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Hillbilly Elegy

a Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
Sep 30, 2018Jalenridge rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance’s personal memoir of growing up in Appalachia, includes reflections on the decline of his community and on his struggle to rise above it. As Vance traces his evolution from insecure boy leading a precarious existence to Yale graduate with a clearly defined political sensibility, it is this evolution, with its inherent contradictions, that make Hillbilly Elegy a compelling read, especially for political junkies, and especially in light of the Trump ascendancy. Though not Vance’s intention, Hillbilly Elegy is a study in how the oppressed are seduced by their oppressors. This irony is at the heart of the memoir’s deep-seated contradiction, whereby the hillbilly community is at once lambasted by Vance as being responsible for its decline and eulogized as the victim of economic, cultural and political conditions beyond its control. Of course, life is complicated and full of contradictions, as are individuals, all evident in this memoir; and certainly, people, are, to a degree, accountable for their failures in life. However, even though Vance cares deeply about his hillbilly community, his criticisms are harsh and his laying of blame squarely on an Appalachian community under economic siege is startling in the least. In light of the fact that this memoir has become a kind of launching pad for J.D. Vance’s political career (which is admittedly on hold at the moment), one must scrutinize his foundational ideas and the experiences that led to them – experiences that illustrate in detail how the privileged ruling class is able to enlist the support of those, including Vance, whom they have persistently oppressed. It is no small wonder that Republicans love this book. It is a primer on how to convince the poor that poverty is their fault. Note: Since Vance credits much of his success to networking (“social capital”) it should be noted that a significant person in his network, and acknowledged at length in his memoir, is Amy Chua. Chua has been the subject of a controversy involving Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh. Google it.