Hillbilly Elegy

drop out of high school less frequently,
and finish college more frequently than
those who don’t attend church at all.^16
MIT economist Jonathan Gruber even
found that the relationship was causal:
It’s not just that people who happen to
live successful lives also go to church,
it’s that church seems to promote good
habits.
In his religious habits, Dad lived the
stereotype of a culturally conservative
Protestant with Southern roots, even
though the stereotype is mostly
inaccurate. Despite their reputation for
clinging to their religion, the folks back
home resembled Mamaw more than
Dad: deeply religious but without any