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Hillbilly Elegy

a Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Surrey Libraries.
Jun 14, 2018Ricegirl1959 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I read Hillbilly Elegy for a few reasons. One, I had heard some of my friends talking about the book and it sounded interesting. Two, I usually enjoy reading memoirs, autobios, and bios. And three, I have often somewhat prided myself in that I am of Appalachian blood-my family is from West Virginia, a beautiful, mountainous area, and yes, I have many found memories of my great grandparents. I was aware of them being called hillbillies when I was very young, even though I was raised in central Ohio. While reading Mr. Vance's descriptions of his family, I do not recall quite as colorful a language coming from my family (of course, maybe they toned it down a bit in my presence), but the family loyalty he described, yes, that was definitely present in my maternal grandparents and great grandparents. I found quite a lot that I enjoyed about Hillbilly Elegy. I would recommend the book to others, although I would warn them, the language is on the rough side, especially for young adult readers. I think Mr. Vance has done well for himself. He worked hard and is learning how to live a healthier inner life and a healthier family life. I hope he writes more in the future.