How Much of These Hills Is Gold

Born in Beijing but mostly an artifact of the United States, C Pam Zhang has lived in thirteen cities across four countries and is still looking for home. She s been awarded support from Tin House, Bread Loaf, Aspen Words, and elsewhere, and currently lives in San Francisco.

A NEW YORK TIMES  NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR

A WASHINGTON POST NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR

ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR

ONE OF NPR'S BEST BOOKS OF 2020 

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2020 BOOKER PRIZE

FINALIST FOR THE 2020 CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL PRIZE

WINNER OF THE ROSENTHAL FAMILY FOUNDATION AWARD, FROM THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS

A NATIONAL BOOK FOUNDATION "5 UNDER 35" HONOREE

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

Belongs on a shelf all of its own. NPR

Outstanding. The Washington Post
 
Revolutionary . . . A visionary addition to American literature. Star Tribune

An electric debut novel set against the twilight of the American gold rush, two siblings are on the run in an unforgiving landscape trying not just to survive but to find a home.

Ba dies in the night; Ma is already gone. Newly orphaned children of immigrants, Lucy and Sam are suddenly alone in a land that refutes their existence. Fleeing the threats of their western mining town, they set off to bury their father in the only way that will set them free from their past. Along the way, they encounter giant buffalo bones, tiger paw prints, and the specters of a ravaged landscape as well as family secrets, sibling rivalry, and glimpses of a different kind of future.

Both epic and intimate, blending Chinese symbolism and reimagined history with fiercely original language and storytelling, How Much of These Hills Is Gold is a haunting adventure story, an unforgettable sibling story, and the announcement of a stunning new voice in literature. On a broad level, it explores race in an expanding country and the question of where immigrants are allowed to belong. But page by page, it s about the memories that bind and divide families, and the yearning for home.

ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Hills has found itself on the most anticipated lists of Publishers Weekly, The Millions, The Week, Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, Electric Lit, Vogue.com, Medium, Paste Magazine, and more.RAVE REVIEWS: Four out of four starred advance reviews.BOOKSELLER SUPPORT: Pam was beloved by booksellers at Winter Institute and the book is an IndieNext pick for April 2020.ELECTRIC WRITING: Zhang's writing is bold and exciting, conjuring comparisons to Toni Morrison and Cormac McCarthy.BROAD REACH AND IMPORTANCE: Like The Underground Railroad, this novel is not just gripping in its character-driven storytelling, it can also be read as a story essential to our understanding of the American past and the American present.REINVENTED WESTERN: This is a masterful retelling of the history of the American West from a new perspective.EMOTIONAL RESONANCE: Lucy and Sam are an unforgettable pair, and the novel skillfully renders the effects of their isolation and loyalty, the hunger and fear they suffer, and the resilience they discover.