I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1) in Around the World in 80 Books

Sep 24, 2018 Stephanie Barko rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book was the September 2018 selection of South Austin Spiritual Book Group.

Marguerite Johnson aka Maya Angelou is a fresh and unique voice that is at once historical for the time and place it captures and revelatory in its coming-of-age Southern Black perspective.

I learned as much from what Maya didn't say as what she did say.
Despite segregation and white privilege, Annie Henderson and Vivian Baxter raised a girl who from sheer will was the first African-American paid to drive a trolley car ...more

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Jan 24, 2021 Ann rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2021-aty-52

The poetry and optimism despite obstacles were heartening.

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Feb 09, 2015 Pam rated it it was amazing

Shelves: autobiography

AUTHOR: ANGELOU, Maya
TITLE: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
DATE READ: 01/30/15
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS Bio/1969/Ballantine Books/289 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE: 1st of 7 Autobiographies ( 2. Gather together in My Name, 3. All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes, 4. The Heart of a Woman, 5. Singin' and Swingin' and Getting' Merry Like Christmas 6. A Song Flung Up To Heaven 7. Mom & Me & Mom
TIME/PLACE: 1928- 1945 approx 1st 15 years; Arkansas & California
FIRST LINES: "When I was AUTHOR: ANGELOU, Maya
TITLE: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
DATE READ: 01/30/15
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS Bio/1969/Ballantine Books/289 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE: 1st of 7 Autobiographies ( 2. Gather together in My Name, 3. All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes, 4. The Heart of a Woman, 5. Singin' and Swingin' and Getting' Merry Like Christmas 6. A Song Flung Up To Heaven 7. Mom & Me & Mom
TIME/PLACE: 1928- 1945 approx 1st 15 years; Arkansas & California
FIRST LINES: "When I was 3 and Bailey 4, we had arrived in the musty little town, wearing tags on our wrists which instructed -- "To Whom It May Concern" -- that we were Marguerite & Bailey Johnson Jr., from Long Beach, CA , en route to Stamps, Arkansas, c/o Mrs. Annie Henderson."
COMMENTS: I think I have read this book … but many years ago. I recently came across an older pb copy of this book and had it ready to read when it was chosen as one of the monthly reads. Altho' I haven't really been a big fan of poetry (altho' that is changing, seem to have more of an interest lately) I've always liked Maya Angelou. Who doesn't like listening to that wonderful voice (both physically & on the page) so full of power! This is her 1st autobiography and it starts out w/ she & her brother, Bailey on a train by themselves being sent off by their parents in California to their father's mother in a small town in Arkansas. This "Mom" in Arkansas is a strong character and quite the respected person in town -- she owns the store in the black neighborhood. So she is pretty much known to everyone. She is a hard worker and expect the same from her son's children. She also has a grown son living w/ her who has some disabilities. This is a home where the children are expected to be devoted to God and work hard. Love is not openly talked about but neither is there abuse or mistreatment. Maybe not the warmest of environments but "Mom" definitely cares for her grandkids and does the best she can for them. They are shuttled back and forth between their estranged parents a few times and eventually end up in San Francisco w/ their Mother. Their mother is also a no nonsense woman and a woman w/ a head for business, maybe not as mainstream as a store, but she succeeds. There is an unfortunate incident when Maya/Ritte is young and taken of advantage by her mother's boyfriend and this is to shape her view on relationships and love for a long time. As this books ends Maya is a bit of a physically awkward teenager and is trying to learn about love. I look forward to reading on about Maya Angelou's life.
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