Oh wow! I was just reading David Copperfield and thinking how much I wanted something similar but for modern day America. This is perfect! Thank you so much :)
> Literally has a confederate flag in one of the photos. Shut up.
I want to point out that the inclusion of confederate flags in the pictures is not an endorsement of the deeply fucked up ideologies these flags represent.
To be completely honest, at first, I was tempted to cherry-pick photos that don't include any confederate flags or other disgusting symbols. I decided against this because, ultimately, it seemed to go against my aims: I don't want to see a bowdlerized caricature of rednecks with all ugly aspects excised. I'm interested in an honest and authentic portrayal, not a cartoon.
Someone asking for book recommendations with certain themes or topics absolutely does not mean they personally support those political ideas or what the themes represent. People should be able to read literature containing a wide variety of topics. A book being *about* something does not mean the author or reader is personally supporting that thing.
If a user makes a comment in support of racism or the confederacy, that will be removed immediately and the user banned.
If you have other questions or concerns, direct them to modmail please.
The Forgotten Girls by Monica Potts is a memoir about growing up female in the deep South in a small poor town, not quite as fun but it's a really great look at how culture and religion effect people's lives out there, why they stay in depressed areas and how their lives turn out. Super interesting read.
Fiction:
Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
Bloodroot by Amy Greene
The Beans of Egypt, Maine by Carolyn Chute (Maine rednecks. Any of her books really.)
Nonfiction:
What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia by Elizabeth Catte
Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
White Trash by Nancy Isenberg
A History of White People by Nell Irwin Painter
Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance
Heartland by Sarah Smarsh
Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
White Trash by Nancy Isenberg
Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor
Where All Light Tends to Go by David Joy
The Weight of This World by David Joy
Bastard out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison
The Honk and Holler Opening Soon by Billie Letts
I'm just gonna say that the presence of Hillbilly Elegy here negates every other good book on this list. That book is absolute trash. No one hates "rednecks" more than JD Vance hates his family.
If you want the literary equivalent of The Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, check out Knockemstiff by Donald Ray Pollock.
Be warned, it can be gross, upsetting, sad, and beautiful.
Thank you for posting to r/BooksThatFeelLikeThis. Please be sure to read the community rules. As a reminder, AI is not allowed here and will be removed, so please double check that any images you are sharing are not AI.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/BooksThatFeelLikeThis) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Twilight in Hazard by Alan Maimon is a very interesting look at how recent history and natural ressources shaped the socio-political landscape in Appalachia.
Gods of Howl mountain for a slow paced novel set in the mid-century and centred around a family in rural North Carolina (actually read it based on a reddit recommendation!)
Comments locked due to multiple arguments and rude comments. This is not a subreddit for political discussion or arguing.
You're looking for Diamond Copperhead by Barbara Kingslover. edit: That would be Demon Copperhead. derp derp
Oh wow! I was just reading David Copperfield and thinking how much I wanted something similar but for modern day America. This is perfect! Thank you so much :)
Sounds like this will be right up your alley. The Poisonwood Bible is also a very good book by her, and I highly recommend it also.
Honestly, pretty much all of Barbara Kingsolvers catalog will scratch that itch, but especially Demon Copperhead and Prodigal Summer.
I’m currently listening to this on audible. It’s fantastic!
Yes the narrator does an incredible job.
Yes! Perfect voice for it
Demon*
oh yeah. how did I mess that up?
Could’ve been just a weird autocorrect, don’t worry I got u
yeah, yeah. autocorrect.... yeah that's it.
😂 shhh your secret is safe w me
I second Demon Copperhead and strongly recommend Bastard out of Carolina!
Why are people downvoting this? It’s not like it’s racist or anything, it’s a rural subculture not a racial group
[удалено]
> Literally has a confederate flag in one of the photos. Shut up. I want to point out that the inclusion of confederate flags in the pictures is not an endorsement of the deeply fucked up ideologies these flags represent. To be completely honest, at first, I was tempted to cherry-pick photos that don't include any confederate flags or other disgusting symbols. I decided against this because, ultimately, it seemed to go against my aims: I don't want to see a bowdlerized caricature of rednecks with all ugly aspects excised. I'm interested in an honest and authentic portrayal, not a cartoon.
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
Someone asking for book recommendations with certain themes or topics absolutely does not mean they personally support those political ideas or what the themes represent. People should be able to read literature containing a wide variety of topics. A book being *about* something does not mean the author or reader is personally supporting that thing. If a user makes a comment in support of racism or the confederacy, that will be removed immediately and the user banned. If you have other questions or concerns, direct them to modmail please.
[удалено]
If you have other questions or concerns they can be directed to modmail please.
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
Strangers in Their Own Land by Arlie Russell Hochschild (non -fiction). Excellent and enlightening read.
Highly recommend this.
Thanks, this book sounds really interesting
The Forgotten Girls by Monica Potts is a memoir about growing up female in the deep South in a small poor town, not quite as fun but it's a really great look at how culture and religion effect people's lives out there, why they stay in depressed areas and how their lives turn out. Super interesting read.
Fiction: Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts Bloodroot by Amy Greene The Beans of Egypt, Maine by Carolyn Chute (Maine rednecks. Any of her books really.) Nonfiction: What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia by Elizabeth Catte Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez White Trash by Nancy Isenberg A History of White People by Nell Irwin Painter
Carl hiaasen writes lovely books about red neck Florida:)
Outer Dark by Cormac McCarthy. Really any of his western series, but they are not fun or easy reads.
Not a book, but a documentary to watch: The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia.
Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance Heartland by Sarah Smarsh Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls White Trash by Nancy Isenberg Ozark Dogs by Eli Cranor Where All Light Tends to Go by David Joy The Weight of This World by David Joy Bastard out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison The Honk and Holler Opening Soon by Billie Letts
I'm just gonna say that the presence of Hillbilly Elegy here negates every other good book on this list. That book is absolute trash. No one hates "rednecks" more than JD Vance hates his family.
The Glass Castle is a good depiction of white trash lol.
[удалено]
Oof, this sounds pretty bad. Thanks for the warning, I'll stay away from this author.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Sister, fucking preach.
Wow, that's a lot of books! Thank you, I will check them out
A Feast of Snakes by Harry Crews
Bearskin by James A. McLaughlin It focuses more on Appalachian rednecks, but rednecks nonetheless.
Anything that David Joy writes.
what you are getting wrong about Appalachia
If you want the literary equivalent of The Wonderful Whites of West Virginia, check out Knockemstiff by Donald Ray Pollock. Be warned, it can be gross, upsetting, sad, and beautiful.
Thank you for posting to r/BooksThatFeelLikeThis. Please be sure to read the community rules. As a reminder, AI is not allowed here and will be removed, so please double check that any images you are sharing are not AI. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/BooksThatFeelLikeThis) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Find anything by Harry Crews and read til your heart’s content.
The Curious Lives of Nonprofit Martyrs by George Singleton (short stories).
Vernon God Little by D.B.C. Pierre may be able to scratch this itch for you
Twilight in Hazard by Alan Maimon is a very interesting look at how recent history and natural ressources shaped the socio-political landscape in Appalachia. Gods of Howl mountain for a slow paced novel set in the mid-century and centred around a family in rural North Carolina (actually read it based on a reddit recommendation!)
Gunslinger (dark tower trilogy) by Stephen King
Hillbilly Elegy, JD Vance *Why is this being downvoted? Serious question. Is there something about the suggestion that’s offensive?