James David Vance is an American conservative commentator, venture capitalist, and author. He is best known for his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which attracted significant press attention during the 2016 election.
James David Vance was born on August 2, 1984, in Middletown, Ohio, located between Cincinnati and Dayton, as James Donald Bowman, the son of Donald Bowman and Bev Vance. He is of Scots-Irish descent. His mother and father divorced when Vance was a toddler.
Vance describes his upbringing and family background while growing up in the city of Middletown, Ohio, the third-largest city in the Cincinnati metropolitan area. When J.D.’s grandparents moved there from a picturesque mountain town in Northern Kentucky, they were leaving behind coal country for the hope of a better life.
The Hillbilly Elegy true story reveals that by the time J.D. was born, Middletown’s steel mill was no longer thriving and the town was gradually heading toward economic despair.