If you’re looking for a different work of nonfiction similar to Hillbilly Elegy, some great titles to consider include:
– Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. This Pulitzer Prize-winning book follows eight families in Milwaukee as they struggle to find and keep a safe and affordable place to live.
– Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stephenson. This book, focusing on the unequal justice system in the United States, follows a criminal defense attorney as he fights for justice for the powerless and seeks redemption for himself.
– Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local and Helped Save an American Town by Beth Macy. This story follows one family’s success in the face of furniture industry woes in the United States.
– Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich. This accessible and eye-opening book explores what it’s like to live in poverty in the United States by following the lives of minimum wage workers.
– Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. This book looks at the stories of inspiring grassroots movements for women’s rights around the world, bringing to light both the struggles and successes.
– White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg. This book takes an in-depth look at how class influenced American’s shared history and how it still dictates how we view ourselves and those around us today.
Is the Hillbilly Elegy movie the same as the book?
No, the Hillbilly Elegy movie is not the same as the book. The movie, which premiered on Netflix in November 2020, is based on J. D. Vance’s 2016 book of the same name. While the movie is inspired by and loosely follows the timeline from Vance’s book, it does omit and alter certain elements of the original narrative.
In particular, some of the details about the personal relationships between Vance’s family members and those elements of his life that directly influenced his decision to join the Marine Corps are purposely left out.
The film also takes some creative liberties in terms of the setting and a few other plot points. While the book paints a raw and intimate portrait of a family struggling with poverty and poverty-related issues, the movie focuses more on the ‘bigger picture’ and universal themes.
As such, the movie version of Hillbilly Elegy is a powerful and moving drama, but it does not offer the same depth as its source material.
How true to the book is Hillbilly Elegy?
Many aspects of the Hillbilly Elegy movie are true to the book of the same name by J. D. Vance, although some of the details have been changed. Much of Vance’s backstory remains consistent, particularly in regards to his poverty-stricken upbringing within Appalachian culture.
The movie’s depiction of J. D. Vance’s relationships with his mother, Mamaw, and father are true to the book. Vance’s family is caring but often volatile and riddled with addiction. Although the movie has introduced some new characters (such as Necco) to represent individuals in Vance’s life, it remains generally genuine.
The movie also captures the harsh realities of life in Appalachian culture, including the pervasive drug problem and lack of educational or vocational opportunities. It demonstrates poverty, violence and generational cycles of poverty, which Vance paints in vivid detail in the book.
Overall, the film adapts J. D. Vance’s memoir with sympathy and accuracy. While the movie is more cinematic in nature and features some slightly different characters and details than the book, the story and its message remain true to the source material.
Is Hillbilly Elegy appropriate for kids?
No, Hillbilly Elegy is not appropriate for kids. As a memoir, it discusses sensitive topics including drug and alcohol abuse, assault, and poverty. It is an eye-opening book that has been praised for its honest depiction of the author’s rural Appalachian upbringing, but these heavy topics can be difficult for younger readers to process.
In addition, there is some strong language throughout the book which may make it inappropriate for more impressionable readers. Therefore, it is best for adults or mature teens who are comfortable with emotionally charged material.
How long does it take to read 38?
It takes about a second or less to read the number 38. That is because it is a three-digit number and does not take any mental effort to decipher. However, if you are reading the number as part of a larger set of numbers or text, then it will likely take a bit more time.
Depending on the context, it could take up to a few seconds to read 38. For example, if you are reading the number in the sentence “I have 38 books,” it could take a bit longer than just reading the number on its own.
Why did J.D. Vance change his name?
J. D. Vance changed his name from James Donald to J. D. for two reasons. First, he wanted to have a name that was shorter and easier to remember. Second, he felt his new initials, J. D. , sounded more mature and professional than his given name, and he wanted to have a name that he felt corresponded to his identity.
He believed it would help him stand out and give him more confidence, both professionally and personally. Additionally, Vance wanted a name that would evoke a sense of success and possibility. He wanted to make his own path, and having a name that, in his eyes, symbolized achievement was part of his journey.
All in all, Vance changed his name to give himself a sense of stronger identity and purpose.
How did they make Amy Adams look old in Hillbilly Elegy?
In order to make Amy Adams look old in the movie Hillbilly Elegy, the makeup and visual effects team used a combination of prosthetic makeup, digital aging and body double aging. Prosthetic makeup was used to give character and age to Adams’ face, such as wrinkles and drooping skin.
Digital Aging was used to subtly add wrinkles and other blemishes to her face. The body double aging was utilized for digitally shorten Adams’ limbs and size to appear smaller and older. This combination of special effects allowed the team to transform a vibrant Hollywood actress into an old-world hillbilly.
Did the book Hillbilly Elegy win any awards?
No, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance did not win any awards. However, the book has been very successful, debuting at number 1 on the New York Times bestseller list shortly after its 2016 publication.
It has received widespread praise for its vivid and candid depiction of the harsh realities of poverty in Appalachia and the struggles of the white working class in the United States. The book has been adapted into a movie in 2020, which has been nominated for three Golden Globe awards.
Moreover, Time Magazine named Hillbilly Elegy one of its 100 must-read books of the last decade. The book also gained important attention from then presidential candidate Joe Biden, who cited the book in a major speech on the economy.
It has become a cultural touchstone and an important resource in understanding the demographics of rural America and its struggles.
Why is Hillbilly Elegy R rated?
The movie Hillbilly Elegy has been rated R for several reasons. The first being language. There are also scenes of domestic violence which are graphic in nature and could be upsetting for viewers. Additionally, there are several scenes which depict drug use and drug abuse, including a scene where the main character’s mother overdoses.
These scenes, along with the adult themes running throughout the movie, merit a rating of R according to the Motion Picture Association of America. The movie is rated R for “language throughout, drug content, theme, some violence and brief sexuality/nudity.
” For these reasons, it’s important that this movie only be viewed by adults and teenagers over the age of 17.
What kind of reviews did Hillbilly Elegy get?
Hillbilly Elegy has generally received mixed reviews from critics. The film was praised for its performance and direction, but criticized for its lack of depth. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 53% approval rating from 68 reviews, with the website’s consensus reading, “Hillbilly Elegy hits a few emotional or narrative beats, but its mix of ideas fails to add up to anything memorable.
” On Metacritic, the film has a score of 46 out of 100 from 21 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews. ”.
The performances by Amy Adams and Glenn Close were widely praised by critics. Adams’ performance was described as “expert,” and Close’s as “virtuosic. ” Many critics found the film too simplistic to tackle the complex issues it attempts to address, such as poverty and racism.
Variety’s Peter Debruge compared the film to a “Hallmark card”, while Time’s Stephanie Zacharek criticized the film as “garishly pandering. ” Variety also described the film as “too earnest for its own good.
”.
Overall, reviews of Hillbilly Elegy were mixed. While critics praised the performances, many found the film too simplistic and too contrived to be truly effective.
What does Learned Helplessness mean and how does Vance address it in Hillbilly Elegy?
Learned helplessness is a psychological phenomenon in which individuals experience a sense of powerlessness, or resignation, in response to recurrent negative situations and see themselves as unable to control or influence their environment or outcomes.
In Hillbilly Elegy, author J. D. Vance discusses how the concept of learned helplessness has been a major factor in the economic and social struggles facing the white working-class communities of Appalachia and the Rust Belt.
Vance highlights the vital role that generations of family members play in the transmission of learned helplessness, noting that wider cultural ideas about poverty, racism, and powerlessness have been passed down from generation to generation, leading to a sense of hopelessness among Appalachian and Rust Belt citizens.
He has argued that the “mommy state” of government welfare programs, which are meant to provide economic support to the unemployed and underemployed, only perpetuates learned helplessness by discouraging independence or any attempt to effect change.
Instead, the unemployed, especially members of minority groups and the working class, simply accept the situation as “the way things are. ”.
Therefore, Vance points out that learned helplessness is a complex social problem, bred not only through systemic inequalities and inadequate educational and job opportunities, but also through learned behavior and cultural mindsets.
He proposes that the only way to counteract learned helplessness is to educate individuals and families to break unhealthy behaviors, promote self-reliance, and inspire confidence in one’s ability to succeed.