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A review by emmaliborski
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
I'm not sure how Maya Angelou accesses the essence of her childhood so effectively, but this book is a masterclass in memoir, in sifting through countless stories and images and realities of a long period of life and piecing them together to create a true narrative. Her style of writing is so artful, full of reverence for the places and people around her. You really felt like you were witnessing her world through a child's eyes. Her life experience is certainly difficult to read about- you get so invested in the young Maya that you feel the true injustice of the things that have happened to her. But knowing that such an intelligent child would grow up to be widely honored for her work makes it easier to process. I can't wait to continue reading her memoirs and immersing myself in her life.
“To be left alone on the tightrope of youthful unknowing is to experience the excruciating beauty of full freedom and the threat of eternal indecision. Few, if any, survive their teens. Most surrender to the vague but murderous pressure of adult conformity. It becomes easier to die and avoid conflict than to maintain a constant battle with the superior forces of maturity.”
“To be left alone on the tightrope of youthful unknowing is to experience the excruciating beauty of full freedom and the threat of eternal indecision. Few, if any, survive their teens. Most surrender to the vague but murderous pressure of adult conformity. It becomes easier to die and avoid conflict than to maintain a constant battle with the superior forces of maturity.”