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Cover of Just as I Am by Billy GrahamJust as I Am
Modern · Nonfiction, History, Biography

Just as I Am

by Billy Graham
1997 · 834 pages · Nonfiction
Reserve shelf
≈ 21 hours to read · about 6 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Billy Graham, the most famous preacher of the 20th century, tells his life story: growing up on a farm in North Carolina, his conversion as a teenager, his rise to fame with huge evangelistic crusades around the world, and his friendships with presidents from Truman to Clinton.

Why it's worth reading

It hit #1 on the New York Times list. It's a warm, plain-spoken memoir of a remarkable life of faith.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's long and written for readers who share his faith. It's gentle about his critics.

By the numbers

70.8Must-Read Score
  • Readers90 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller16 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

On our reserve shelf: it doesn't have enough readers yet for us to rank it alongside the Must-Read 50 pool. We check again every month, and it can still turn up in your 50 once you've read most of our ranked books.

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (1 week at #1)

Reads as

True story

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is Just as I Am worth reading?

It hit #1 on the New York Times list. Its Must-Read Score is 70.8 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Just as I Am about?

Billy Graham, the most famous preacher of the 20th century, tells his life story: growing up on a farm in North Carolina, his conversion as a teenager, his rise to fame with huge evangelistic crusades around the world, and his friendships with presidents from Truman to Clinton.

How long does it take to read Just as I Am?

About 21 hours (834 pages), or about 6 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Just as I Am?

If you liked it, try The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren, A Man Called Peter by Catherine Marshall or Have a Little Faith: A True Story by Mitch Albom.