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mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
3.0
Maya Angelou is a writer very few people have not, at the very least, heard of. She's critically acclaimed, commercially beloved and a figure of great esteem in the Black community.
I was not particularly moved by I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.
It's an objectively well written work. I enjoyed hearing about Angelou's experiences growing up in Arkansas. I enjoyed her commentary on the complexities of being Black in rural America. I enjoyed her characterization of various family members.
I can see why it's a classic. I believe it deserves it's classic status. I just did not like it all that much.
The nonlinear format meant I rarely was aware of when something was taking place. It made it hard to keep track of what stage of life Angelo was in. I always felt a little on the backfoot because context would unfold slowly. Sometimes she'd thrown in something and never expand on it: for example, she mentions how her brother Bailey 'the next year' would ride the rails and get stranded somewhere for a week as an aside. I didn't know how old Bailey was at the time or the year and it never happened on the page in the book. So when exactly did this occur in the grand scheme of her life? It flows generally forward but I was never quite sure how much time was passing.
'Story' wise, the book was like a collection of short stories. As such, sometimes one would very much invest me, then I'd be bored by or neutral to the next. Looking at this overall as a never before seen examination at rural Black life, I can look at it impartially and say that it's clearly a transformative book. On a personal level having read quite a few of these kinds of books, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings very rarely stood out in perspective, prose or critique.
I'm none the worse for wear for reading it nor do I regret it. I wouldn't actively recommend it, but if you told me you were going to read it I'd let you sans comment.
I was not particularly moved by I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.
It's an objectively well written work. I enjoyed hearing about Angelou's experiences growing up in Arkansas. I enjoyed her commentary on the complexities of being Black in rural America. I enjoyed her characterization of various family members.
I can see why it's a classic. I believe it deserves it's classic status. I just did not like it all that much.
The nonlinear format meant I rarely was aware of when something was taking place. It made it hard to keep track of what stage of life Angelo was in. I always felt a little on the backfoot because context would unfold slowly. Sometimes she'd thrown in something and never expand on it: for example, she mentions how her brother Bailey 'the next year' would ride the rails and get stranded somewhere for a week as an aside. I didn't know how old Bailey was at the time or the year and it never happened on the page in the book. So when exactly did this occur in the grand scheme of her life? It flows generally forward but I was never quite sure how much time was passing.
'Story' wise, the book was like a collection of short stories. As such, sometimes one would very much invest me, then I'd be bored by or neutral to the next. Looking at this overall as a never before seen examination at rural Black life, I can look at it impartially and say that it's clearly a transformative book. On a personal level having read quite a few of these kinds of books, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings very rarely stood out in perspective, prose or critique.
I'm none the worse for wear for reading it nor do I regret it. I wouldn't actively recommend it, but if you told me you were going to read it I'd let you sans comment.
aliciagw's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
I listened to an audiobook version of this, read by Maya Angelou.
This was a very good memoir, covering the authors childhood years up until just after high school. She had experiences very different from my own, which were interesting to hear. I really loved her reading of the book. I enjoyed her voice and how she read her story. I also appreciated that she seemed to be unflinchingly honest in regards to her feelings and emotions. I felt like I really understood where she was coming from and how she felt about the different parts of her life.
This was a very good memoir, covering the authors childhood years up until just after high school. She had experiences very different from my own, which were interesting to hear. I really loved her reading of the book. I enjoyed her voice and how she read her story. I also appreciated that she seemed to be unflinchingly honest in regards to her feelings and emotions. I felt like I really understood where she was coming from and how she felt about the different parts of her life.
cdjdhj's review against another edition
4.0
Honestly, I had a hard time getting into and through this book, because Angelou writes about hard things that are not easy or fun to read about. This is still an important "must read" book for our nation at this time, probably even more so than when it was first written.
e_hehe_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
mvanserra's review against another edition
I cried. I cried like there was no tomorrow and was introduced to what it meant to be a woman. To live with no luxury that protects you. An absolute gut wrencher
frenchfrybri's review against another edition
5.0
this was poetic and lovely and didn’t even read like a biography? but in a good way