Welcome to Litsy!

Fun fact! The first year I volunteered at the National Book Festival (2017), I was an usher in the main conference hall. Vance was one of the featured authors, but it was before he lost his mind and sold his soul. As I recall he was an interesting speaker and was well received. So it‘s particularly galling that the current regime has fired the Librarian of Congress under blatantly false pretenses.

Beginning this today!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was recommended to me years before I knew the name JD Vance. It wasn‘t until the most recent elections that I decided to give a read to gain more insight. I really enjoyed it. I found it was both touching and comical at times, and honest. His grassroots seems to grow deep and wild.

This book is powerful. Vance is very open about his childhood- the good and the bad. It speaks to all the ways resilience is fostered in children. It also highlights the many ways children can thrive- stability, support, love. Its a very thought provoking read.

😏Ok no mention of French Canadians, still interesting. https://lithub.com/rebecca-solnit-jd-vance-is-just-another-know-nothing-nativist...

I did not love this book, but found it mildly interesting. #audiobook

August 16 #AboutABook Memoir @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#HillbillyElegy #JDVance #August2024 #BookSpinBingo #SeriesLove2024

Hillbilly Elegy recounts J.D. Vance‘s powerful origin story….
From a former marine and Yale Law School graduate now serving as a U.S. Senator from Ohio and the Republican Vice Presidential candidate for the 2024 election, an incisive account of growing up in a poor Rust Belt town that offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America‘s white working class.

Listened to this for obvious reasons, and bc I didn‘t have to pay for it. I‘ve seen one Litten who lives in the same area say this was pretty spot on. Politics aside, I found the first half of the story pre-college very engaging. Having experienced some similar childhood issues I felt seen, which makes any story worthwhile. I whole heartedly understand how grandparents can save you, even while being crazy and imperfect themselves. 👇

I don't discuss politics much here, but this childless cat lady is not impressed with JD Vance. I'm debating whether I should read his book, however, because I want to be more informed about him & his views. I will borrow it from the library if I do. I'm not giving him my money.

Anyhoo, these are my cats. Lorelei (left) and Boots (right.) Love my girls. ❤️

#ChildlessCatLady

Granted, let me get my biases out of the way. I listened to this audiobook because of the VP choice. The book is a few years old, and tells of his growing up. As a memoir, it felt disjointed, off putting writing. I just didn‘t feel his story, let alone not sure my hillbilly awareness should be off this guy talking about how much he wanted to rage at people all the time growing up. I don‘t feel like I know him better. Which is the point of memoirs

Just saw this on a feminist facebook page. Fuck around, find out. It is my utmost pleasure and honor, to be a ‘childless cat lady‘! Now, where are my other Litsy childless cat ladies at? Check in, come through!

😬🤐https://lithub.com/jd-vance-is-the-toxic-byproduct-of-americas-obsession-with-bootstrap-narratives/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Lit%20Hub%20Daily:%20July%2018%2C%202024&utm_term=lithub_master_list

This book is incredibly accurate. I grew up just north of Middletown&the grandchild of “hillbilly transplants” from Kentucky. One papa moved north after WW2 for factory job & another always said he worked one day in a coal mine & left for Chicago. I‘ve watched family struggle with drugs -lost some to it. & the domestic abuse carry through the generations. It is odd that even though I‘m an Ohioan I still feel such a connection with eastern Kentucky

I found this to be a very fascinating read! I haven‘t seen the movie so had no expectations one way or another. The writing was fresh, authentic and personal.

Loved the narrative style and deeply appreciated the childhood stories and insights on American and Appalachian culture. I was completely thrown off by the military talk and thoughts on the Iraq war. Only then did I learn the author is a Trump-endorsed conservative politician. I can still appreciate the book, but with a healthy dose of skepticism after learning this.

#nonfiction #truth #education #middleclass #factories #smalltowns #readKY

Great story

Great story

Sloppy pseudo-sociology. A lot of what he claims to be “hillbilly” either isn‘t unique to Appalachia or only describes his own personal experiences. I‘m sorry that he had a hard childhood, but I‘m not really sure what to do with this memoir. Reading about his life and beliefs post-memoir make him sound like quite the hypocrite to me, but, then again, he did claim that hillbillies are bad at seeing their own flaws 🤷🏻‍♀️

June‘s #doublespin

I don‘t live in KY or OH, but I do live in a neighboring Midwestern state, and sadly, much of what was portrayed here accurately describes many in my community as well. It pisses me off, to be perfectly honest. I don‘t have the answers as to how to fix things, but I fear that things will get worse before they get better. If nothing else, this is a good book to instigate some serious discussions.

⭐⭐⭐
I don't want to get all political, but when I started listening to this book, I did not know anything about Vance's political leanings, or twitter comments he has made since the book was published.
Having said that, living and teaching in a Canadian province with a high child poverty rate, I see a lot of parallels between Vance's early life experiences, and those of many families in my community.

Book 214/2021. Finished 5/9/21 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Completely overhyped, this was boring as, I only finished it as it was a nominated book in my readathon. Can't believe they made this into a movie.

Not quite what I expected it to be but I‘m going to go ahead with it anyway.
Is that print turned bookmark too distracting? 😁
#currentlyreading #weekendreads

Bought these eons ago but didn‘t get them posted so I will now. I got these at a goodwill outlet so I paid 1.69 I think for the whole stack. I got the You to pass along to someone else because it‘s one of my favorites.

#goodwilloutlet #goodwill #memoir #bookhaul

8/10

Meh. The writing wasn‘t that great. He jumped around a lot and honestly, he made it seem like anyone can just get out of the situation easily. As a trained social worker, I don‘t agree with a lot of what he said.

I‘m posting one book per day from my ever-increasing TBR. No description. No explanation. Just books to read. Join the fun if you want.

Day 92.

#fromthetbrstacks

Interesting look at one family‘s experiences dealing with substance abuse, violence, lack of education and growing up a hillbilly.

This was my #doublespin for February @TheAromaofBooks

Ugh. Why did I wait so long to read this?? I love looking at people‘s lifestyles that are different from.

Not what I was expecting. Instead of a memoir it was more like a social look at growing up in a Hillbilly family and the struggles that insued.

Just finished this book and being from Kentucky, I found this very interesting. I‘m not specifically from the Appalachian region but have read about some of these problems plaguing that area. He also has an interesting take on the level of distrust of government from this region and how that seems to coincide with our current political climate. Great read!!

I usually avoid reading memoirs, but am glad I took the chance on this one. I wanted to read it before I watch the Netflix film. It was a story of bravery while faced with economic and cultural challenges. It takes a deeper dive into the challenges that the white working class in Appalachia encounter. It touches on politics, but not enough to overpower. I am looking forward to watching the film!

I‘m getting a jumpstart on #bookspinbingo with Hillbilly Elegy. This has been on my shelf for a couple of years now. Over Thanksgiving I listened to podcasts instead of books and heard Megyn Kelly interview the author, which I really enjoyed! I‘m also using this as the Book You Picked for the Movie Adaptation for the Beat Your Bookshelf Reading Challenge. 📚

As a memoir, this is... fine. But I think it‘s important to remember that is all that it is. One man‘s take on his own life and his family‘s experiences, and therefore biased. Two and a half stars.

I read this in about a day. Went in thinking it would live up to it‘s name but this was a seriously good read.

I was supposed to have surgery today, but thanks to a series of mix ups I‘ll be going in tomorrow. Waiting for a call any time now to let me know when I need to be at the hospital.

Listened to more than half and just could not get into the story. I just didnt care what he was saying and was not getting the point of it. Also, another Litten told me about some controversy surrounding this one.

I finished up my first November read for #bookspinbingo. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Living so close to the Middletown community, I can't help but connect. I know there is controversy on how Appalachians are portrayed, I can't speak to that, but I can speak to the culture of Middletown. It has a reputation, but so does Hamilton. The opioid crisis is tragic right now. Fascinating read for sure.

@TheAromaofBooks

Started this one today as my first read for #bookspinbingo this month and I've got to say, I'm completely engrossed. I have to confess though, I live in Hamilton, OH which is 10 miles south of Middletown, so it's very easy for me to connect and relate with this one. Plus I'm only two years older than the author.

Interesting. I am interested to see if the film adaption 🎞 on Netflix. The author told his story well. As far as explaining socio economics and poverty; I feel those were his opinions.

Book 194 of 2020
#scribd #audiobook #nonfiction

My Dad has always said “The breakdown of our country happened when large companies closed”, which drew me to this book. It‘s a Memoir of a young man who made it out of a stagnant physical and mental place that many do not. Very interesting read. I laughed out loud at some of his Grandmother‘s antics, she was quite a character.

Oofff. I‘m not sure what say about this one. It certainly hit close to home, though we are hillbillies of the Missouri variety. I feel like Memaw and my mother-in-law could‘ve been separated at birth. My husband and I both escaped to the Marine Corps as well, albeit a decade earlier than Vance. I also feel like Vance displays the genuine arrogance and self-loathing I see in poverty escapees here. That juxtaposition is an interesting 👇🏻

Today's read. Recommended by two co-workers. I can see people I knew growing up in some of the characters.

I realize this work was initially well-received and then as is often the case there was backlash. But with all memoirs I tried to listen to the author as I would a friend willing to share his history, his memories and his dreams to make it and then make a difference. To that end I enjoyed hearing the outlandish stories, cringed at some parts and cheered when the author overcame the many odds he faced.

This is an engaging, poignant and emotional read. This memoir is so well written that you are cheering them on throughout the book. A great read!