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ovenbird_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. The writing style is unusually simple. No flowery language, just direct and stark presentation of the facts. I felt almost assaulted by the narrative sometimes--like having heavy rocks dropped on your feet.
The relationship between Maya Angelou and her mother is powerful and beautifully imperfect. Here is a book for all mothers to read--a story that shows you that being a theoretically good mother doesn't mean being the best one in reality. Angelou's gun-toting, headstrong mother abandoned her two children to their grandmother for the duration of their childhoods, only reclaiming them as they approached adolescence. Yet she is not apologetic. She claims with confidence that she did the best she could, did what she thought was the right thing. While Vivien Baxter is a deeply flawed and tempestuous woman, she has something to teach about the tenacity of love. This is a love story always on the brink of eruption. The relationship portrayed is volcanic, slightly unsettling, yet obviously transformative for the writer.
I think I need some time to let this settle. It's a jarring read, with moments of true violence and moments more subtly destructive but always moving towards resolution steeped in the primal love and unfaltering dedication of a mother who appears larger than life.
The relationship between Maya Angelou and her mother is powerful and beautifully imperfect. Here is a book for all mothers to read--a story that shows you that being a theoretically good mother doesn't mean being the best one in reality. Angelou's gun-toting, headstrong mother abandoned her two children to their grandmother for the duration of their childhoods, only reclaiming them as they approached adolescence. Yet she is not apologetic. She claims with confidence that she did the best she could, did what she thought was the right thing. While Vivien Baxter is a deeply flawed and tempestuous woman, she has something to teach about the tenacity of love. This is a love story always on the brink of eruption. The relationship portrayed is volcanic, slightly unsettling, yet obviously transformative for the writer.
I think I need some time to let this settle. It's a jarring read, with moments of true violence and moments more subtly destructive but always moving towards resolution steeped in the primal love and unfaltering dedication of a mother who appears larger than life.
mayamcdo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Violence, Rape, Gun violence, and Sexual violence
yikesbmg's review against another edition
4.0
Honest book about a daughter's relationship with her mom. It's straightforward, honest writing without drama. Cool to finish this book a day before my own mom's birthday.
dpavot's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
luckylauren98's review against another edition
reflective
5.0
It's almost impossible to believe the life Angelou lived and it is beautiful to see how her relationship with her mother evolved and blossomed. This is a love letter and a gorgeous one. Definitely worth listening to the audiobook in this case to hear Angelou tell the story herself.
yarafadel's review against another edition
4.0
I finished this book in less than 48 hours, I could have finished it in less if I wanted to. I opened this book after a few week period of drought. I did not journal, write or feel creative, then I ordered 3 books and borrowed 2, this was 1 of the borrowed books. I loved reading another part of Angelou’s life, I feel as though with her 2 other memoirs, slowly the picture of her full life is being painted in my brain. This was a simple, short book, easy page turner. What helped was the fact that I have been going through homesickness and specifically missing my mom and reflecting on how our relationship has developed and changed over the years, from living with her and through my immigration journey. Great book.
elaineandbiting's review against another edition
5.0
This is an amazing story of a great woman and a greater mother. I couldn't put my copy down. Vivian Baxter was one hell of a woman. She was a great inspiration, not just to Maya Angelou, but to all young women out there. She stood her ground, as a woman and as a person <3