Hillbilly Elegy

A film adaptation of "Hillbilly Elegy" was released, directed by Ron Howard and starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close. It offers a visual interpretation of Vance's memoir.

J. D. Vance wrote "Hillbilly Elegy" to explore the social and economic problems of the white working class in Appalachia, drawing heavily on his own experiences growing up in a poor, rural Kentucky family and later in Ohio.

Hillbilly Elegy was a finalist for the 2017 Dayton Literary Peace Prize, which recognizes books that promote peace, justice, and global understanding.