At 22 years old, Amanda Gorman made waves as the youngest U.S. Poet Laureate in history. Now, her debut anthology has topped the Amazon bestseller list.
Following her powerful performance of The Hill We Climb at President Biden’s inauguration, Amanda Gorman’s brilliance has continued to resonate with thousands of people.
Within hours of her performance, the 22-year-old’s two upcoming books have already topped Amazon’s bestseller list.
Despite suffering from an auditory processing disorder and a speech impediment in her youth, Gorman worked tirelessly perfecting her craft. Her hard work paid off when, in 2017, she was announced as the first US National Youth Poet Laureate. After performing at the inauguration, she has now joined the elite ranks of inaugural poets such as Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.
I AM ON THE FLOOR MY BOOKS ARE #1 & #2 ON AMAZON AFTER 1 DAY! Thank you so much to everyone for supporting me and my words. As Yeats put it: “For words alone are certain good: Sing, then”
— Amanda Gorman (@TheAmandaGorman) January 20, 2021
Her performance gained her widespread and immediate praise, including responses from former President Barack Obama:
On a day for the history books, @TheAmandaGorman delivered a poem that more than met the moment. Young people like her are proof that “there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it; if only we’re brave enough to be it.” pic.twitter.com/mbywtvjtEH
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 20, 2021
Wasn’t @TheAmandaGorman’s poem just stunning? She’s promised to run for president in 2036 and I for one can’t wait. pic.twitter.com/rahEClc6k2
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 20, 2021
Gorman’s work has a clear focus on activism, dealing particularly with issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalisation, as well as the African diaspora.
I can’t help but think that Maya Angelou is looking down from Heaven proud at the #BlackGirlMagic that is Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman.
Amanda’s #InaugurationDay poem “The Hill We Climb” was beautiful and wonderfully delivered.#AmandaGorman #Inauguration2021
— AprilDRyan (@AprilDRyan) January 20, 2021
