How Much of These Hills Is Gold

How Much of These Hills Is Gold is a 2020 debut novel by American author C Pam Zhang. It was longlisted for the Booker Prize[1] and won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Adult Fiction.[2][3] The book was published by Riverhead Books in North America and by Virago Press in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.[4]

How Much of These Hills Is Gold
First edition cover
AuthorC Pam Zhang
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
PublisherRiverhead Books
Publication date
April 7, 2020 (1st ed.)
Pages288
ISBN978-0525537205
OCLC1085621460
813/.6
LC ClassPS3626.H35 H69 2020

Development and writing

Zhang began the novel after waking up with the opening sentence in her head.[5] She did not originally intend to write a novel,[6] and after completing the first chapter, Zhang stopped working on the project for a period of time.[5] The novel takes place in the American West, a setting explored in novels Zhang read when young, including East of Eden, Lonesome Dove, and Little House on the Prairie.[7] The first chapter was written without conducting research, as Zhang did not want research to "stifle" her writing.[8]

Though this novel was the first published by Zhang, she says that she has another "drawer" novel "that will never see the light of day".[9]

Reception

Reviews

How Much of These Hills is Gold received positive reviews[10] from Kirkus,[3] Library Journal, [11]The New York Times Book Review, and many other publications.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] [25][26][27][28][29]

Critics highlighted the lyrical quality of Zhang's writing.[18][30] In his review of the book for The Irish Times, Oliver Farry wrote that the book's prose was "reminiscent" of authors Cormac McCarthy and Toni Morrison.[26] Alexis Burling, writing for the San Francisco Chronicle, called the author's prose "exquisitely crafted," saying that "Zhang captures not only the mesmeric beauty and storied history of America’s sacred landscape, but also the harsh sacrifices countless people were forced to make in hopes of laying claim to its bounty."[14] Kirkus called the book "[a]esthetically arresting and a vital contribution to America’s conversation about itself."[3]

NPR's Annalisa Quinn provided a mixed review, stating, "Zhang's style can be densely, airlessly lovely. Self-conscious lyricism fills the page like all that California dust, sometimes making it hard to breathe."[31] The Asian Review of Books also proffered a mixed review.[32]

The audiobook, narrated by Catherine Ho and Joel de la Fuente, received a starred review from Booklist's Jane Philbrick, who stated, "The discrimination the family experiences brings an almost constant feeling of danger; Ho leans into its menace by emphasizing slurs, threats, or speeding through the adrenaline of violence. De la Fuente['s] ... tired drawl reflects that history’s toll. "[33]

The New York Times listed Zhang's novel as one of "100 Notable Books of 2020."[34] Barack Obama listed the novel as one of his favorite books of 2020.[35]

Kirkus[3] and NPR[36] named How Much of These Hills is Gold one of the best books of 2020.

Awards
Year Awards Result Ref.
2020 Booker Prize Longlist [1]
Booklist's Best First Novels on Audio Top 10 [37]
California Book Award for First Fiction Gold [38]
Center for Fiction First Novel Prize Shortlist [39]
Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Novel Nominee [38]
Reading Women Award for Fiction Nominee [38]
2021 American Academy of Arts and Letters Rosenthal Family Foundation Award Winner [40]
Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Adult Fiction Winner [2][3]
Lambda Literary Award for Bisexual Fiction Finalist [41]
National Book Critics Circle's John Leonard Prize Finalist [42]
PEN/Hemingway Award Finalist [43]
Young Lions Fiction Award Finalist [44]

References
  1. "The 2020 Booker Prize longlist announced". The Booker Prizes. July 27, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  2. "2021 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Winners Selected – APALA". January 25, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  3. "How Much of These Hills is Gold". Kirkus Reviews. January 13, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  4. "How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang coming Spring 2019". Virago Books. October 13, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  5. Etter, Sarah Rose (April 16, 2020). "Fool's Gold: C Pam Zhang Interviewed by Sarah Rose Etter - BOMB Magazine". Bomb Magazine. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  6. Cary, Alice (April 7, 2020). "Author Interview - C Pam Zhang, author of How Much of These Hills Is Gold". BookPage.com. BookPage. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  7. Chang, Alexandra (April 7, 2020). "Can Two Chinese American Orphans Find Home in the Wild West?". Electric Literature. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  8. Watson, Alexandra (April 7, 2020). "Making Space for Imaginative Empathy in the Historical Record". Apogee Journal. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  9. Jurczyk, Eva (April 8, 2020). "Panning for Gold: A Conversation with C Pam Zhang". The Rumpus.net. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  10. "Book Marks reviews of How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang". Book Marks. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  11. Bankhead, Henry (February 1, 2020). "How Much of These Hills Is Gold". Library Journal. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  12. Southgate, Martha (April 7, 2020). "A Haunting Debut Novel Brings New Faces to the Myth of the American West". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  13. Bidisha (March 29, 2020). "How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang review – an impressive debut". the Guardian. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  14. Burling, Alexis (March 31, 2020). "Review: 'How Much of These Hills Is Gold' is a fierce reimagining of the American West". Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  15. Pham, Larissa (September 8, 2020). "C Pam Zhang's Radical Retelling of Western Myths". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  16. Chai, May-Lee (April 3, 2020). "Review: 'How Much of These Hills Is Gold,' by C Pam Zhang". Star Tribune. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  17. "Fiction Book Review: How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang. Riverhead, $26 (288p) ISBN 978-0-525-53720-5". PublishersWeekly.com. October 22, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  18. Mrjoian, Aram (April 16, 2020). "Mining the American Mythos in "How Much of These Hills Is Gold"". Chicago Review of Books. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  19. Berger, Erin (April 8, 2020). "This Novel Reclaims the Western Expansion Myth". Outside Online. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  20. Weishar, Lindsey (April 7, 2020). "How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang". Ploughshares. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  21. Morris, Bill (September 23, 2020). "Correcting History: On C Pam Zhang's 'How Much of These Hills Is Gold'". The Millions. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  22. Wang, Emma K (October 28, 2020). "Land, language and legacy in 'How Much of These Hills Is Gold'". The Stanford Daily. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  23. Cline, Jake (April 6, 2020). "Review | C Pam Zhang's 'How Much of These Hills Is Gold' brilliantly reimagines the cowboy narrative". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  24. Moore, Taylor (April 6, 2020). "How Much Of These Hills Is Gold mines a Western from an immigrant tale". The A.V. Club. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  25. Thomas-Corr, Johanna (April 10, 2020). "How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C Pam Zhang review — a wild western told through eastern eyes". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  26. Farry, Oliver (April 26, 2020). "How Much of These Hills Is Gold: A haunting debut". The Irish Times. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  27. Thomas, Mark (May 16, 2020). "Oddly mesmerising American journey". The Canberra Times. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  28. Hong, Terry (March 1, 2020). How Much of These Hills is Gold. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Booklist.
  29. Athitakis, Mark (April 6, 2020). "Review: C Pam Zhang's ambitious novel turns the Western on its head with Chinese myth". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  30. Quinn, Annalisa (April 10, 2020). "In 'How Much Of These Hills Is Gold,' This Land Is Not Your Land". NPR. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  31. Quinn, Annalisa (April 10, 2020). "In 'How Much Of These Hills Is Gold,' This Land Is Not Your Land". NPR. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  32. Blumberg-Kason, Susan (April 20, 2020). ""How Much of These Hills is Gold" by C Pam Zhang". Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  33. Philbrick, Jane (May 15, 2020). How Much of These Hills is Gold. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Booklist.
  34. "100 Notable Books of 2020". The New York Times. November 20, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  35. Simret Aklilu (December 18, 2020). "Barack Obama lists his favorite books of 2020". CNN. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  36. NPR Books. "Best Books 2021: Books We Love". NPR. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  37. Booth, Heather (November 20, 2020). Top 10 First Novels on Audio: 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Booklist.
  38. "How Much of These Hills is Gold". Goodreads. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  39. Saka, Rasheeda (October 1, 2020). "Here's the shortlist for the Center for Fiction's 2020 First Novel Prize". Literary Hub. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  40. "2021 Literature Award Winners – American Academy of Arts and Letters". Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  41. "Here are the finalists for the 2021 Lambda Literary Award". Literary Hub. March 15, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  42. "Announcing the Finalists for the 2020 NBCC Awards". National Book Critics Circle. January 25, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  43. "PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel". PEN America. March 23, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  44. "Announcing the 2021 Young Lions Fiction Award Finalists". The New York Public Library. April 9, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
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