Back when the book was first released, Book Riot published an excellent piece about why Hillbilly Elegy is problematic. It’s been over four years since Vance’s memoir hit the shelves, but now we have to contend with the movie of Hillbilly Elegy, directed by Ron Howard and starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams. Many of the issues from the memoir carry over to the film version of Vance’s story, presenting his harmful portrait of Appalachia to a whole new audience. The fact is, no single voice can represent an entire region, so I’ve brought together fifteen books to read instead of Hillbilly Elegy that will each give you a unique perspective on Appalachia. This list represents only a small portion of the rich tradition of Appalachian literature, but it’s a great place to start. If you’re looking for even more Appalachian Literature, check out @ReadAppalachia over on Instagram.

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