J.D. Vance

J.D. Vance, referred to as J.D. throughout the book, is the author and primary focus of this memoir. J.D. was born in Ohio as a self-described hillbilly. He lived primarily in Middletown, OH during his childhood, but moved frequently between homes. J.D. was initially raised primarily by his mother and stepfather, his biological father having given him up for adoption after divorcing his mother. He was initially a happy child, despite his unusual family structure, but he became increasingly troubled as his mother became emotionally unstable. J.D. moved frequently between houses and a series of boyfriends, often experiencing emotional abuse from his mother. This instability was extremely stressful to Vance and he began to struggle in school. Before his second year of high school, he moved to live permanently with his grandmother, Mamaw. J.D. had always enjoyed a close...