I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

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In this first of five volumes of autobiography, poet Maya Angelou recounts a youth filled with disappointment, frustration, tragedy, and finally hard-won independence. Sent at a young age to live with her grandmother in Arkansas, Angelou learned a great deal from this exceptional woman and the tightly knit black community there. These very lessons carried her throughout the hardships she endured later in life, including a tragic occurrence while visiting her mother in St. Louis and her formative years spent in California--where an unwanted pregnancy changed her life forever. Marvelously told, with Angelou's "gift for language and observation," this "remarkable autobiography by an equally remarkable black woman from Arkansas captures, indelibly, a world of which most Americans are shamefully ignorant."

Book Description

A phenomenal #1 bestseller that has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for nearly three years, this memoir traces Maya Angelou's childhood in a small, rural community during the 1930s. Filled with images and recollections that point to the dignity and courage of black men and women,
Angelou paints a sometimes disquieting, but always affecting picture of the people--and the times--that touched her life.

Customer Reviews:

I know why the Caged Bird Sings.......2007-09-07

Wonderful overview of who Mya Angelou actually is and what makes her the person she is. Very poignant, sometimes extremly funny and sometimes brings you to tears. A lovely, proud woman; someone you would be thrilled to call your friend, because if she was your friend, she would be true blue. She is sassy, proud, scared, fearless. I laughed when she laughted and felt some of the pain she must have felt when she realized things were not always as they seem to be.

Unforgettable.......2007-07-30

Maya Angelou brings to life an era that cannot and must not be forgotten. It was not that long ago in America that blacks were seen as another, inferior nation that was taught, explicitly and implicitly, to know its place. Anyone who wishes to understand the underpinnings of the civil rights movement of the 20th century, as well as African Americans' continued struggle for equality today, should read this book.

I found it particularly noteworthy that Angelou and her family in the rural South of the 1930s employed a very strong defense mechanism: They concluded that white people were the ones who were awkward, strange, inferior, possibly not even human. This was the only way for them to survive day to day.

This is a must read for adults and teenagers alike.

A canonical work in American literature.......2007-07-24

Maya Angelou's memoir of growing up in the 1930's and 40's offers a cold, hard assessment of the petty indignities, fear and racism (both subtle and overt) African-Americans endured (and continue to live with.) But what makes this wonderful book shine is the way in which Maya (and her family and those around her) face, challenge and overcome these indignities. Added to this is Angelou's writing, which has a rythm, ebb and flow to it - in reading it is clear that she is a poet.

Added to the weight of racism, Angelou wrestles with sexism (making her doubly powerless: a woman and an African-American) and repeated and continuous displacement as she is shuttled from household to household. The transformation she makes from girl to womanhood is as powerful as it is moving. That she learns how to become the "formidible character" that many women of color are is a testament to her (and their) courage and strength. It is clear to me why this is considered such a seminal work in American literature. Easy to read yet powerful and uplifting, I highly recommend it.

Poor Print.......2007-05-28

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, is one of the best books of all time. Unfortunately, Heinemann Publishers did not do this novel justice. The typeset (by CentraCet Limited) is squeezed on a slim page less than five inches. The right margin is less than 3/8 inch and affords only distracting aesthetics. I wanted a hardcopy but only received a binding - I'm sure Maya could not have approved. I was truly disappointed with the printing because I wanted a copy of this novel that I could pass on to my daughters. Disappointed and Let Down!

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.......2007-05-16

The book taught a lot on the time before aparthied. It was a moving story on how fathers connect to their sons and the country being under racial segragation

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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS
Maya Angelou
Manufacturer: Random House: NY.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Product Description

The store was a microcosm of life; its orderlypattern was comfort, even among the meanest frustrations. But then came the intruders-first in the form of poorwhite childrenwho were bested only by grandmother's dignity. But as the awful,unfathomable mystery of prejudice intruded, so did the unexpected joy of surprise visit by Daddy, the sinful joy of going to Church, the disappointments of a depression Christmas.

Customer Reviews:

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings .......2006-11-27

The book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Is a book that takes you to the life of Maya Angelous childhood. It really goes trough alot of emotions and the characters are so real and and life like. This book goes by so fast and the characters are so real it feel like you are watching a movie. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone above the age of thirteen it has something that can grab you and suck you into this women's extraordinary life.
"His shoulders were so wide I thought he'd have trouble getting through the door. He was taller than anyone i had ever seen,...his clothes were too small too. They were tighter and woolier than was customary in stamps. And he was blindingly handsome." This is a quote by maya Angelo describing her father the first time she sees him. The description for me really made this man come to life it left room for me to imagine his face but it really shaped his character and how he was. Maya does this throughout the book creating a characters character but leaving you room to imagine the rest. This really allows the characters to come to life. When you first meet a character in this book she medially describes them setting a tone of the character. I know when I read a book and the writer brings in a character and describes there description later it really messes up my first impression of that character. This is really what made this book come to life for me even when the book was in a dull part it still was easy to read through because to me it was like watching T.V. the characters were so alive it made it that much more interesting that is why i enjoyed this book so much.The book for me really showed emotion and when an emotion was set weather it be anger, hatred, or sad when she feels it in the book you feel it as you read. This is another reason why the book was so easy to read, you felt like it was like you going trough all of this and it makes it so easy to read and it make it go by so fast. This book was one of the most life like filled book i've ever read in my life.
Everyone who reads this book will enjoy it Maya really keeps emotions rolling and it really makes you feel like you are there in Stamps Arkansas.

Understanding I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents (The Greenwood Press "Literature in Context" Series)

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Understanding I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents (The Greenwood Press "Literature in Context" Series)
Joanne Megna-Wallace
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

ASIN: 0313302294

Book Description

Maya Angelou's autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings was nominated for a National Book Award, yet in 1995 it topped the list of books most frequently challenged in schools and libraries. This interdisciplinary collection of documents and commentary explores the historical and social context, as well as the contemporary issues and controversies raised by Angelou's autobiography. A rich resource for teachers and students, it will help to enhance the reader's understanding of the historical and social forces that shaped Maya Angelou's experience--race relations in the pre-civil rights South, segregated schools, the African American church, and the African American family. It also examines the issue of childhood sexual abuse, the inclusion of which has been the basis of most of the challenges to the autobiography, and the issue of the work's censorship since its publication. This rich resource begins with a literary analysis of the structure and dramatic elements of Angelou's autobiography, as well as discussion of the genre of autobiography. Subsequent chapters include introductions and documents that provide insight into the topics of race relations, lynchings, and racial "etiquette"; the education of African Americans in the South in the 1930s (particularly county training schools like the one Angelou attended); the otherworldliness, emotion, and music of the African American church; African American women as nurturers, and the effect of frequent migration on children such as Angelou; information from the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect which puts the sexual abuse Angelou experiences in a broader context; and many news stories regarding censorship attempts on I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Documents in the work include newspaper articles, interviews and first-person narratives, government documents, excerpts from books and journals, and legal statutes. Study questions, ideas for project topics, and suggested readings conclude each chapter and further enhance the usefulness of this interdisciplinary research tool for students and teachers.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Cliffs Notes)

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Excellent book!
__ I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings_____
What an insight!
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Full Length of Love

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Cliffs Notes)
Mary Robinson
Manufacturer: Cliffs Notes
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0822006413

Book Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

Piqued by a dare, Angelou wrote this first book as an exercise in autobiography as art — and succeeded. Her novel is a story of the difficulties of black women and the eventual victory of spirit that comes from being a soulful fighter.

CliffsNotes on I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings helps you explore this tale of rebirth, self-worth, and dignity. This concise supplement helps you understand the overall structure of the novel, actions and motivations of the characters, and the social and cultural perspectives of the author. Features that help you study include

A close look at the author's life which offers insight into her writing
A list of characters and their descriptions
Summaries and commentaries, chapter by chapter
Critical assessments of the novel and the television movie adaptation
Glossaries to help you fully understand the novel
Critical essays on women in the novel and Southern Fundamentalism
A review section that tests your knowledge, and suggested essay topics

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book!.......2004-04-28

I read this book for my English project and it was very good! Very moving and it helped me understand the Great Depression and all the racism that black people had to go through....
Maya Angelou is a great writer, and this book was excellent!

Very interesting, I RECOMMEND IT!

__ I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings_____.......2002-05-18

We had to read this novel by Maya Angelou and I thought it was a very good example of the way you should write. She used imagery and descriptives to show you,the reader, how it really was in her life. I LOVED IT !!!

What an insight!.......2002-04-17

Maya Angelou's written language is alive, and that's refreshing. There is a specific life-view from the standpoint of a black girl growing up, and it is uplifting how she meets her difficulties with confidence. Her humor in many situations made me laugh out loud. Yes, she is a gripping author, and the tidbits of wisdom shine through like rays of sunlight...

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.......2002-04-08

I thought that this was a great book! Maya had a very difficult life growing up. I just could not figure out what she really wanted with her life.

Full Length of Love.......2002-04-07

Read the complete novel. The Cliff notes only offers a small portion of the love and enjoyment you will feel from this author's words.

Penguin Readers Level 6: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (Penguin Longman Penguin Readers)

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Remarkable woman

Penguin Readers Level 6: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (Penguin Longman Penguin Readers)
Maya Angelou
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0582505267

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Remarkable woman.......2007-09-01

For all this woman had to endure as a child, she is an elegant woman and eloquent speaker.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings : A Unit Plan (Litplans on CD)

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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings : A Unit Plan (Litplans on CD)
Barbara M. Linde
Manufacturer: Teachers Pet Pubns Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

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ASIN: 1583371753

Book Description

Complete lesson plans for teaching I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. Includes introduction to the unit, unit objectives, reading assignments, unit outline, study questions (short answer), study/quiz questions (multiple choice), vocabulary worksheets, daily lessons planned, related nonfiction reading assignment, oral reading evaluation, biographical info about the author, three detailed writing assignments (inform, persuade, personal opinion), vocabulary review games & activities, unit review games & activities, at least one group activity assignment, discussion questions on all levels (factual, critical, interpretive, personal response), 2 short answer unit tests, 2 multiple choice unit tests, 1 advanced short answer unit test, unit and vocabulary crossword puzzles, unit and vocabulary extra worksheets & games, bulletin board ideas, ready-to-copy student materials, answer keys, and more!

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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou
Manufacturer: Virago Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 086068511X

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My all time favorite book

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

ASIN: 0553122525

Customer Reviews:

My all time favorite book.......2007-01-17

This is my all time favorite book. Not only is it interesting and captivating, it is real. This book will make you laugh and cry but most of all, this book will make you fall in love, in love with Maya Angelou.

York Notes on Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (York Notes)

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York Notes on Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" (York Notes)
Imelda Pilgrim
Manufacturer: Longman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0582368316

Book Description

'It is well this is so terrible! We should grow too fond of it,' said General Robert E. Lee as he watched his troops repulse the Union attack at Fredericksburg on 13 December 1863.

This collection of seven original essays by leading Civil War historians reinterprets the bloody Fredericksburg campaign and places it within a broader social and political context. By analyzing the battle's antecedents as well as its aftermath, the contributors challenge some long-held assumptions about the engagement and clarify our picture of the war as a whole.

The book begins with revisionist assessments of the leadership of Ambrose Burnside and Robert E. Lee and a portrait of the conduct and attitudes of one group of northern troops who participated in the failed assaults at Marye's Heights. Subsequent essays examine how both armies reacted to the battle and how the northern and southern homefronts responded to news of the carnage at Frederickburg. A final chapter explores the impact of the battle on the residents of the Fredericksburg area and assesses changing Union attitudes about the treatment of Confederate civilians.

The contributors are William Marvel, Alan T. Nolan, Carol Reardon, Gary W. Gallagher, A. Wilson Greene, George C. Rable, and William A. Blair.

Customer Reviews:

ritcal essays by the Foremost Experts on Lee's Best Battle.......2001-07-14

A great collection of essays by those historians most familiar with the Battle of Fredericksburg. Burnsides excellent biographer, Wiliam Marvel, writes a very balanced essay on Burnside and his high command that was still full of McClellan political generals and some that were inept. Burnside shares blame for failed opportunities but was primarily let down by Franklin who proved to be incapable or neglectful in providing a strong attack on the Confederate right that was necessary to attack the heights of the town on the confederate left. The objective critic of Lee, Alan Nolan, writes an essay substantiating why this battle was Lee's greatest and how Longstreet was so capable that his great critic Douglas Freeman had to praise him. A. William Greene who spent many years with the park service at Fredericksburg (he's now at the new Pamplin Civil War Museum in Petersburg) writes of Burnside's last and lost attempt at continuing the campaign, the mud march. Difficult in bad weather but made worse by the political generals who contributed willingly to his failure. The other essays contribute to the realities of war, the carnage and the effect on Civilians and how the virtually destroyed Pennyslvania Division were later to shout "Remember Fredericksburg" at Gettysburg.

A correction for your on-line review........1999-02-24

Your review of Gallagher's book on the Battle of Fredericksburg has the date wrong. It was fought on Dec. 13, 1862, not 1863.

Marye's Heights : Fredericksburg (Battlegound America Series) (Battlegound America)

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Marye's Heights : Fredericksburg (Battlegound America Series) (Battlegound America)
Victor Brooks
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1580970362

Book Description

Fredericksburg was one of the most tragic battles of the Civil War. No sector was more hotly contested than the area held by Longstreet's troops and known as Marye's Heights. While the heights seemed impregnable to the charging Union troops, Longstreet's men took heavy casualties and many times felt they were on the point of being overrun. The latest Battleground America volume covers the actions, units and personalities of this key section of the Fredericksburg battlefield and describes in detail the area as it was in 1862 and the national park that occupies the site today.

Fredericksburg: A Novel of the Irish at Marye's Heights

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Good book, would make a better movie than G&G
Great book - expands on film Gods and Generals
An interesting tale of the Irish at Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg: A Novel of the Irish at Marye's Heights
Kirk Mitchell
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312139748

Book Description

This is a riveting account of one of the bloodiest days in the Civil War! It is a gritty, historically accurate novel of the brutal fight for a lone stone wall along Marye's Heights, and it is the chronicle of six Irish-Americans, revealing their sufferings and aspirations in both the Old World and the New World as they pass through the shock of combat and the fog of war. But beyond that, Fredericksburg is a microcosm of the Civil War, bringing to awful light the reality of war between brothers.

Customer Reviews:

Good book, would make a better movie than G&G.......2003-05-26

This book is an excellent novel on the Civil War. Being my major, and having read many accounts of the war, both fiction and non-fiction, I would rank this with some of the great fiction accounts of the war. It is not Red Badge of Courage, Shiloh, or the Killer Angels, which are considered the pinnacle of the genre, but it is a good read, encompassing a wider range of POVs than most of the other works. It takes elements from each of the works I have mentioned, and uses them to create a story in which it is easier to see how these people were.
Fredericksburg is often compared with Gods & Generals... I can only say that I believe that Fredericksburg would make the better movie, if kept faithful to the book (unlike G&G, which was bogged down by civilian drivel for a good portion of the movie). But, considering Hollywood and the lukewarm reception recieved by many Civil War movies, I would not want to see how this good piece of war fiction would be mutilated.

Great book - expands on film Gods and Generals.......2003-03-01

This is a well written work that tells the story of the Irish at Fredericksburg. This is a battle that is often overshadowed by the battle of Antietam in September 1862 and Gettysburg in July 1863. Despite this tendency to forget this battle it stands as a bloody testament to the courage of the Federal forces that were forced to charge into destruction.

The film Gods and Generals (released 2/21/2003) features a dramatic picture of the Irish sacrifice at this battle. Over 1200 men of the Irish Brigade went into battle and only 250 came back.

It is against this backdrop that author Kirk Mitchell sets his work. It is an excellent tale of the brave men of Eire that battled against each other 140 years ago. It is well written and is very much like the style of Michael Shaara in The Killer Angels. I suggest that anyone with an interest in the Civil War pick up a copy of this novel before it is not available anymore.

An interesting tale of the Irish at Fredericksburg.......1999-12-21

Mr. Mitchell has written a compelling and entertaining novel of the Irish units during the bitter battle of Fredericksburg in 1862. The characters were a nice collection of personalites, the unit information was well handled, the factual figures were done well, and the dialog between the fictional and factual characters were superb. But the central characters needed to be fleshed out a bit more. Some of them, I couldn't relate to or feel much compassion. But, the author captured the brutality of combat, the fear, the mud, the physical discomfort, the death and chaos of battle. Good details on the terrain, weather and history of the region. Having stood behind the stone wall at Marye's Heights recently, one can only imagine what the Union soldiers must have thought as they stormed repeatedly into a virtual hail of hostile ordinance.

The Angel of Marye's Heights. Sergeant Richard Kirkland's extraordinary deed at Fredericksburg.

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The Angel of Marye's Heights. Sergeant Richard Kirkland's extraordinary deed at Fredericksburg.
Les Carroll
Manufacturer: Palmetto Booksworks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JONBUI

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The Angel of Marye's Heights: Sergeant Richard Kirkland's Extraordinary Deed at Fredericksburg
Les Carroll
Manufacturer: Palmetto Bookworks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Book Description

The Angel of Marye's Heights is Sergeant Richard Kirkland, a member of the 2nd South Carolina Volunteer Regiment. He made his mark at the Battle of Fredericksburg when he leaped the wall and walked onto the fierce battlefield to take water to the enemy wounded.

The Forgotten Charge: The 123rd Pennsylvania at Marye's Heights, Fredericksburg, Virginia

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The Forgotten Charge: The 123rd Pennsylvania at Marye's Heights, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Scott Lang
Manufacturer: White Mane
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NZ5UQG

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The Forgotten Charge: The 123rd Pennsylvania at Marye's Heights, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Scott B. Lang
Manufacturer: White Mane Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Marye's Heights: Fredericksburg
Victor Brooks
Manufacturer: Combined Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 085052752X

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The angel of Marye's Heights
Richard Nunn Lanier
Manufacturer: Fredericksburg Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007F0GH0

FREDERICKSBURG - A Novel of the Irish on Marye's Heights.

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FREDERICKSBURG - A Novel of the Irish on Marye's Heights.
Kirk Mitchell
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTFN9A

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