The Hill We ClimbThe Hill We Climb
What it's about
Amanda Gorman, at 22 the youngest inaugural poet in American history, read "The Hill We Climb" at President Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, 2021, two weeks after the attack on the Capitol. This small book prints the poem in full: a call for unity and hope from a nation, as she put it, that isn't broken but simply unfinished.
Why it's worth reading
It spent two weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It's a historic poem that captured a national moment.
You'll love it if you liked
The Poet X
The Fire Next Time
Between the World and MeGood to know
It's a single poem, so you can read it in a few minutes; it's best read aloud. Her later collection is Call Us What We Carry.
By the numbers
- Readers95 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller51 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.
Where it ranks
- #20 of the 219 young adult books we rank
- #77 of the 481 new books we rank
- #429 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Amanda Gorman
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One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
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Just for the Summer
Divine Rivals
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Brotherless NightExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Hill We Climb worth reading?
Yes. It spent two weeks at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. It ranks #429 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.3 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Hill We Climb about?
Amanda Gorman, at 22 the youngest inaugural poet in American history, read "The Hill We Climb" at President Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, 2021, two weeks after the attack on the Capitol. This small book prints the poem in full: a call for unity and hope from a nation, as she put it, that isn't broken but simply unfinished.
How long does it take to read The Hill We Climb?
About 1 hours (48 pages), or about 2 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Hill We Climb?
If you liked it, try The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin or Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates.