years of his life spent on the taxpayer’s dime. His cognitive dissonance in these moments is astonishing.
Finally, rather than recognize the systemic nature of generational poverty and its ties to capitalism, he completely ignores it. He comes close to criticizing modern-day capitalism when he applauds European countries on achieving better social mobility than the US, but fails to mention the socialist policies that make it a reality.
I might recommend “Hillbilly Elegy” as an interesting memoir, but not as a complete socio-economic/cultural critique. As an alternative to “Hillbilly Elegy” I might recommend reading an actual scientific study on learned helplessness or a more well thought out work exploring the many intersecting causes of generational poverty. Studies on policies that alleviate poverty and close wealth gaps would also do a better job of providing solutions.
First, I will give my praise for certain parts of “Hillbilly Elegy.” To my surprise, there were moments in the memoir where I felt somewhat of a connection to the experiences of Vance. For example, he recounts his experiences going to Yale and the socio-economic class tension that follow. As someone from a working class community, it immediately brought me back to the moment as a college freshman I was made to feel naive for having never met someone whose parent went on international business trips. It brought me back to graduating college when I realized that one of my friends’ personal connections consisted of lawyers, doctors, PhD students, and the like who got him a finance job in Dubai after college, whereas my personal connections were working class individuals who could not get me an equivalent job in the field I had studied. It brought me back to the moment my college boyfriend told me I could have gone to a much more prominent university for free, but I had applied to only two universities based solely on cost because I didn’t know that people like me would get good financial aid at expensive schools.
I appreciate that Vance brings up that “there is a cultural movement in the white working class to blame problems on society or the government, and that movement gains adherents by the day” which is “where the rhetoric of modern conservatives fails.” There is even a moment where he cites studies that show working class boys do worse in school because they view schoolwork as a feminine endeavor – a phenomenon I had tried explaining to a friend just days before reading it in “Hillbilly Elegy.”
Vance recognizes these cultural beliefs and lack of social capital are what limits the socio-economic mobility of many working class people – unfortunately he recognizes this at the tail end of his book, long after my opinion of him had already been formed. Had his book consisted of just those few last chapters, I am certain I would have enjoyed his book. However, the bulk of the memoir was difficult to read for the following reasons.
Vance’s main argument throughout the rest of his memoir is that family stability and personal responsibility for actions and choices will stop the descent of Scots-Irish “hillbilly” culture (of which he is a part) into poverty, drugs, and violence. He often writes at length about how lazy hillbillies are and how they are unaware of their own laziness, but then follows it up with short phrases that admit that problems of unemployment often extend much deeper than just laziness – such as the fact that factories were closing and leaving people too poor to move away. Vance glosses over macro-level events that are impacting people’s economic situations. Rather than recognizing this is a systemic problem that is coupled with a lack of social capital, he blames only the actions of the poor.
Vance also spends a significant amount of time deriding governmental social programs. Perhaps the biggest irony of the memoir is that Vance criticizes people who live on government assistance (because it’s taxpayer-funded) and make bad life choices, but he himself chose to enlist in the Marines to “learn how to be an adult,” which is obviously four years of his life spent on the taxpayer’s dime. His cognitive dissonance in these moments is astonishing.
Finally, rather than recognize the systemic nature of generational poverty and its ties to capitalism, he completely ignores it. He comes close to criticizing modern-day capitalism when he applauds European countries on achieving better social mobility than the US, but fails to mention the socialist policies that make it a reality.
I might recommend “Hillbilly Elegy” as an interesting memoir, but not as a complete socio-economic/cultural critique. As an alternative to “Hillbilly Elegy” I might recommend reading an actual scientific study on learned helplessness or a more well thought out work exploring the many intersecting causes of generational poverty. Studies on policies that alleviate poverty and close wealth gaps would also do a better job of providing solutions.
stankeyolivia's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a really interesting read. I enjoy reading memoirs because they are like having deep conversations with someone I've never met, who has had life experiences I haven't.
This particular book has sparked a debate about whether was J.D. Vance writes can be applied widely to poor white individuals in the United States. Now having read it, I think it is both a yes and a no. He mentioned a number of research articles and books, that the quotes from them can be extrapolated a bit, but his life story is his own and his truth. Others even within his life or family may be living a very different truth.
Therefore, if you are wanting to have a conversation and learn about one human's life truth, this is a great read. If you want to know what it is like to grow up poor, this is not the place to start.
This particular book has sparked a debate about whether was J.D. Vance writes can be applied widely to poor white individuals in the United States. Now having read it, I think it is both a yes and a no. He mentioned a number of research articles and books, that the quotes from them can be extrapolated a bit, but his life story is his own and his truth. Others even within his life or family may be living a very different truth.
Therefore, if you are wanting to have a conversation and learn about one human's life truth, this is a great read. If you want to know what it is like to grow up poor, this is not the place to start.
maryvdb2024's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant memoir. Helps to understand why Donald Trump got so many votes in the rust belt. Describes the utter poverty and accompanying mind set so many people in this area are trapped in. So worth the read.
beckca03's review against another edition
5.0
This was one of the better memoirs I have read. I felt like it was thought-provoking but not preachy.
yyyyeeeeaaaahhhh's review against another edition
1.0
J.D. Vance purports to care about the effects of poverty, but his solution amounts to "pull yourself up by your bootstraps", where "bootstraps" equal his inherent and unexamined white privilege. While his accounts of life in poor rural Appalachia communities are endearing and empathetic, he ultimately loses all credibility by supporting the same neoliberal policies and ideologies that have continually gutted and failed these same communities. It's also impossible to read this outside the context of his swerve to the right on his Twitter feed where he panders to the conservative-sphere through anti-immigration rhetoric and echoing Trump-ian talking points. Don't waste your time with this author.
suzecluez's review against another edition
4.0
Probably closer to 3.5 but I will round up because I haven't read any other book quite like Hillbilly Elegy. I listened to the audiobook of the book so Vance narrated his memoir.
Very interesting and enlightening, and easy to emotionally connect. I expected more commentary on the 2016 election, but the story is as Vance presents it in the beginning, the story of him and his family.
Very interesting and enlightening, and easy to emotionally connect. I expected more commentary on the 2016 election, but the story is as Vance presents it in the beginning, the story of him and his family.