I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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Narrated by:
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Maya Angelou
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Written by:
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Maya Angelou
About this listen
Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local “powhitetrash”. At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age - and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime.
Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns about love for herself and the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors (“I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare”) will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.
Poetic and powerful, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is a modern American classic that will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read - or listen.
©1969 Maya Angelou (P)2010 Random HouseYou may also enjoy...
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Boring
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race”, a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of Black women and men - bodies exploited through slavery and segregation and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a Black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden? Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’ attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son.
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what a book that was
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What the critics say
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What listeners say about I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- thebradshaw
- 2024-06-28
Amazing!
Such an honest person, incredible story that will make you laugh and cry! Very touching indeed. Maya is a powerful writer
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- Freckles
- 2021-05-11
incredible
what an incredible life and eye opener to the racism experienced. goes up until she's 16 and Im already downloading her other autobiographies. she has an incredible voice and states things in a matter of fact way, despite the unfairness and cruelties of her situations
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- Shelagh Hislop
- 2021-02-01
Asolutely loved this
I downloaded this because I thought I "should" experience this renowned work. That's how it started. Then it quickly became pure love, and I was wanting to hear more even after it ended.
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- Kelly m
- 2022-01-03
beautiful and touching
beautifully written. I love the words almost as much as the woman reading them. lovely.
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- Sandi
- 2021-02-12
Just lovely
I enjoyed every second of this, it's a classic for a reason, so very heartwarming
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- Ligia G. Brosch
- 2018-03-01
WOW
Best thing I have ever heard.
Maya reading is fantastic, what a journey that was.
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- Tonya C.
- 2018-09-19
In love with this
I am a big fan of Maya Angelou and have been meaning to read this well know book - but never got around to it being so busy and all. To my amazement Audible has the version with Maya Angelou reading the words directly to you. Maya's voice is so soothing and sweep's over me especially on the days my soul needs some comfort. I like to play the Audible version in my car when stuck in traffic and some chapters give me a good laugh. And other chapters give me so much to think about. The world needs more Maya Angelou. She lives on in the audible version of her amazing classic book. #Audible1
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- Amazon Customer
- 2022-09-01
This Angel
I’m so enthralled by the magnetic energy and brilliance of this author- just enjoyed this from start to finish.
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- Martha
- 2020-12-13
Eye-opening
I don't think people who are not of colour have any idea of what our coloured sisters and brothers, especially in the USA, gave had to and continue to endure. A must-read for all of humanity.
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- Neha Pathak
- 2018-09-19
Absolutely incredible!
such an inspirational and heart wrenching story. very emotional and her voice is so beautiful.
#Audible1
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1 person found this helpful