Review: 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' by Maya Angelou

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' by Maya Angelou, 289 pages - Instagram @c_reads_books

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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou is the first of a series of autobiographies written by Maya Angelou. In this autobiography, she describes her childhood from about three to sixteen years old. Maya recounts a constantly changing and intense childhood, from moving between her divorced parents in California and grandmother in Arkansas, to being raped at only eight years old and subsequently becoming essentially a mute for years. Maya recounts stories of experiencing racism, bigotry, sexual assault, homelessness, and more, all within her childhood. The book does end on more of a positive note, however, with Maya just having birthed a baby at sixteen.

I loved reading this autobiography. The best part about autobiographies is that they are so human and real, which is the perfect description of this one. It is difficult to imagine a more tumultuous or intense childhood and is very intriguing to read as a background to Maya (her life, thoughts, and poetry). I have yet to have read any of her poetry books (I’ve only read the poem “Still I Rise”), but certainly have the desire to change that soon. I also hope to read more of her autobiographies to understand more about her, because just from reading this one book, I already feel completely invested and engulfed in the world of Maya Angelou!