Ullstein-Verlag drops 'Hillbilly Elegy' from its program
**J.D. Vance's "Hillbilly Elegy" removed from Ullstein-Verlag due to political shift
J.D. Vance's autobiographical book "Hillbilly Elegy," which was a literary hit in Germany and the US, will no longer be published by Ullstein-Verlag. According to "Spiegel," the book was previously removed from the publisher's website.
When asked by the magazine why the book was no longer available in German, the publisher stated that they did not renew the expired licensing contract. Ullstein had published the book in German since 2017, and the stock is sold out. The demand for the book increased significantly in Germany due to Vance's vice presidential nomination by Donald Trump.
The publisher cited Vance's political transformation since the initial publication as the decisive reason for not renewing the contract. In their statement to "Spiegel," they said, "At the time of its release, the book provided a valuable contribution to understanding the division of US society." However, they noted that this had significantly changed. "He now officially acts on Trump's side and promotes an aggressively demagogic, exclusionary politics," the publisher stated.
Small publisher to publish new edition
Interested readers in Germany can currently only refer to the English original version of the book. Those who want to read it in German must be patient. According to "Spiegel," YES Publishing has announced that they have secured the rights and plan to release a new German edition on August 15. "We bought the book from the agency in America very short-term when we learned that Ullstein had not renewed the rights," said Oliver Kuhn, co-founder of the small publisher, to "Spiegel." However, the book does not yet appear among the upcoming publications on the publisher's website.
Vance's transformation is indeed noteworthy. Eight years ago, he still criticized Trump sharply and even compared him to Adolf Hitler. Over the years, he drew closer to the polarizing and radical Republican. In 2022, Trump supported him in his candidacy for the Senatorial seat in the US state of Ohio. Vance holds a more radical stance on abortion rights than Trump himself.
The Book trade was affected by J.D. Vance's political shift, leading to the removal of "Hillbilly Elegy" from Ullstein-Verlag's publication list due to his alignment with Donald Trump's politics. Despite the book's absence, a small publisher, YES Publishing, stepped in to publish a new German edition on August 15, showing continued interest in Vance's work.
Eight years prior, Vance had been critical of Donald Trump, even drawing parallels between the politician and Adolf Hitler. However, Vance's political views have evolved significantly over the years, moving closer to Trump's polarizing and radical Republican stance, and even receiving Trump's support in his Senatorial campaign in the US state of Ohio.
