Hillbilly Elegy

J.D. Vance 2016
Read: 2017
Non-Fiction

, by  (2016)

This is a New York Times Bestseller book about a lawyer in San Francisco who grew up in the hillbilly lifestyle in the Appalachian Mountains. My dad recommended it to me and he was right! It’s a great reminder of how cultures can stymie us into not wanting anything beyond what we have. It shows how cultures can blame others for their misfortunes, and advocates the old “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” attitude. The hard thing is, you may be the only one among your family, your friends, and even your schools who believe that you can pull yourself out of this situation. Great book, lots of humor, no small amount of sadness, and I have a lot of admiration for Mr. Vance and what he has accomplished. I highly recommend it.