I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

One of the first books I read by a black author as a teenage young woman. I finally felt seen and validated in literature because Maya herself proved that we have lives worthy of exploring and sharing. It is a book of amazing insights. A story of incredible personal resilience, perseverance, creativity in living. But mostly that we all can have hope. The message she imparts is no matter the current conditions, we can overcome and exceed expectations - ours and the world's. A must read that is hard to put down.

Maya takes you back to a whole other era, growing up black in the 30s with racism, segregation, and hate very much alive. This is a heartbreaking and jovial story that pulls your heartstrings in every direction. So many things happened to her in the span of 18 ish years this story takes place. I love her exaggerated inner monologue and her close relationship with her brother. It’s a powerful and poetic read. I especially loved the audiobook listening to Maya read her own story.

This was a super heavy read. It was hard to finish because of the topics, but it was very much worth the read.

Just finished reading (in translation). Beautiful. Made me want to read her next (authobiografical) book. My whole life as a white europian I thought that books of afroamericans are not for me since in a way completely alien world to me (though I have watched several movies after afroamerican writers and historical about the afroamericans). I decided to still try to read this book as somewhere by occasion I read about it and read that the author describes her having been raped as a child ( I had some kind - though much milder and yet! - of sexual abuse as a child too). The book enchanted me. Maya writes so interestingly! I mean as a writer. And she describes her life so originally... The only thing that made me feel ambiguous was that she pitied her rapist. Maybe - I hope - she will describe her view of him and herself changing in the next book?...

Profound and heartbreaking.