Forced to leave his Appalachian home, J.D. Vance recounts the decline of a once-thriving family and culture.

In this memoir, he writes about growing up in rural Kentucky, where poverty, racism, and social change converge to erode the values that defined him. Vance's experiences as a white working-class man navigating the complexities of identity politics, class divisions, and the search for meaning are deeply personal and poignantly relatable.

Through his family's struggles, Vance explores the ways in which economic hardship, environmental degradation, and cultural dislocation threaten to destroy the very fabric of American society. With characteristic wit and candor, he recounts the tensions between old and new money, tradition and progress, and the enduring power of community in the face of adversity.

A nuanced and unflinching portrait of American culture, "Hillbilly Elegy" is a powerful exploration of identity, belonging, and the resilience of the human spirit.