It unexpectedly took off, reaching No. 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List in August 2016 and again in January.
Vance will speak at the Wittenberg Series annual Fred R. Leventhal Family Lecture at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 30, at Wittenberg’s Pam Evans Smith Arena.
The event is free and open to the public.
Vance and his sister grew up with challenges such as addiction and absentee parents. Their grandparents stepped up to raise them and Vance enlisted in the Marines after high school, serving in Iraq.
He later graduated from Ohio State University and Yale Law School and worked around Silicon Valley, relocating back to Ohio to live and work in Columbus and start a nonprofit.
“What made me want to write was no matter who you are, you can overcome,” Vance said. “One of the takeaways is you have to be lucky to overcome these circumstances. You could say I’ve lived a charmed life but not in the way you’d think.”
Inspired by a law professor to write the memoir, it had an initial print run of just 10,000 copies.
“I was proud, it was a cathartic experience, but I didn’t expect it to happen,” Vance said. “It took off so quickly, it caught me off guard.”
He wrote it as a conversation starter, hoping it could improve the social problems described in the book.
“Hillbilly Elegy” was looked at by some as an insight to the mindset of some of the voters in the 2016 presidential election. Vance admitted he was a little uncomfortable with how that fit, saying it took longer than just one political cycle to realize.
He’s been discussed as a potential candidate for elected office, but at just 33- years-old and with a four-month-old baby, he’s not ready.
“I’m flattered, politics is an admirable thing,” Vance said. “I just don’t think it’s a good time, personally.”
Vance said he would like to eventually author another book, examining the diminished role of religion in the lives of the cultures described in the “Hillbilly Elegy.”
In Monday’s lecture, he’ll talk about the book and themes of the role of culture. Vance sees similarities in Springfield and Middletown.
“They’re similar, adjusting to the new economic reality and social problems, too,” he said. “The audience in Springfield will not be totally unfamiliar with this so it won’t be like talking to strangers.”
Vance is familiar with Wittenberg and Springfield. The city has been a good middle ground in meeting family from Middletown when he attended Ohio State and currently with his Columbus home.
“There are a lot of similarities between there and Middletown,” he said “You have a good downtown.”
As an ice cream fanatic, he enjoys Young’s Jersey Dairy and right before his baby was born, met his mom to eat at a local Frisch’s.
Additional parking for the Wittenberg lecture will also be available in the Mercy Crest lot on McCreight Avenue and handicapped parking will be accessible in the upper lot across from Wittenberg’s HPER Center.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. as a large crowd is expected.
HOW TO GO
What: Author J.D. Vance, Fred R. Leventhal Family Lecture
Where: Pam Evans Smith Arena, Wittenberg University, Springfield
When: Monday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.
Admission: free
More info: https://www.wittenberg.edu/about-wittenberg/art/2017-18-wittenberg-series-leventhal-lecture
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