Sales Surge for JD Vance's 'Hillbilly Elegy'

JD Vance's memoir 'Hillbilly Elegy' has experienced a staggering 13,000% increase in print sales, totaling over 600,000 copies sold since Donald Trump announced him as his vice presidential running mate on July 15. This surge led HarperCollins to order hundreds of thousands of additional copies to meet demand. The book, previously a million-seller, reflects Vance's childhood in Ohio and his family's roots in rural Kentucky, and was adapted into a 2020 film by Ron Howard. Critics have described the book as essential for understanding Trump's appeal to working-class whites, although it has faced criticism for providing a narrow view of Appalachia. Vance's rise in politics, from author to U.S. Senator, illustrates the book's impact on his public persona.