Hillbilly Elegy

on his roof—his entire home flooded—a
helicopter flew by, and the pilot offered
transportation to dry land. Again the man
declined, telling the pilot that God
would care for him. Soon thereafter, the
waters overcame the man, and as he
stood before God in heaven, he
protested his fate: “You promised that
you’d help me so long as I was faithful.”
God replied, “I sent you a car, a boat,
and a helicopter. Your death is your own
fault.” God helps those who help
themselves. This was the wisdom of the
Book of Mamaw.
The fallen world described by the
Christian religion matched the world I
saw around me: one where a happy car