by Amanda Gorman
2022-23 Community Read Selection
There is a saying: “Grief is love with nowhere to go.” Well, it has found a worthy vessel in Amanda Gorman’s inaugural, ahem, collection of poetry. Call Us What We Carry includes the poem that put Gorman on the map, “The Hill We Climb,” which she delivered at President Biden’s swearing in ceremony. It sets the tone for this body of work, a literary salve for our collective suffering wrought from the pandemic and a country otherwise in crisis. While it is very much a time capsule of this moment, future generations will take comfort in its universal and enduring themes of hope and healing. And be impressed by the insight and wisdom displayed by someone so young. Here’s to all the birds who escape their cages and sing. The future is looking bright. —Erin Kodicek, Amazon Editor
“An inspired anthem for the next generation—a remarkable poetry debut.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Gorman’s newest poetry collection offers a stunning amalgamation of poems formatted in different styles to convey a message of sorrow, unity, and collective healing . . . Gorman’s poetry operates as a perfect combination of part elegy and part call to action. This stunning collection belongs on every shelf.” – Booklist
“At once heartbreaking and deeply healing, Gorman’s collection calls readers to their best selves, even–or especially–in the face of great loss.” – Shelf Awareness
“Amanda Gorman . . . reckons with America’s present, particularly with the pandemic. Through the lens of the country’s history, she shows us the path toward healing.” —NPR
9/20/2022