J. D. Vance was born in a holler in Kentucky to a family of messed-up hillbillies. This memoir of his life, and his rise out of the restraints of poverty and disadvantage, is a testament to love's importance. J. D.'s grandmother, "Mamaw," was one of the few stabilizing factors in his upbringing. She encouraged him to pursue an education, to set lofty goals for himself, to reach for a better life. He accomplished all of that. But the book is not just a story of one life, it is a story of many lives. The author provides commentary on the plight and hopelessness of a whole stratum of society. This tragic, yet ultimately redemptive, story sucks the reader (or listener - I had to listen only on solo car trips because of the foul language) in entirely. While there were a few things I disagreed with, I appreciated Vance's insider perspective on the dying dreams of the working-class. This serious reflection, lamenting the death of the American Dream, is fascinating, disturbing, and inspiring. Surely something must be done to reach the people who fall into this trap with a noose around their legs, holding them down.
Vance doesn't identify a problem and call it a day. He is now a conservative Senator for Ohio. I'd be willing to take another gamble and try his upcoming book, A Relevant Faith: Searching for a Meaningful American Christianity. Hopefully, that book (since it focuses on faith) will not be as rife with expletives and coarse conversation.
Content Caution: 📒 - language, drugs
No comments:
Post a Comment