A review by raelin
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

Heartbreaking and heart warming. Uplifting and depressing. Isn’t that life though? It is all the things, as is this memoir. 

This audiobook read by the author was so moving. The raw honestly and painful openness in how she beautifully and tragically describes her early life is amazing. 

It really reinforces that the adolescent experience is almost universal. The awkwardness and lack of self confidence while also being incredibly sure footed in some situations was so very relatable even 50 years after it’s original publication. 

I really would recommend this to anyone, and especially sullen teenagers who feel misunderstood by everyone around them. This really brings home that everyone has a story, and you may never know another person’s whole story, but that there are some near universal feelings about finding your place in the world and how to fit in. 

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