Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance

28 reviews

lindsayvale's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, and War

Minor: Pregnancy

basil_plant's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Rape, and Death of parent

demartinodoc's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

2.25

I had high hopes for this book, but was really disappointed overall. It comes across as narrow and perhaps incorrect at times- A redeeming factor is acknowledging that it is relatively dated and the author makes repeated references to the fact he is telling it as he remembers. This read may be more enjoyable as a text read and not an audiobook, as overly repetitive sentences about the same exact subject can get a little bit tough to listen to at times. Was very close to not finishing, but it did make me think quite a bit about our current economic systems so I decided to power through (plus, I was in a car and already listening). The author’s lines of thinking can at times literally imply he is smarter or better than going through the trouble of learning more about trauma and other major fields of study from the professionals and instead relies on his own “research”. Interesting read, but probably won’t reread or recommend.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism and Abandonment

Minor: Bullying and Violence

jdromsky's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense fast-paced

4.0

I agree with the praise on the front cover of my copy that this book “is essential reading for this moment in American history.” Hillbilly Elegy was incredibly informative but lovingly so: author JD Vance just wants to tell his story and explain how his life has led him to draw certain conclusions about the world. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Classism

dreamofbookspines's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

I cannot in good conscience give Vance a higher rating due to his shitty politics. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The content was interesting, ngl. Yes, it's depressing and heavy and full of terrible people, but as someone who grew up nowhere near these types of circumstances, I was unable to put it down. Vance is a competent writer and makes some good points, even if they are hurtful to the people whom his book is about.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, and Violence

graycewith1y's review

informative reflective medium-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: War

isleoflinds's review against another edition

1.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism

angelasosh's review

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

2.0

I didn’t know who J.D. Vance was before I started this book and had I known, I would’ve been more hesitant to listen to it. I listened to this as an audiobook and don’t think I would’ve been able to read a physical copy of it as I don’t believe the writing was all that fantastic. As a memoir of his childhood, the book is fine. But I personally felt his analysis of a culture in crisis was lacking; it felt kind of vague to me and i don’t feel he addressed the core of why some Appalachian families struggle the way they do. He analyzed his specific family but missed the mark on the culture as a whole. I won’t argue that his childhood wasn’t difficult, but I do feel he failed to acknowledge some of the privileges that did work to his advantage. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

lngoldstein's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Gaslighting, and Alcohol

sophiejohn's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad fast-paced

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment