When JD Vance released his ode to a forgotten Middle America in 2016, he became an instant literary icon.

Hillbilly Elegy, his memoir-cum-analysis of the Rust Belt’s decline, and a candid account of the poverty it had wrought, was a cult success which drew on his first-hand experience of violence and addiction.

The timing of the publication was significant. Donald Trump was making his longshot bid for the presidency the same year by tapping into the frustrations of working-class voters who felt left behind by a political elite.

Trump’s surprise success made Mr Vance a useful intermediary between his blue-collar base and a bemused US news media.