I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
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Book Reviews of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Book Review: A young womans struggle
Summary: 5 Stars
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is, in my mind, one of the best books ever written. This is a wonderful coming of age story of a young African American girl growing up in the 50's and 60's. It tells the story of a young woman and her brother and the struggles Maya faces trying to be the best she possibly can be. Marguerite (Maya) is a very intelligent, well spoken young woman, but she never has the chance to really shine. When Maya is about 11, she is molested by her mothers boyfriend, and later raped when no one is home. She is immediately scared into silece and never really has the chance to blossom. She and her brother are then sent back to Stamps Arkansas to be raised by their grandmother. She then begins to attend school, and the book goes on to tell her life story of how she came to be the woman she is today.This book is an inspiration to anyone who has ever faced adversity. The things that this woman has endured are enough to make you thank the Lord above for your life. If I were dealt the same cards as Maya, I don't think I would have such a prominent place in society as she does. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is an eye-opener for anyone who thinks that they have had it "hard"." This book allowed me to know some of what a young black girl growing up in the south experiences in her quest to better herself and her life. After reading this book, I have a much deeper respect for Maya Angelou. Many people, myself included, are not completely aware of the harsh conditions that blacks were forced to endure decades ago. I believe that this book is a good way for one to read what life in the south for blacks once was. This book is a true inspiration for anyone who has dreams.
Book Review: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Summary: 5 Stars
How I see it, people are like little machines living in a repetitive cycle that just want to get out. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is what you might call an escape route to experience life from another perspective. The enthralling book by Maya Angelou tells a story about a young girl and her many adventures through the troubles and joys of family, school, church, people, and just plain life. What I found to be the strongest point in the book was the character development. I thought that it was very clear and organized and it kept my interest through her many back and forth moves from her grandmother to her dad, and to her mom and then back again. I also found that I could relate to many of her situations and I understood her choices. I also felt the plot was very becoming. I found it interesting and captivating the writer's words were so well detailed I could picture everything. I flowed so smoothly I found myself no being able to stop reading, The only complaint I have about the plot is that one or two parts did not have a true significance, otherwise all was well. The meaning, even though it depended on the individual reader, I thought was all very relevant and it taught the reader about many life adventures as well as tragic events. It also gave the reader some historical information on World War two and the depression. I felt this adventure of a young girl's life in the early 1900's was a great experience and I enjoyed it thoroughly.It led you through twists and turns so and the end you were just yearning for more. I would most definitely recommend this to anyone if they were looking for a great entertaining story.Book Review: Maya ... Dear, sweet and good, Maya
Summary: 5 Stars
I started reading this book and found I could not put it down. I read through it in two days and was hungry for more. I went searching for more Maya and I found her next two autobiographies titled "Gather Together in My Name" and "Singin' and Swingin' and Getting Merry Like Christmas". It wasn't until I picked up her complete set of autobiographies that I realized that "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" was her first attempt at writing a book. You'd never know it by the quality of writing. The reader is instantly transported to Stamps, Arkansas just before the Depression. The book carries your though and out of the Great Depression.You can almost taste the dusty roads and feel the heat on your shoulders and you travel through town and meet all the interesting characters who visit grandma's store. The first person perspective of Maya is passed onto the reader and you truely get a feel for what it must of been like to be black, and in the south during this turbulent time. Your heart goes out to little Maya who has been sent to live with her grandmother but longs to know her parents. Her brother Bailey becomes your hero as he has become Maya's. You'll learn what schooling was like and the importance of going to church to this rural community. Ms. Angelou went on to do so many great things with her life and this book gives you a glimpse of how her strength came to be. She's not only strong but calm no matter what life throws at her. Maya is a wonderful woman, a role model for any race/color/or age. I highly recommend this book as a starting point for a journey with Ms. Angelou. Follow up with the rest of her autobiographies!Book Review: The early years of Maya Angelou
Summary: 5 Stars
"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," by Maya Angelou, is the first volume in this author's extraordinary series of autobiographical narratives. "I Know..." begins with her childhood and takes us into her young womanhood. This book has, since its publication, become a beloved contemporary classic of African-American literature.After their parents' separation, young Marguerite (her given name) and her brother, Bailey, are sent to live with their strong-willed grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas, deep in the segregated South. Angelou also describes her time spent with her other grandmother in St. Louis, as well as her young adulthood in San Francisco. The overall time period of the book overlaps that of World War II.
"I Know..." offers important insights into the world of racial segregation, and painfully records the toll taken by racism in its various forms. Also powerful and important is Angelou's recollection of surviving a brutal sexual assault when she was a child. Angelou recalls vividly the authors who made an impact on her during her childhood and young adulthood: James Weldon Johnson, Edgar Allan Poe, William Shakespeare, and others. The book concludes with her sexual awakening as a young woman.
"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is an American classic which has lost none of its power in the 30 years since it first appeared. Angelou's prose is direct and personal, and marked with passages of wit and beauty. For scholars of African-American literature, women's studies, or literary autobiography, this is an essential volume.
Book Review: Maya's Eyes
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is incredible! It represents a part of the author's life that she feels is her growing process. Maya Angelou, a tenderhearted, merciful, insecure black girl in a white world, explains her daily struggles and lessons that she must go through. The part that held my attention the most would have to be when Maya was raped. After moving to St. Louis with her mother, Maya and her brother, Bailey Jr., were in heaven. They couldn't be happier. Maya's mother was dating a man by the name of Mr. Freeman. During those times everyone had to help out, so Mr. Freeman watched the children during the day while their mother was at work. When no one else was around, Mr. Freeman started sexually abusing Maya. At first she didn't know what to think. She just thought it was a way to show his love. Eventually, after she was raped, she figured out that what Mr. Freeman was doing was not right. Because Maya liked it the first time, thinking it was his sign of affection, she felt guilty and believed it to be her fault. This was the cause of many of her social problems later in life. Many people can relate to the various situations she endures, and if they cannot, they still feel a sort of bond. From this book an involved reader could learn about life conscious topics they perhaps did not know before, such as racism, rape, blending families, a dysfunctional home, etc. The readers have a clear view of the world through Maya's eyes. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about life.