Hillbilly Elegy By J.D. Vance (Harper) Pundits turned to J.D. Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy” when they scrambled to explain President Donald Trump’s surprise victory. But believing the book explains the motivation of Rust Belt voters puts far too much weight on Vance’s powerful story. “Hillbilly Elegy” is an unflinching look at his family’s history after his grandparents leave Appalachia for a new life in Ohio.