English

Maya Angelou

2024-11-30 4 min read Sincheenz

Maya Angelou’s autobiography is made up of seven parts.

I loved all seven books. Each is unique—an easy yet captivating read. Maya Angelou’s attitude toward life and all she experienced is remarkable. Her stories allow us to learn about the struggles of African American people, especially African American women at that time. They teach us how they survived, laughed, and made the best of life despite immense challenges. Her work reminds us how privileged we are and to better appreciate what life has given us.

1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

The first book covers her early childhood, from age three to twelve. At three, she and her one-year-older brother were put on a train and sent to Arkansas to grow up in their grandmother’s house. She shares her church experiences, school days, the customers at her grandmother’s shop, and the constant fear of white people. At seven, her father visits and takes her and her brother to California to live with their mother, whom Maya has no memory of. While her brother loves their new life, Maya misses the security of her grandmother’s home. Then comes the awful incident of her being raped by her mother’s boyfriend, leading her to become mute. She and her brother are sent back to Arkansas to live with their grandmother. By the end of the book, she returns to California and begins a new life and adventure under her mother’s care.

2. Gather Together in My Name

The second book is about her adolescence and explores her pregnancy as she tries to understand her own sexuality. She describes her deep love for her child, the uncertainty of the future, and her desperate need for a family, especially a man. She takes on odd jobs and embraces life as it comes. Her desperation even leads her to prostitution. There is no tone of regret—she narrates these events as a reflection of the time and circumstances. The book ends with her breaking up with an older boyfriend, who turns out to be a pimp, and nearly losing her child who is kidnapped by her nanny. She moves back to her mother’s house to start afresh.

3. Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas

The third book is about her music career, her tours across Europe and North Africa, and her experiences in these places. You feel like you’re traveling with her. I liked her experience in former Yugoslavia with the old couple. She openly confesses the mix of happiness and guilt she feels, traveling while leaving her son behind. Though she’s free to live on her own terms, she knows how painful separation from a parent can be. The book ends with her returning to America to be with her child.

4. The Heart of a Woman

The fourth book details her experiences in Africa. It begins with her involvement in Martin Luther King Jr.’s organization, her interactions with him, and her work there. She meets an African freedom fighter and moves with him to “Mother Africa,” as she calls it. In Cairo, she tries to be an African wife, taking the back seat and serving her husband. But soon, she realizes this isn’t her true self. Her job as a journalist and the fascinating people she meets stand out. Her challenges with her husband’s infidelity, motherhood, and the reality of Africa—so different from her expectations—make her story even more admirable. The book ends with her separating from her husband and moving to Ghana.

5. All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes

The fifth book focuses on her life in Ghana. Starting in Ghana isn’t easy—her son suffers a serious neck injury but recovers and joins the university. Despite these struggles, the book highlights her realization that “Mother Africa” isn’t welcoming African Americans with open arms. She is proud to see black people in leadership positions but notices discrimination among black people themselves and their continued reverence for the colonial influence they fought against. This book also covers her interactions with Malcolm X and her work for his movement. It ends with her decision to return to the U.S. to work for him.

6. A Song Flung Up to Heaven

The sixth book is about her return to the U.S. She comes back to support Malcolm X, only to face his assassination. She is devastated by his loss and frustrated by the indifference of those around her. The book also captures the increasing unrest and protests of the African American community. Just as she starts becoming active in the movement again to help Martin Luther King Jr., he is also assassinated.

7. Mom & Me & Mom

The seventh book is a tribute to her mother and highlights how her mother helped shape the woman Maya became. I enjoyed this book the most. I share a very close bond with my own mother, who has taught me lots in life. I wish my sons can say the same about me one day.