J.D. Vance grew up poor with a mother who battled addiction and watched as countless men came in and out of their lives. Violence was commonplace, both within the home and around them, and loyalty to each other was paramount to almost all other values. In Vance's words, he grew up in a classic hillbilly family, where you stick together even when things get bad. In his widely … [Read more...]
‘Commonwealth’ Doesn’t Live Up to the Hype
Every year there's a bestselling novel that I can't get onboard with. In years past it has been The Book Thief, Fates and Furies, and The Luminaries, and this year it's The Vegetarian by Han Kang and Commonwealth by Ann Patchett. It's not that I don't understand the underlying complexities within both stories, nor that I don't appreciate the writing, but rather that I … [Read more...]