I’m always hyper aware of books that are mentioned around me. To the extent that I keep a running list of books that I need to read, often putting them in my wishlist on Amazon. When the same titles are mentioned again and again, I take that as a sign that it deserves a place on my reading list. When the recurrence of that title warrants it, the book moves all the way up my ‘to read’ pile and becomes the next book in succession.

 

The most recent book that fit that description was Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance.

 

Honestly, the main reason I wanted to read the book had to do with the people who had recommended it to me. Each of them were involved in financial literacy in some way, and all of them had worked with the economically disadvantaged in their work roles. They all reiterated that if you want to understand what this demographic goes through, and why it’s so hard to break free from the binds of poverty, the book would help tell the tale.

 

And tell the tale it did… J.D. Vance was raised by a family who came straight out of the Appalachian mountains. They were self-proclaimed hillbillies who lived through some of the most financially challenging times, adapting to the needs of the time, but not really changing who they were at the core. They were blue-collar industrial workers. Hardened, stubborn people that worked their asses off in difficult jobs, and shared their mentality with their children. (Including the idea that only the “smart kids” go to college).

 

Vance writes in a very conversational way, describing how his (grandma) Mamaw was both fiercely combative and loving to a fault. His mother, a drug-addict, separated him from his biological father under the guise of his Dad not wanting him anymore. As Vance outlines in the middle of the book, his biological father saw the mental and emotional anguish that a prolonged custody battle would create and chose to shield his son from that. He spent an extended number of months living with him in his teenage years but ultimately returned home to live with his grandmother.

 

The life that J.D. Vance lived growing up could best be described as tumultuous, changing, toxic and erratic. He describes moving from house to house, often leaving his Mom to live with his more stable grandmother, then returning to his Mom’s new place, the house owned by whoever the latest boyfriend was. Having come from a very stable, middle class family, imagining the life that Vance grew up in was extremely eye-opening for me.

 

It was around the end of J.D.’s high school career that he began to take school seriously, through and with the urging of his Mamaw, his sister, and some teachers who took him under their protective guidance. The author is very candid about the fact that very few kids raised in similar fashion believe they can make something different of their lives. But he believed, thanks to the few positive voices that were in his ear regularly.

 

Vance ultimately joined the Marines and was deployed to Iraq, eventually coming back to complete a college degree at Ohio State and finally going to law school at Yale. His accomplishments are considerable, given the upbringing and messaging he received throughout his formative years. And right to the end of the book, it doesn’t seem lost on J.D. Vance that he escaped the clutches of a life that many of his peers are committed to living. He gives great credit to his family, his teachers, and near the end of the book to the woman that he ends up marrying.

 

My biggest takeaways from reading Hillbilly Elegy were:

    1. It’s impossible to truly know what people are going through in life. While I would never say that our past dictates our future, it’s incredibly insightful to read about J.D. Vance’s mental and emotional state as he battles insecurity, anger, and family dysfunction. There are undoubtedly people in similar situations that show up at school and work everyday dealing with the same situations. He was one of the lucky ones who has succeeded in spite of (or because of) that experience.

 

  • The bonds of poverty are often the result of momentary decisions. I had a better understanding of the stories told to me by the professionals who recommended this book after reading it. It was hard for me to truly understand what challenges people face who are making momentary decisions that impact their financial world daily.

 

 

I encourage you to read Hillbilly Elegy for yourself and let me know what you thought of the book in the comments section below.