SCPL Online NonFiction Book Club discussion

In his introduction, Vance says that this book is the story of his life and he wants “people to understand the American Dream as my family and I encountered it”. He also wants people to understand “that for those of us lucky enough to live the American Dream, the demons of the life we left behind continue to chase us” (page 2).

Vance extends his focus beyond the story of his immediate family to make an argument about hillbillies in general. From an ethnic standpoint he is referring to working class white Americans of Scots-Irish descent. From a geographic standpoint he is referring to people living in Greater Appalachia.

He makes specific assertions about working class white people: they’re the most pessimistic group in America, they’re socially isolated, they’re immune to hard work, and they blame everyone but themselves (pages 4-8).

After making these claims, Vance clarifies that this is not an academic study. He argues that his primary aim is “not to convince you of a documented problem. My primary aim is to tell a true story about what that problem feels like when you were born with it hanging around your neck” (page 8).

What do you think of Vance’s arguments and intentions for this book?

Is it fair to extend your personal experiences and anecdotal evidence to a broader community of people?

~Nicole~

Hi Brent,

Thank you for your thorough response!

I agree that Vance's personal story is very powerful and valuable but that his attempt to extend his experiences to a broader community becomes problematic.

You're absolutely right in saying that Vance overlooks the similar challenges that other marginalized groups in the United States experience. Issues with family disruption, substance abuse, and economic instability can be seen in many communities. I wonder how successful Vance is in explaining the uniqueness of the hillbilly experience.

I wonder if Vance would like his readers to understand hillbillies (white working class) as being a marginalized group in need of recognition? I think most people have some knowledge about marginalized groups in the United States based on race, ethnicity, or gender. Perhaps he thinks that the white working class have been overlooked and underrepresented in the national discussion.

Personally, I think this book could have been a powerful memoir about the Vance family struggles across the generations. He still could have said that his family were hillbillies and explained what that meant to him without applying his experiences to all (or most) hillbillies.

~Nicole~