I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

About this book

Here is a book as joyous and painful as mysterious and memorable as childhood itself. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children the brute insult of bigotry and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Maya Angelous debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide. Sent by their mother to live with their devout self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town Maya and her brother Bailey endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local powhitetrash. At eight years old and back at her mothers side in St. Louis Maya is attacked by a man many times her ageand has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later in San Francisco Maya learns that love for herself the kindness of others her own strong spirit and the ideas of great authors (I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare) will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned. Poetic and powerful I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder such a luminous dignity.James Baldwin From the Hardcover edition.