“Hillbilly Elegy” by J. D. Vance

An amazingly sincere and personal book. It tells a story of one – rather extended, though! – family, but also manages to illustrate the story of the whole region.

For me, as for someone, who lives on the other side of the planet, the most fascinating in this book was finding a lot of similarities with my own family’s history. While I was reading about the author’s grandmother, I was laughing and crying, since she reminded me of my own aunt, who had played the same tremendous role in my life as the author’s grandma. I know how invaluably important it is to have someone in your love, who loves you unconditionally and has faith in your ability to succeed.

I liked the author’s honesty in telling his story. The American dream, in his experience, is not a mirage, but something very palpable. Available not for anyone, as it’s often presented in “positive thinking” books, but for some – for those, who had put the puzzle right.