anniesmanybooks's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to the audiobook of I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS, narrated by Maya Angelou herself, and I thought it was spectacular. She had me spellbound from beginning to the end. It’s a dramatic story of her childhood and youth in small town Arkansas and city life in California told simply with humor, warmth and dignity. Heartbreaking moments of overt racism, sexual assault, and abandonment are pared down to sparse, shining prose by a master wordsmith. Angelou’s words feel just as poignant and powerful today as when the book was published in 1969.
caitlinanncran's review against another edition
5.0
How do you even begin to review a classic like this? Maya Angelou was completely extraordinary, and so is her writing, every word.
noshelfesteem's review
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Child abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Pregnancy
bibliobiophile's review against another edition
4.0
This reads more like a collection of chronological short stories of Maya Angelou's life vs a coherent story that means to build continuously, but the power of these short stories is heavy. She is unapologetic in her sharing of the confusion, pain, and beauty of her experiences, and the sheer weight of life truths regarding racial and gender equality that she drops, especially in the last half of the book, is so forceful in part because they're still relevant instead of historical.
emmaturningpages's review against another edition
5.0
When I finish a book and I’m unsure whether it’s 4 or 5 stars, the clinching question I ask myself, is “could anything have been better?” And the answer for I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is a resounding no.
This is the first instalment of Maya Angelou’s autobiography and it’s faultless. She really has a magic way with language; the diction is divine.
Although filled with troubles, sadness and even trauma, Angelou manages to make this book feel positive and inspiring.
If, like me, this book has been on your shelves for years, I’d urge you to pick it up.
This is the first instalment of Maya Angelou’s autobiography and it’s faultless. She really has a magic way with language; the diction is divine.
Although filled with troubles, sadness and even trauma, Angelou manages to make this book feel positive and inspiring.
If, like me, this book has been on your shelves for years, I’d urge you to pick it up.
cinaedussinister's review against another edition
5.0
Phenomenal! Amazing! Incredible! I love this women with all of my heart and live for every inch of her being! Especially her realisation-that-oh-wait-men-bore-me-to-pieces induced sexuality crisis! I love!
libraryofthecurlyheadedlady's review against another edition
5.0
This book was not what I expected.
The trials that Maya went through at such a young age are astounding. I was surprised several times throughout the book when her name was mentioned, because I continued to subconsciously assume that she was much older. The fact that this book only covers her first 16 years is hard to comprehend. I am so far removed from struggles like this, I’m almost 18 and I can’t imagine going through what she had by the mere age of 8. Her strength to be able to push through that is really incredible. So anyway, to talk about the actual book…
I really loved the style of writing used. It feels like you’re just listening to someone talk and makes it so much more real. I loved the way she was able to capture children’s imagination and way of thinking. The ending was abrupt and I hope to read her next book which I assume follows up on the years following the events in this one.
I highly recommend this book, but as a warning, it is much more graphic than I had expected and covers some sensitive and extremely disturbing topics.
The trials that Maya went through at such a young age are astounding. I was surprised several times throughout the book when her name was mentioned, because I continued to subconsciously assume that she was much older. The fact that this book only covers her first 16 years is hard to comprehend. I am so far removed from struggles like this, I’m almost 18 and I can’t imagine going through what she had by the mere age of 8. Her strength to be able to push through that is really incredible. So anyway, to talk about the actual book…
I really loved the style of writing used. It feels like you’re just listening to someone talk and makes it so much more real. I loved the way she was able to capture children’s imagination and way of thinking. The ending was abrupt and I hope to read her next book which I assume follows up on the years following the events in this one.
I highly recommend this book, but as a warning, it is much more graphic than I had expected and covers some sensitive and extremely disturbing topics.