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[quote=Anonymous]I agree with some of what's been said here - I think it's a good memoir but doesn't attempt to answer the policy questions surrounding these issues. I don't think it aims to  do that, however. Vance had amazing timing in coming out with this book just as the Trump phenomenon was happening.

I disagree, however, that there isn't anything to be learned from this book in the context of the election. Personally, reading this book shed a lot of light as to why Trump's comments about women, the disabled, minorities, etc simply did not doom his electoral chances. That was small potatoes compared to what a big swath of the country hears daily. I also think this book illustrates why people from these poor parts of the country vote for Republicans who vow to cut off government assistance to the poor. They think the only people getting help are other people -- non-white people from the cities and their undeserving (lazy) neighbors.

I also thought it was enlightening to hear him talk about his neighbors who really were unwilling to work hard and hold down a job (the guy with the pregnant girlfriend, for example). It is so frustrating to think that these are the same people who hate immigrants who are working their tails off in this country -- they seem to think that by being born in America, they deserve things simply by birthright.

And finally, the opiod abuse situation in these communities is just out of control, though that's certainly been written about more extensively than in this book.

Bottom line, no, this book doesn't provide answers -- I think Vance himself would say the answers are very complex and to a large degree, have to come from the community itself rather than from public policy. [/quote]

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