"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" is a poignant and moving memoir that chronicles Maya Angelou's journey from abandonment to empowerment. Her lyrical prose allows the reader to fully immerse themselves in her story, and her resilience and strength in the face of adversity serve as an inspiration to all who read it."

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• Coretta Scott King Book Award for Author Honor (1971)

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.