I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1) in The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

Feb 06, 2011 Roseann rated it really liked it

I read this book many years ago in a freshman english class, when I knew little about the art of writing and the meaning behind words and I know this book was special. I can now truly appreciate the beauty of Angelou's prose.

This tale of racism in the rural south is both heartbreaking, in the trials Marguerite (Angelou) has to endure, and encouraging, in the knowledge of the strong and poetic woman Marguerite will become. Banned for its depiction of childhood rape and other sexual content, this ...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Magpie67 rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: library-book, ia-western-lunch-bookclub, read-in-2011

I did not enjoy the author's writing persay as a person. Found it very annoying to flutter from here to there. The time era is sad and I feel awful that Americans treated other Americans differently because of a skin color... We are all the same underneath the skin ...more

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Dec 05, 2008 Sunflower rated it it was ok

Shelves: nonfiction-2020-and-before

I had a lukewarm reaction to this book. This first part of the authour's autobiography tells of her life up to the age of 16 in a close-knit black community, but most of the book is about the early years. The last third suddenly speeds up and glosses over some experiences I wanted to hear more about: what's it like living in a car with a group of homeless kids, for example.
There were parts where I got angry on her behalf: I could have strangled that dentist with his own drill, for example, but ...more

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