Thanks for this, and for resharing, Cedar. I read the book when it came out. I’m from a different Appalachia—northern, farming country, not rust belt, although we had our mines. I deeply disliked the book, it’s “not MY Appalachia” and I found it poverty-porn. I’m trying to reassess Vance in the light of recent developments, to be fair and judge a person on his character (one of Appalachia’s strengths!) I’m deeply cynical, though. It’s nice to read a viewpoint from someone else who knows (thank the FR) and is willing to step out with a reasoned response.
Some of it resonated very true. I certainly saw a lot of dysfunction in the area when I was reading it and living there for 8 years. I also realize that for a man to break out of that crab bucket, he's going to have to bend the knee to something else - which is what the end of the book felt like. I do hope the man has found his purpose and meaning in the years since, for his sake, and now, for our nation's.
Thanks for re-posting this, saved a substack search. I recall the book favorably, the movie not so much. I still have a number of Appalachian cousins, decimated by the end of coal. I also have seen the loss of good manufacturing jobs, which I blame on short sighted corporate offshoring of jobs. I totally related to JD's USMC experience. https://www.military.com/undertheradar/2016/09/j-d-vance-learned-marine-corps?
The job situation left a lot of bitter people stranded. I was hearing about it decades after the fact, from people who had found no other way to move on and up in life.
Thanks for reposting this! I'm surprised to hear the intended audience was Appalachian readers. I rewatched the film adaptation with my very own Mamaw last night. We both felt good about it by the end, but the first few minutes feel like a desperate plea for patience with the uncomfortable imagery of poverty. It starts with a peek into his life at Yale interviewing for Big Legal Internships with Big Money Lawyers. As if to say, "What you're about to see might shock you. Fear not, coastal elite; he's one of us in the end!" It cast a weird feeling over the film as a whole, although his mother and Mamaw especially felt deeply real in a way I loved watching.
After his Mamaw's death, Vance became a Catholic. He contributed an article to The Lamp Magazine called "How I Joined The Resistance" which details his conversion. The article underscores the Pygmalion-esque trajectory his life took and his efforts to retake control. (In which he also reveals a deeply flawed understanding of Ayn Rand's work, but that could be a post in itself!) Whether or not he has managed to become his own man is anyone's guess. The pain of a father's abandonment isn't easy to overcome. To be honest, his framing of conversion to the world's largest organized religion as a pathway to an individuated identity doesn't suggest to me that he's escaped that pain. From what I've seen so far in articles like this one, the film, and reviews of his memoir, it seems like his journey is one of perpetually seeking the approval of power.
From KY to Ohio, my folks took me the other way, from Ohio to the northern most state south of the Mason Dixon line, FL.
The accent thing the other way too, I never thought of it as discrimination (Not a part of my then 7 year old thought process and vocabulary.) but yep my cracker cousins took great joy in noting and sarcastically imitating it as well as explaining to me over and over that damnyankee's one word. Looking back now, it was all great fun and I'm chuckling at the memories -though I will admit, I do remember possibly being a bit miffed concerning some of the jibes at the time. ;-)
Thanks for the book review, I don't plan to buy Hillbill'ry. I may read it if it shows up handy near me, but like all other right thinking Americans, I already know the ticket I'm voting. :-)
Thanks for this, and for resharing, Cedar. I read the book when it came out. I’m from a different Appalachia—northern, farming country, not rust belt, although we had our mines. I deeply disliked the book, it’s “not MY Appalachia” and I found it poverty-porn. I’m trying to reassess Vance in the light of recent developments, to be fair and judge a person on his character (one of Appalachia’s strengths!) I’m deeply cynical, though. It’s nice to read a viewpoint from someone else who knows (thank the FR) and is willing to step out with a reasoned response.
Some of it resonated very true. I certainly saw a lot of dysfunction in the area when I was reading it and living there for 8 years. I also realize that for a man to break out of that crab bucket, he's going to have to bend the knee to something else - which is what the end of the book felt like. I do hope the man has found his purpose and meaning in the years since, for his sake, and now, for our nation's.
Thanks for re-posting this, saved a substack search. I recall the book favorably, the movie not so much. I still have a number of Appalachian cousins, decimated by the end of coal. I also have seen the loss of good manufacturing jobs, which I blame on short sighted corporate offshoring of jobs. I totally related to JD's USMC experience. https://www.military.com/undertheradar/2016/09/j-d-vance-learned-marine-corps?
I wasn't aware they made it into a movie.
The job situation left a lot of bitter people stranded. I was hearing about it decades after the fact, from people who had found no other way to move on and up in life.
Thanks for reposting this! I'm surprised to hear the intended audience was Appalachian readers. I rewatched the film adaptation with my very own Mamaw last night. We both felt good about it by the end, but the first few minutes feel like a desperate plea for patience with the uncomfortable imagery of poverty. It starts with a peek into his life at Yale interviewing for Big Legal Internships with Big Money Lawyers. As if to say, "What you're about to see might shock you. Fear not, coastal elite; he's one of us in the end!" It cast a weird feeling over the film as a whole, although his mother and Mamaw especially felt deeply real in a way I loved watching.
After his Mamaw's death, Vance became a Catholic. He contributed an article to The Lamp Magazine called "How I Joined The Resistance" which details his conversion. The article underscores the Pygmalion-esque trajectory his life took and his efforts to retake control. (In which he also reveals a deeply flawed understanding of Ayn Rand's work, but that could be a post in itself!) Whether or not he has managed to become his own man is anyone's guess. The pain of a father's abandonment isn't easy to overcome. To be honest, his framing of conversion to the world's largest organized religion as a pathway to an individuated identity doesn't suggest to me that he's escaped that pain. From what I've seen so far in articles like this one, the film, and reviews of his memoir, it seems like his journey is one of perpetually seeking the approval of power.
From KY to Ohio, my folks took me the other way, from Ohio to the northern most state south of the Mason Dixon line, FL.
The accent thing the other way too, I never thought of it as discrimination (Not a part of my then 7 year old thought process and vocabulary.) but yep my cracker cousins took great joy in noting and sarcastically imitating it as well as explaining to me over and over that damnyankee's one word. Looking back now, it was all great fun and I'm chuckling at the memories -though I will admit, I do remember possibly being a bit miffed concerning some of the jibes at the time. ;-)
Thanks for the book review, I don't plan to buy Hillbill'ry. I may read it if it shows up handy near me, but like all other right thinking Americans, I already know the ticket I'm voting. :-)
Thank you for bringing this forward, it is very good and suddenly very timely!