I just finished reading Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. It is a biographical story of an American white male’s rise from the rust belt of the Midwest to the halls of Yale Law School. His journey is not a meteoric path. The journey is painful, complete with potholes and distracting obstacles.
Vance takes his reader through the agony of his childhood. His “Mamaw and Papaw” (maternal grandparents) provide adult belief in his talents. It is at the moment when you think all may be lost when a teacher discovers his true ability and reinforces what his grandparents always saw in him.
When J.D. applied for college and receives his financial applications, he realizes he has gaps in his education and finances. Skills missing from his resume included consistency, follow through, discipline, stability, social aptitude and awareness. He marched down to his local Marine recruiter and enlisted for four years.
He seeks to discover why he succeeds and grows out of the his home town. This need to know takes him on a self-discovery journey that doesn’t seem to align with his personal experience. You read the book and let me know if you see if he left the puzzle unresolved.
Pat W Coffey @Wordpress.com 