UNITED WE READ
"Hillbilly Elegy"
A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
Buy J.D. Vance's "Hillbilly Elegy"
& join in the discussion!
Welcome
to the Club!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- 1. How did Vance’s grandparents get to Ohio? What are the two versions of the story of how and why they moved out of Kentucky? What does this economic migration of people out of Appalachia do for communities? In what ways to Vance’s grandparents adapt, and not adapt, to their new life in Ohio? Do they see these changes positively or negatively?
- 2. In what ways is the absence of a father figure significant to how Vance constructs and learns masculinity?
- 3. From Vance’s analysis, why are people in places like Middletown, Ohio so distrustful of contemporary America? How do these perceptions and views feed into attitudes towards government and aspects of American society?
- 4. What public policy lessons does Vance outline from his experiences? How could they help the hillbilly community?
- 5. The ability to adapt is a significant theme in Hillbilly Elegy. What are ways in which adaptability, or the success or failure of people or towns to adapt to circumstances or surroundings, is present in the book? What is significant about these adaptations and their respective successes or failures?
- 6. BONUS QUESTION: How do you think the 2020 film based on Vance's memoir compares to the book? In what ways is the movie a hit and in what ways is it a miss?
Join the discussion below:
Follow Us
© 2026 AMAC, Inc. / AMAC Senior Resources Network. All Rights Reserved.
The Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) is here to protect your interests, and to offer an alternative perspective on how to best solve the problems seniors face today. We need you. America needs you.
PRAY4USA ???????? ????
VOTE4TRUMP/VANCE
what do you guys think of the magazine
We are starting the book in our local book club. I’m using your questions for our discussion! Also, the book has tons more detail, as usual, than the movie!
Just started reading this book, looking forward to finishing it.
So what do you think of Vance confronting Walz on stolen valor?
Excited to join this discussion.
I loved this book. What an incredible, valid look into a culture I know nothing of. Kind of like watching “Christy” on TV. I was absolutely wowed by the way you can see God’s hand on this outstanding young man throughout his life, from the very beginning. Baptized by fire and ready for service.
To the administrators, how do you promote the AMAC book club? It seems that people respond to the new page for the book of the month and THEN? Is there follow up promotion? Doesn’t seem so. Even to those who have already responded and commented, over a dozen here, and perhaps 30-40 all told over the months.
The first months, you responded to certain comments but mostly to note the buying option. Notably you didn’t respond my criticisms – love the book selections and authors – but on Victor Davis Hanson the questions were really for another of his books, and on Klavan picking the third book in a series and then asking about the motivation of the protagonist and continuing characters really can’t mean much.
So look forward to you reaching out. Not only to me, but to all of us with follow up.
How many of you have heard of Amy Chua, a professor and his and his wife’s mentor at Yale Law School, “Vance credits Chua as the “authorial godmother” of the book” . She has authored 2 best sellers as well, Tiger Mom, and the Triple Package, how cultural and ethnic groups succeed in America. The latter echoes some of Vance’s conclusions on how Rust Belt “hillbillies” can change and I recommend it as a future book club selection. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Chua
My folks came from KY also and moved to central Ohio, so I know somewhat of the struggles to integrate. I will get a copy of J.D’s book and comment then.
For reference on question 1 , 190 driving miles between Jackson KY and Middletown OH, About 140 miles in straight line. Appalachian Mountains and the Ohio River, they likely went over river into OH at Cincinnati. The KY OH connection likely explains why OH has turned more red than PA to east
An inspirational book to be sure! I hope we will see another based on his four years in the White House!
A little late to the table, I am pleased to be a part of this group. I read the book and watched the movie, last autumn so may not remember it well.
I wanted to say something about the third question on the attitude of distrust by the hill people. It is not too hard to understand how horribly they are perceived by urbanites who basically control the power and money in the US. We recently witnessed the oppression fostered from within our government’s FEMA organization who as a whole ignored and did little to nothing for the hill people in North Carolina. Especially if they had Trump signs in their yards, which I imagine were more than just a few. Only after being called out did they energize their efforts there.
I have lived through several disasters and have found FEMA wanting in all situations. For some reason the Salvation Army, a religious based organization has been there first, thier hot meals are the best. Red Cross coming in second, and FEMA a broken leg third place. I believe putting FEMA under state jurisdiction will work far better as they know how to deal with their situations as they happen and can get to the scene much faster. Federal funds can and should still support them based on their needs.
Heres a little factoid that might be relevant to middle America values. Median geographically is point of center of population above and below, west and east en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_center_of_the_United_States_population#/media/File:US_Median_Center_of_Population_2020_Census.webp