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Reviews tagging 'Racism'

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

278 reviews

e715's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

3.0

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extravagantly's review against another edition

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challenging dark inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.0

i don’t really know how to rate autobiographies because it feels like i’m rating someone’s lived experience. that being said this book was quite good especially because i audiobooked it with angelou’s narration 

it was touching, reflective, and gave a window into a life i never could have known otherwise. i have no experience with angelou besides learning about her in school and probably reading a poem or two at some point. i hope to read more of her books and learn more of her activism going forward 
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elissa_t's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.75

This is the first Maya Angelou boo I’ve read or maybe reread as an adult. Her words and descriptive language continue to be remarkable and hit in the best way. I can imagine when this was first published in the ‘60s, how this story flooded, stunned and found its audience. 
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cleo_vii's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

Normally I write longer reviews after I've had a day or two to digest the book, so I'll keep it short for now.

Immediate reactions/thoughts: how one's circumstances shape oneself (nurture over nature); whether Maya's experiences were normal in their diverted-ness, or if she was unusually nomadic; the traumas embedded in the families, social customs, and cultures of Black Americans (and liberation in Mexico), as well as in her personal history (pockmarked with darkness that would warrant trigger warnings in the 2020s); the frequent juxtaposition of imagined "success" rather than the reality (e.g., a self-described 'military dietitian' living in a mansion vs a cafeteria cook living in a trailer) delineating cultural worlds (the façade drops with the intrusion of the oppressive culture); and other thoughts but I'm quite tired now.

Maya is, as always, incredible.
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livruther's review against another edition

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4.0

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maya1134's review against another edition

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reflective fast-paced

4.75

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badclassical's review against another edition

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informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

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am4man's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

4.0

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nie_fertig's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

Maya Angelou had a WILD and ROUGH childhood. The book that prompted me to read this says: "Angelou evokes the harshness of black southern life with also recalling good times and bringing to life the people who played a role in her early years." I couldn't have said it better myself! I also really like Angelou's writing style and metaphors/similes to tell her story to the world. There are quite a few uncomfortable moments throughout the book, however I think it's still a very important read!
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usefulgadfly's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

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