By J. D. Vance
This memoir recounts the upbringing of a young man from the "hillbilly" culture of western Kentucky. Vance gives a window into the mindset and social history of a people who toiled for years in some of the toughest jobs (coal mining and small farming) before being recruited by the truckload to work in blue collar industries in Ohio, where they made good wages and aspired to middle-class living. When these industries faltered and became the rust belt, many folks faltered along with their work, resisting the chance to learn new skills, preferring to blame the government and often turning to drugs and alcohol. J.D.'s mother was probably somewhat exceptional, having had at least five husbands and a slew of live-in boyfriends, leaving J.D. and his sister in a state of constant upheaval. Thankfully, J.D. moves in with his grandmother "Mamaw" for the last three years of high school, and he thrives, while also discovering that not all families live like his, with the constant fighting and uncertainty. After high school, J.D. joins the Marines, goes on to college, then to law school. I found this book very helpful in gaining some measure of understanding of the political divide of 2016-17, having been written with the authenticity of someone who was raised inside of the rust belt culture.
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