Current:Home > reviews"Hillbilly Elegy" rockets to top of bestseller list after JD Vance picked as Trump's VP -Keystone Wealth Vision
"Hillbilly Elegy" rockets to top of bestseller list after JD Vance picked as Trump's VP
View
Date:2025-04-19 13:20:37
JD Vance published his bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" in 2016, just months before former President Donald Trump won his first presidential campaign. Now, with Trump announcing Vance as his running mate on Monday, the book is back in the news — and at the top of the bestseller lists.
Trump's decision to pick Vance out of a crowd of vice presidential hopefuls has also boosted viewership of the film adaptation of "Hillbilly Elegy," with streams of the Ron Howard-directed 2020 movie surging 1,180% on July 15, according to research firm Luminate.
As of Wednesday morning, the film was ranked as the fourth-most streamed show on Netflix. Viewers watched the film for a combined 19.2 million minutes on Monday, the day Vance was picked as Trump's running mate, compared with 1.5 million minutes on the prior day, Luminate said.
"Hillbilly Elegy" also tops Amazon's Kindle bestseller list, surging from No. 220 prior to Trump's announcement. Sales of the book now total at least 1.6 million copies, according to Circana, which tracks around 85% of hardcover and paperback sales.
Vance's book, which details his roots in rural Kentucky and blue-collar Ohio, was an immediate hit and made him a national celebrity. The memoir became a cultural talking point after Trump's presidential victory in 2016, with some readers seeking insights from the book about Trump's appeal to rural voters.
In "Hillbilly Elegy," the Ohio senator reflects on the transformation of Appalachia from reliably Democratic to reliably Republican, sharing stories about his chaotic family life and about communities that had declined and seemed to lose hope. Vance first thought of the book while studying at Yale Law School, and completed it in his early 30s, when it was eventually published by HarperCollins.
"I think that it's more about the White working-class folks who aren't necessarily economically destitute but in some ways feel very culturally isolated and very pessimistic about the future," Vance said on NPR's "Fresh Air" program in 2016 in an interview about "Hillbilly Elegy."
He added, "That's one of the biggest predictors of whether someone will support Donald Trump — it may be the biggest predictor — is the belief that America is headed in the wrong direction, the belief that your kids are not going to have a better life than you did."
Vance, 39, would be the youngest vice president since Richard Nixon, who served two terms under Dwight Eisenhower, starting in 1953.
—With reporting by the Associated Press.
- In:
- JD Vance
Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.
TwitterveryGood! (68)
Related
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- With Heat Waves, an Increased Risk for Heart Problems, New Research Shows
- Chicago firefighters battle massive blaze at building supply warehouse
- Black veterans take 'honor flight' to Washington monuments to celebrate Juneteenth
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- Romanian national pleads guilty to home invasion at Connecticut mansion
- Mega Millions winning numbers for June 18 drawing: Jackpot climbs to $61 million
- Kourtney Kardashian Shares Baby Rocky’s Rare Lung Issue That Led to Fetal Surgery
- The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
- Ariana Grande Addresses Fans' Shock Over Her Voice Change
Ranking
- 'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
- How baseball legend Willie Mays earned the nickname 'The Say Hey Kid'
- Parasite cleanses are growing in popularity. But are they safe?
- Billy Ray Cyrus Accuses Ex Firerose of Conducting Campaign to Isolate Him From Family
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- What is a 427 Shelby Dragonsnake and why is it being built once again?
- Matt Grevers, 39, in pool for good time after coming out of retirement for Olympic trials
- Simone Biles docuseries 'Rising' to begin streaming July 17, ahead of Paris Olympics
Recommendation
Working Well: When holidays present rude customers, taking breaks and the high road preserve peace
EV startup Fisker files for bankruptcy, aims to sell assets
Olympic Hopeful J.J. Rice's Sister Speaks Out After His Fatal Diving Accident
Barry Bonds posts emotional message after Willie Mays' death
Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Key West
Alaska did not provide accessible voting for those with disabilities, US Justice Department alleges
South Africa beats United States in cricket's T20 World Cup Super 8