I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is the autobiography of the early years of poet and author Maya Angelou. The book is named for the caged-bird image that Lawrence Dunbar used in his poem “Sympathy.” Angelou describes her childhood growing up in Stamps, Arkansas and teen years in California. Her experiences describe the indignity and injustice that African Americans experienced in the 1930s and ’40s. Though she suffers many hardships, Angelou finds the strength and courage to overcome them.
Cooper thought this book was powerful and beautifully written. Though she was disappointed that the book wasn’t about a bird, she would recommend reading this important memoir of survival and hope.
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