Hillbilly Elegy: Family and Culture in Crisis

A major-motion picture directed by Ron Howard and starring Amy Adams, Glenn Close, and Gabriel Basso, the #1 New York Times bestseller Hillbilly Elegy is a must-read.

"The Economist" describes it as the most important book about America this year, while "The Wall Street Journal" calls it riveting. David Brooks of the New York Times recommends it as essential reading.

This passionate and personal analysis delves into the crisis facing white working-class Americans. Over the past forty years, this group has seen a slow disintegration, a subject that has increasingly garnered attention and concern. However, J.D. Vance provides a unique perspective, offering a searing look from the inside.

The Vance family's journey begins optimistically in postwar America. Despite starting off dirt poor in Kentucky’s Appalachia region, J.D.'s grandparents move to Ohio in pursuit of a better life. They succeed in raising a middle-class family, with one grandchild even graduating from Yale Law School—an achievement symbolizing generational upward mobility. But as the story of Hillbilly Elegy unfolds, we witness the struggles faced by J.D.'s relatives as they grapple with the challenges of their new status, grappling with the lingering effects of abuse, alcoholism, poverty, and trauma.

Through candid storytelling, Vance shares the weight of his chaotic family history that still shapes his identity. This deeply moving memoir weaves humor and vivid characters into the narrative, offering a poignant portrayal of the true essence of upward mobility and a stark reflection on the fading American dream for a significant portion of the population.

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