Hillbilly Elegy

Terry,” she starts, referencing a friend of
hers, “was arrested on a probation
violation and sent to prison. So they are
all doing OK.”
Lindsay also wrote often, sending
multiple letters in the same envelope,
each on a different-colored piece of
paper, with instructions on the back
—“Read this one second; this is the last
one.” Every single letter contained some
reference to her kids. I learned of my
oldest niece’s successful potty training;
my nephew’s soccer matches; my
younger niece’s early smiles and first
efforts to reach for things. After a
lifetime of shared triumphs and
tragedies, we both adored her kids more