Book: The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman

Date Read: June 30, 2021

Rating: 5 (of 5) stars

I debated with myself about writing an entry for this one—I bought a copy of this little book, but I wondered: should it really count as a whole book? Yes and no, I suppose. It is a bound copy of a poem. Short, yes, but presented in the form of a book. Regardless, I thought that it was deserving of some recognition—which, of course, is part of the reason that I bought the book in the first place.

I heard the poem the first time when many others did: when she recited it at Joe Biden’s inauguration in January 2021. I admit that I was not watching with great excitement. While I thought Biden was the better of the presented options, this was not exactly what I had been hoping for. Then Amanda Gorman took the stage and blew me away. She talked about my country in a way that felt familiar but could not put in to words on my own. Not the perfect place Americans like to pretend it is, but one that has the ability to prevail nonetheless. One that is able to look at its shortcomings and find ways to make them better. That’s the America I want to live in. That’s the life that I hope I am living—not perfect, but good enough to strive for my best and be proud of the result.

The poem captures a feeling—one that I feel we all desperately need right now. Healing. Hope. Resilience. Unity. Whichever you feel it is, I hope that we are able to live up to her words.