Hillbilly Elegy

A Time Magazine Top 10 Nonfiction Book of 2016 and soon to be a major motion picture, this passionate analysis delves into the crisis of white working-class Americans. The decline of this demographic, ongoing for over forty years, is explored with striking honesty from an insider's perspective. The author recounts his family's journey, beginning in post-war America when his grandparents, "dirt poor and in love," moved from Kentucky's Appalachia to Ohio in search of a better life. They raised a middle-class family, and the author eventually graduated from Yale Law School, a symbol of their success in achieving upward mobility. However, the narrative reveals a deeper, more complex reality. Despite their efforts, Vance's family struggled with the burdens of abuse, alcoholism, poverty, and trauma, unable to fully escape their past. The author poignantly illustrates how he continues to grapple with the demons of his chaotic family history. Blending humor with vivid characters, this deeply moving memoir offers a compelling exploration of what upward mobility truly feels like and serves as a troubling meditation on the loss of the American dream for many in the country.