JD Vance’s book tops Amazon charts after announcement as Vice President

The book by Senator JD Vance Hillbilly Elegy: Memories of a family and culture in crisis topped Amazon’s bestseller list after former President Donald Trump announced it as his vice presidential running mate on Monday afternoon.

Trump announced Vance, who represents Ohio in the U.S. Senate, as his vice presidential running mate in a post on Truth Social on Monday afternoon. Vance has positioned himself as a conservative closely aligned with Trump since his 2022 election, despite past criticism of the former president. Conservatives celebrated Trump’s announcement, which came on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“After much thought and consideration, and taking into account the tremendous talents of many others, I have concluded that the person best qualified to serve as Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the great State of Ohio,” Trump posted.

He wrote that Vance would “focus intensely on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American workers and farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota and far beyond.”

Following the announcement, Vance’s book jumped to the top of Amazon’s hourly-updated bestseller list. The paperback version of the book topped the list, while the print edition was at number three at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Vance’s book, published in 2016, revolved around his childhood in Kentucky and Ohio, a former swing state that has trended Republican in recent years, according to the Associated Press. The book focused on the economic and political transformation of the Appalachian region, which has moved to the right in recent decades.

The book gained national attention after Trump’s victory over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, and was seen as a surprise by many political observers at the time. It was later made into a film starring Amy Adams and Glen Close.

The book received positive reviews at the time, with The Economist He wrote: “You will not read a more important book about America this year.”

Newsweek has emailed Trump’s campaign team and asked for comment.

Vance’s selection as Trump’s running mate sparked cheers among conservatives, but Democrats have raised concerns about his stance on issues such as abortion and LGBTQ+ rights, arguing that he is not aligned with the swing voters who will decide the election.

Jen O’Malley Dillion, co-chair of Biden’s campaign, wrote in a statement that Vance would “do everything possible to support Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda.”

“As Trump’s running mate, Vance will make it his mission to implement Trump’s 2025 Agenda at the expense of American families,” the statement said. “He is someone who supports a nationwide abortion ban while criticizing exemptions for rape and incest victims; who rails against the health care reform law, including its protections for millions of people with pre-existing conditions; and who has admitted he would not have certified the free and fair 2020 election.”