But since J.D. Vance’s memoir Hillbilly Elegy hit the top of the bestseller lists, the national discussion about the region has been reduced to the debate around a single memoir. Last fall, I wrote about how one single book cannot define a region and gave 15 recommendations for readers looking to read more Appalachian literature. More recently, J.D. Vance announced his run for Senate, and a slew of writers have voiced their concern for his problematic stance on Appalachia (and many other issues), including Alana Anton on 100 Days of Appalachia and Tom Nichols in The Atlantic. With Vance’s name back in the headlines, I thought now would be a great time to recommend 15 MORE books you should read instead of Hillbilly Elegy. If you’re looking for even more Appalachian literature, check out @ReadAppalachia over on Instagram.