Hillbilly Elegy

Outline

Hillbilly Elegy (2016) is J.D. Vance’s memoir of growing up in a struggling working-class family in Middletown, Ohio, with roots in the Appalachian region of Kentucky. He describes the instability of his childhood, the steady support of his grandparents, and his path through the Marine Corps, Ohio State University, and Yale Law School. The book also reflects on the economic and social challenges facing many communities in America’s industrial heartland.

• The book is a memoir of growing up in a struggling working-class family in Middletown, Ohio, with roots in Kentucky's Appalachian region.
• Vance describes a childhood marked by instability, with steady support coming from his grandparents.
• His path ran from the Marine Corps to Ohio State University and then Yale Law School.
• The memoir also looks at the economic and social challenges facing many communities in America's industrial heartland.

J.D. Vance is an American politician, author, and former Marine. He represented Ohio in the United States Senate before becoming the 50th Vice President of the United States in 2025. Hillbilly Elegy was adapted into a film in 2020.