Hillbilly Elegy

We felt trapped in two seemingly
unwinnable wars, in which a
disproportionate share of the fighters
came from our neighborhood, and in an
economy that failed to deliver the most
basic promise of the American Dream—
a steady wage.
To understand the significance of this
cultural detachment, you must appreciate
that much of my family’s, my
neighborhood’s, and my community’s
identity derives from our love of
country. I couldn’t tell you a single thing
about Breathitt County’s mayor, its
health care services, or its famous
residents. But I do know this: “Bloody
Breathitt” allegedly earned its name