Reviews with content warning for Violence - Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

I had high hopes for this book, but was really disappointed overall. It comes across as narrow and perhaps incorrect at times- A redeeming factor is acknowledging that it is relatively dated and the author makes repeated references to the fact he is telling it as he remembers. This read may be more enjoyable as a text read and not an audiobook, as overly repetitive sentences about the same exact subject can get a little bit tough to listen to at times. Was very close to not finishing, but it did make me think quite a bit about our current economic systems so I decided to power through (plus, I was in a car and already listening). The author’s lines of thinking can at times literally imply he is smarter or better than going through the trouble of learning more about trauma and other major fields of study from the professionals and instead relies on his own “research”. Interesting read, but probably won’t reread or recommend.

Content Warnings

dreamofbookspines's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

I cannot in good conscience give Vance a higher rating due to his shitty politics. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The content was interesting, ngl. Yes, it's depressing and heavy and full of terrible people, but as someone who grew up nowhere near these types of circumstances, I was unable to put it down. Vance is a competent writer and makes some good points, even if they are hurtful to the people whom his book is about.

Content Warnings

angelasosh's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

2.0

I didn’t know who J.D. Vance was before I started this book and had I known, I would’ve been more hesitant to listen to it. I listened to this as an audiobook and don’t think I would’ve been able to read a physical copy of it as I don’t believe the writing was all that fantastic. As a memoir of his childhood, the book is fine. But I personally felt his analysis of a culture in crisis was lacking; it felt kind of vague to me and i don’t feel he addressed the core of why some Appalachian families struggle the way they do. He analyzed his specific family but missed the mark on the culture as a whole. I won’t argue that his childhood wasn’t difficult, but I do feel he failed to acknowledge some of the privileges that did work to his advantage.

Content Warnings