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Nov/Dec (2016) book! Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou



Could there possibly be some sort of suggestions for keen beans like myself of books that might explore or touch upon the subject matter in each book OSS reads?
Currently reading Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, so this is me leaning in to OSS :)
For those who haven't read Mom & Me & Mom: treasure it like the beautiful gift it is.
Peace out from someone indulging in a feminist reading bonanza :)


As a figure I strongly admire, I'm quite excited to read this book!
Thank You!

Maya Angelou is one of my most admired women.
One dreary winter I used to park my car in the weak sunlight at a local park. The car would heat up a little and I would read my way through all Maya Angelou's books. A lot of time has elapsed since then and this is the one book in the series I haven't read although I do own a copy.
Very much looking forward to reading it.


But I'm really looking forward to reading it. Maybe I can borrow it from the public library, or maybe even the university's library. I'll also look whether there's a German translation, although I do think there should be one. I must say I have never read any of the books of Angelou, but there's always a first time. Maybe she will become the third person, along with Emma and Gloria Steinem, then I could look up to three instead of two astonishing women.
Again, I must say OSS has become some sort of a refuge for me, and I'm glad to revisit all of you.


I have not been keeping pace but am jumping in with this one. I skipped a few books but am going to start with this selection. I think you can go at your own pace if you want to. No pressure!

Although I've heard a lot about Angelou, I've never read any of her books. So, this shall be fun!!!
A hug from Portugal!


November and December’s book will be Mom & Me & Mom, Maya Angelou’s final work, published a year before her death, in 2013, when she was 85 years old. It was the first book..."
I haven't read this book, but I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Great book.




I can't wait to read this book:)
Wow, this book looks great! And in English, we have to choose an influential person and write an article about that person, and I chose you for my influential person. You've done so much for gender equality and equal rights. Keep up the amazing work Emma! (And here's the link to my article, if you would have the time to read it: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_...) It would be so amazing if you could read it!! Keep being the amazing, powerful young woman you are.

Question for those of you who have read Angelou's prose: Does this stand alone well, or should I read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings first? Emma said they're connected so I'm unsure. Thanks!



Oh, this is going to be fun, then! I've only read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings...and it's musical. I'm excited for you to experience her for the first time! :D

Books mentioned in this topic
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (other topics)My Life on the Road (other topics)
Mom & Me & Mom (other topics)
November and December’s book will be Mom & Me & Mom, Maya Angelou’s final work, published a year before her death, in 2013, when she was 85 years old. It was the first book to focus on her mother, Vivian Baxter, who abandoned Angelou when she was a child and it portrays their complicated relationship. The story is about the special connection between mother and child; both women found a way to move on and form a profound and enduring bond of love and support.
Many of you may be familiar with Angelou’s 1969 classic, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, but that was just the first of seven works of autobiography. And, despite the length of time between their publications, some have referred to Mom & Me & Mom as a spiritual sequel to this first book. Angelou revisits episodes and people in her life mentioned in her previous works in a different context and all focused around her relationship with her mother.
Vivian Baxter cuts a fiercely unapologetic figure, imperfect but admirable, and we discover not just how she had a hand in Angelou’s evolution as a black woman but also in her feminist perspective, her independence and self-awareness, all of which contributed to her unique way of looking at the world and the way she expressed herself on the page. As a result, this is perhaps the greatest window into what shaped Angelou as a writer and poet and a fitting end to a lifetime of amazing works.
This book is one I have read before and is one of my favourites - I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
Emma x