Title: Hillbilly Elegy
Author: J.D. Vance
Audiobook read by: J.D. Vance
Audiobook publisher: HarperAudio
Audiobook duration: 06:49:37
Rating: ★★★★☆ (I liked it)
Review:
Hillbilly Elegy is on Bill Gates’ Summer 2017 Best Books List, so you know it is a book worth reading. I was only recently introduced to Gates’ book lists, so I did not know that this book was on the list when I picked it up; but I definitely know why he recommended it. To summarize in a general manner that does not do the book justice, this is a rags-to-riches story.
Vance is a first-time author, and some of his transitions are noticeably choppy, but they do not deter from his messages and stories. I enjoyed listening to his unique perspective of growing up in Appalachia. Since I grew up on the West Coast, I do not know much about the dynamics nor the history of the Midwest; and I think he did a great job giving me a glimpse of that. Vance does cite some research about the region, but he did it mainly to give context for his story. I do not necessarily agree with his political views or some of his opinions about social classes, but I do believe it is important to learn from people with different opinions than mine.
The main reason why I like this book is that even though I am not white nor a hillbilly, I can relate to a lot of the stories Vance shared. During his first day at Ohio State University, he and his sister went to Chipotle for the first time. The first day I moved into college, my dad and I also had Chipotle for the first time. I was overwhelmed by all the choices available. I did not know if there was a limit to how many toppings I could choose, if I could ask for a larger scoop of rice, and if some of the choices cost extra. I ended up getting a very boring burrito with just rice, meat, and salsa. While this specific story from Vance and my life is not very interesting or life-changing, it does illustrate the point that if you grew up poor in America, you share similar experiences, regardless of race or region.
Notable Quotes:
- “If you believe that hard work pays off, then you work hard; if you think it’s hard to get ahead even when you try, then why try at all?”
- “What separates the successful from the unsuccessful are the expectations that they had for their own lives. Yet the message of the right is increasingly: It’s not your fault that you’re a loser; it’s the government’s fault.”
- “Social mobility isn’t just about money and economics, it’s about a lifestyle change.”
- “Identity is an odd thing, and I didn’t understand at the time why I felt such kinship with these strangers.”
- “The road to hell, however, is paved with good intentions.”
- “Whenever people ask me what I’d most like to change about the white working class, I say, ‘The feeling that our choices don’t matter.‘”