I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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- Create Date：2021-04-23 14:54:29
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Maya Angelou
- ISBN：086068511X
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Summary
Maya Angelou's seven volumes of autobiography are a testament to the talents and resilience of this extraordinary writer。 Loving the world， she also knows its cruelty。 As a black woman she has known discrimination and extreme poverty， but also hope and joy， achievement and celebration。 In this first volume of her autobiography， Maya Angelou beautifully evoker her childhood with her grandmother in the American South of the 1930s。 She learns the power of the white folks at the other end of town and suffers the terrible trauma of rape by her mother's lover。
Reviews
F。 Himet
，
A compelling autobiography in ways I can’t begin to describe。 Angelou’s lyrical writing style is remarkable to read。 This book is a look inside her life， how she experienced the world during the 1930 and 40s。 It captures the voice of her younger self withstanding racism and abuse， understanding or trying in hindsight to understand her surroundings。 It reveals fragments of her becoming the force she was （and still is because her legacy remains）。 A book that was and is still banned in many places， A compelling autobiography in ways I can’t begin to describe。 Angelou’s lyrical writing style is remarkable to read。 This book is a look inside her life， how she experienced the world during the 1930 and 40s。 It captures the voice of her younger self withstanding racism and abuse， understanding or trying in hindsight to understand her surroundings。 It reveals fragments of her becoming the force she was （and still is because her legacy remains）。 A book that was and is still banned in many places， that alone should give you an idea of how powerful and provoking her voice was/is。 There will be many that‘ll find themselves in parts of her story that share similar sufferings， that will feel heard and comforted but also experience angst and the need to attain change， become more informed， more vigilant of our world， more compassionate。 。。。more
Serena
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This was a fantastic book。 I cannot imagine enduring Maya Angelou's childhood - she really is such an inspiration。 I loved that she captured multiple facets of her life - her love for books， her quietness （"Southern obedience"）， her love for her brother， her concerns， her anxieties， and more。 So much respect for her and all that she went through。 This was a fantastic book。 I cannot imagine enduring Maya Angelou's childhood - she really is such an inspiration。 I loved that she captured multiple facets of her life - her love for books， her quietness （"Southern obedience"）， her love for her brother， her concerns， her anxieties， and more。 So much respect for her and all that she went through。 。。。more
Arthur Gibson
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A tradução para o português da editora Astral Cultural é uma coisa horrenda。
Sydney
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One of my new favorite books in this world。 ♡
Joslyn
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What a privilege it is to have peek in the window of this great woman's life。 Her story will stay with me。 What a privilege it is to have peek in the window of this great woman's life。 Her story will stay with me。 。。。more
Susan
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Remarkable。 Everyone should read this book。
Aya
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I loved this book。 Maya’s writing is great
Prerana Shah
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Such a heart touching memoir。 The story the visualisation of the text was just humbling。 Such strong message yet such simple background。
Esther Verheye
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I didn't get caught， stopped in the middle I didn't get caught， stopped in the middle 。。。more
Kay
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I listened to this audiobook & it was both hard and beautiful。 Some parts were written poetically & meant to be read aloud for the joy of Angelou's literary talents， and some parts were painful to hear her read （her rape when she was 8 years old & the proceeding trial）。 As someone who has the worst memory， I am just blown away by Angelou's full and descriptive childhood memories and her talent for bringing it to page。 Wow。 Some parts of her story/life that will stay with me for a while: During t I listened to this audiobook & it was both hard and beautiful。 Some parts were written poetically & meant to be read aloud for the joy of Angelou's literary talents， and some parts were painful to hear her read （her rape when she was 8 years old & the proceeding trial）。 As someone who has the worst memory， I am just blown away by Angelou's full and descriptive childhood memories and her talent for bringing it to page。 Wow。 Some parts of her story/life that will stay with me for a while: During the trial， Maya （who is 8 yo） doesn't know how to respond to the prosecution。 Her naivety and innocence and confusion are so heartbreaking。 （She didn't understand the molestation when it happened and then lied in court that it hadn't happened before/outside the rape。） I blame adults who don't warn their children or teach them about body autonomy。 Obviously， that's more of a modern sentiment that was not afforded to Maya in the 1930s。 And to pour salt on it。。。After Maya's sexual assault & rape， women and the nurses in the hospital（！！） told her "the worst is over now" and now she knows all there is to know as a woman（！！！！！！）。 Beyond。I understood her silence afterward。 Her folding in upon herself。。。I adored that Mrs。 Flowers found Maya and gave her poetry。 She taught her the importance and power of words。 Adult-child mentorships are so important。 Thank you， Mrs。 Flowers。 <3Important racial notes from the book:When Maya was working in a White woman's home & they （the lady & her friends） changed her name to Mary so it would be easier for them to remember（？！？！）。 I was outraged for young Maya。But young Maya was strong and broke all the woman's China。 Ha！"People whose history and future were threatened each day by extinction considered that it was only by divine intervention that they were able to live at all。" Chapter 19 was very special because all the church hymns were sung by her。 I'm not a Christian， but I appreciated the authenticity of hearing the tunes from her。I loved the chapter with the Joe Louis fight。 It was triumphant and also upsetting （tinged with the bitter racial reality of the time）。 "Those who lived too far had made arrangements to stay in town。 It wouldn't do for a Black man and his family to be caught on a lonely country road on a night when Joe Louis had proved that we were the strongest people in the world。" Pg。 136And Maya's graduation where the White speaker spoke about all the investments the White school was going to get。。。"The white kids were going to have a chance to become Galileos and Made Curies and Edisons and Gauguins， and our boys （the girls weren't even in on it） would try to be Jesse Owenses and Joe Louises。" Pg。 179"We were maids and farmers， handymen and washer-women， and anything higher that we aspired to was farcical and presumptuous。" Pg。 180（And of course， the story earlier on in the book of her uncle needing to hide from a possible lynching in their potato shed。。。）On Maya growing up:I liked the chapter of Maya's trip to Mexico with her father & then her month of homelessness and living with the kid gang。 "Without willing it， I had gone from being ignorant of being ignorant to being aware of being aware。 And the worst part of my awareness was that I didn't know what I was aware of。 I knew very little， but I was certain that the things I had yet to learn wouldn't be taught to me at George Washington High School。" Pg。 271"I believe most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise。 They shield themselves with an aura of unavailability （for which after a time they begin to take credit） largely as a defense tactic。" Pg。 280 I knew nothing about Maya Angelou or her writing before I listened to this book， so the ending surprised me。 Though it thought it was a fitting place to end the book。I hope to read some of her poems next。 。。。more
Bernie
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First of her books that I have read and can’t wait to read another。 Hard to put down。
Ted Manahan
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What a life。
Lynn
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The best way I can think to describe this book is “vivid。“。 Ms。 Angelou’s straight forward style brought the places and scenes to life for me。 I feel like I was present in that small town grocery store and in the junkyard where she spent those nights。 A delightful listen from a brilliant and gifted woman。 It was a bonus to hear the book in her voice。
Kara Jackson
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5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“Your grandmother says you read a lot。 Every chance you get。 That's good， but not good enough。 Words mean more than what is set down on paper。 It takes the human voice to infuse them with the shades of deeper meaning。”“Death would be too kind and brief。”“I wouldn't miss Mrs。 Flowers， for she had given me her secret word which called forth a djinn who was to serve me all my life: books。” Everyone remembers who made them fall in love with books even after death。“Every person I kn 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“Your grandmother says you read a lot。 Every chance you get。 That's good， but not good enough。 Words mean more than what is set down on paper。 It takes the human voice to infuse them with the shades of deeper meaning。”“Death would be too kind and brief。”“I wouldn't miss Mrs。 Flowers， for she had given me her secret word which called forth a djinn who was to serve me all my life: books。” Everyone remembers who made them fall in love with books even after death。“Every person I knew had a hellish horror of being “called out of his name。”It was a dangerous practice to call a Negro anything that could be loosely construed as insulting because of the centuries of their having been called niggers， jigs， dinges， blackbirds， crows， boots and spooks。” If as mixed half black and white Person I still have gotten called these slurs before。 I feel like every person of black descent can relate to this quote。 I absolutely adored this story。 This book was so so good if you have never read this book I highly recommend it。 I love how Maya Angelou wrote this story about real and raw topics to get the conversation started。 I do in fact “know why the caged bird sings”。 I also recommend reading the poem by Paul Lawrence Dunbar that the title is a reference to so it makes more sense。 。。。more
Christine Murphy
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Can't believe I didn't read this classic until I was 60！ Assumed it was poetry。 O。M。G。 Hubs interrupted my reading at the climax of the book and I was shattered！ I mean I was literally holding her Mother's other hand walking up the back porch of the Dentist and he "needs" me。 Ugh。 Beautifully written。 I could hear her voice。 This one I'll re read again and I rarely re read books。 What a treasure。 Can't believe I didn't read this classic until I was 60！ Assumed it was poetry。 O。M。G。 Hubs interrupted my reading at the climax of the book and I was shattered！ I mean I was literally holding her Mother's other hand walking up the back porch of the Dentist and he "needs" me。 Ugh。 Beautifully written。 I could hear her voice。 This one I'll re read again and I rarely re read books。 What a treasure。 。。。more
Ludi
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A simply wonderful book - especially loved the representation of Maya's relationship with her brother Bailey。 A simply wonderful book - especially loved the representation of Maya's relationship with her brother Bailey。 。。。more
Kristina
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I hate that I'm giving this book a two， but I don't know why I just couldn't get into the audiobook。 I listened all the way through， but had a hard time paying attention in parts。 I found myself just waiting for it to be over。 It's probably my fault more than anything。 I definitely am going to give it another go with the physical book！ I hate that I'm giving this book a two， but I don't know why I just couldn't get into the audiobook。 I listened all the way through， but had a hard time paying attention in parts。 I found myself just waiting for it to be over。 It's probably my fault more than anything。 I definitely am going to give it another go with the physical book！ 。。。more
David Smith
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A classic that reveals that cages prevalent in American societies。 A conglomeration of collected memories of finding a voice， hope， and purpose。 The title is the theme that draws the stories together。 A march to the beat of messiness and finding oneself stuck in a cage。 An intriguing and jaw dropping collection that will leave you reflecting on black feminism and womanism。
Inês Pinto
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Uns quantos murros no estômago vindos da vida de uma criança。 E bem que são precisos。
Stephani Howell
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TW: child rape， racismI loved this book， it felt more of an important story than well written， but it could be because it's a memoir， not a fictional plot。 I do feel like it's worth reading for almost anyone that can handle the themes of sex， rape and racism。 TW: child rape， racismI loved this book， it felt more of an important story than well written， but it could be because it's a memoir， not a fictional plot。 I do feel like it's worth reading for almost anyone that can handle the themes of sex， rape and racism。 。。。more
Diana Greenhalgh
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Just so open and honest
EJ
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I first heard about this book in 2014 following the author's demise， when there was a plethora of articles in circulation lauding her extensive oeuvre。 The title stood out to me and I'd wanted to read it since。 But just like the hundred other books that have gathered symbolic cobwebs in my never-ending 'To-read' list， this one too was fated to be a pompous addition to the hopeless pile， and had remained so， until a couple of months back。I came across a video which featured Angelou's impeccable r I first heard about this book in 2014 following the author's demise， when there was a plethora of articles in circulation lauding her extensive oeuvre。 The title stood out to me and I'd wanted to read it since。 But just like the hundred other books that have gathered symbolic cobwebs in my never-ending 'To-read' list， this one too was fated to be a pompous addition to the hopeless pile， and had remained so， until a couple of months back。I came across a video which featured Angelou's impeccable rendition of her poem 'Still I Rise"。 And maybe it was the strength that rang in each word， or maybe it was her undeniable magnetic charm， but I finally decided to take this one off the pile。 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' is the first among the seven autobiographies that Angelou has penned。 It chronicles her life during the formative years （which she predominantly spent in the racially segregated Southern town of Stamps）， up until the birth of her son。 She takes us through the meticulously recollected incidents of her childhood to throw light on the difficult life of a Black person， more so， a Black woman。 The coming-of-age work revolves around the themes of racism， family， identity， abuse， displacement， and poverty。 Angelou's prose flows with the ease of a brook and is peppered with poetic aphorisms that tumble from the pages staright to your heart。 Take the first line for example: "I hadn't so much forgot as I couldn't bring myself to remember。" There is no pretense of loftiness at all， only earnestness。 It makes me want to read everything she has ever written。 。。。more
Cynthia Wells
，
Not an easy read， but an incredibly important one。 Angelou's prose is exquisite。 Her ability to paint a picture so that a reader understands not only individual experience but how meaning is made in social context makes this a must read。 Not an easy read， but an incredibly important one。 Angelou's prose is exquisite。 Her ability to paint a picture so that a reader understands not only individual experience but how meaning is made in social context makes this a must read。 。。。more
Cassandra Collins
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I very much enjoyed this book！ I’ve always seen quotes and heard about this book and finally got around to reading it。 I highly suggest as Maya Angelou is a wonderful writer！
rory's reviews ✰
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i know this is my third five star review （and i’ve only reviewed 3 books so far）， but how can i not give this book 5。 i reread it recently， and it was such an out of body experience。 so so brilliant
Barbara Chinn
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I think Maya Angelou was a goddess who possessed the ability to tell a life truth with beautifully crafted prose。 I heard her speak when I was a senior in high school and have been enamored with her ever since。 Sadly though， I had a hard time with this book。 Her description of her 8-year-old self being groomed， molested， and ultimately raped by one of her mother’s boyfriends was a little too much truth for my sensibilities。 The details were too vivid。 As the mother of three daughters， it was too I think Maya Angelou was a goddess who possessed the ability to tell a life truth with beautifully crafted prose。 I heard her speak when I was a senior in high school and have been enamored with her ever since。 Sadly though， I had a hard time with this book。 Her description of her 8-year-old self being groomed， molested， and ultimately raped by one of her mother’s boyfriends was a little too much truth for my sensibilities。 The details were too vivid。 As the mother of three daughters， it was too much for me。 I made myself finish the book but didn’t enjoy it because I kept waiting for some other jarring description， though thankfully none came。 Read at your own risk。 。。。more
Lorie
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Slow burn， by the time I finished this book I realized I was relishing it and wanted more。 Sadly for me I cannot find the second book in audio， so I am left hanging wanting to see what happens next。
Saul O
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Siento que he leído un poco tarde en mi vida este libro clásico。 Este reclamo a la Historia contemporánea que claramente ha excluido a muchas personas y sus vidas， es una reivindicación de la historia negra de Estados Unidos。 Maya Angelou no solamente reflexiona sobre los acontecimientos de la infancia vivida， sino que lo hace siempre desde la idea de que haber nacido negra y mujer son dos aspectos fundamentales， que como para muchas mujeres， moldearon su vida。 Las abuelas y la madre son profund Siento que he leído un poco tarde en mi vida este libro clásico。 Este reclamo a la Historia contemporánea que claramente ha excluido a muchas personas y sus vidas， es una reivindicación de la historia negra de Estados Unidos。 Maya Angelou no solamente reflexiona sobre los acontecimientos de la infancia vivida， sino que lo hace siempre desde la idea de que haber nacido negra y mujer son dos aspectos fundamentales， que como para muchas mujeres， moldearon su vida。 Las abuelas y la madre son profundamente entrañables y cada reflexión e intercambio con ellas agrega a esta idea de que la historia de las mujeres ha permanecido ignorada， a pesar de dar equilibrio en la vida de tantas personas y encauzar los cambios del siglo XX。 。。。more
ZhyDen
，
Kudos to the writer of this book。 You did an amazing job。 Why don't you try to publish your book in NovelStar？ A lot of readers will love your work， judging from the book I just read。 Kudos to the writer of this book。 You did an amazing job。 Why don't you try to publish your book in NovelStar？ A lot of readers will love your work， judging from the book I just read。 。。。more
Anne
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