Rating: 
Summary: The whole picture
Review: Maya Angelou has written a touching memoir based on a difficult child hood where the quality of one's character was based on the color of his/her skin. Growing up in an unfair society leads anyone, especially a child of Angelous age, to be contemptful. "I know why the cage bird sings" is not a racist novel or hypocritical because cruelty prokes hatred and this hatred was oppressed until equality was gained. Maya's spitfulness towards Whites was not innate. Maya is a beautiful writer and has a unique candor in expressing her feelings. I'm not African American but I can relate to her emotions and believe her novel is well written with true style - ultimatly producing a beautiful novel. Unfortunatly - the ending was a little rushed compared to the rest of her memoir. ~15 yrs. female
Rating: 
Summary: Um...no
Review: This book downsizes life. Ms. Angelou writes well and thought-provokingly, but this book makes hardship and questioning your place in the world seem like experiences specific to African Americans. I agree that this book is slightly racist, though not in the blatant, harsh way that the author seems to have endured. The feelings, thoughts, and questions in the book are NOT specific to a certain race, because nothing that counts for anything is specific to a certain race. If the book is meant to bring together races of people, it fails miserably. This books widens rifts, and in the end, even the reader feels stung.
Rating:
Summary: Have any of you people actually read this book!
Review: I can honestly say that I thouroughly enjoyed this book........ until I actually read it. What a wonderful role model our "politically correct" society is raising for our children. Not only have you people idolized a blatant racist, but have bowed down to the sniveling, whining hypocrisy that is printed on the pages of this misfit novel. Yes I'm sorry that life was tough for African Americans when Maya grew up it was a fact of life, something we cannot do anything about. But isn't it nice the views and solutions that good ole Maya teaches us: "People were those that lived on my side of town. These others, the strange pale creatures that lived in their alien unlife, weren't considered folks." (Maya 21) She screams of the gross injustices imposed by Whites yet is more than happy to dehumanize them before she gets 1/10 of the way into the book! Well at least she worked hard in school despite her hardships...... until she started skipping classes and having sex with random guys. But hey if you people want to drool and slobber over this piece of junk then that is your right, BECAUSE YOU ARE ALL PEOPLE! NOT ALIEN THINGS! But do not sit there and tell me this is a work of art. Some of us don't suffer under the delusion that hardships automatically create magnificent role models because you are mistaken..... and here is proof.
Rating:
Summary: Hypocrasy
Review: I would like to say that this book is the worst that I have ever had the misfortune of reading. This book was required reading for my advanced 10 grade English class, so I was forced to read it. Let me say this, Maya Angelou is a racist. Throughout the book she criticizes whites of racism and she goes as far as to say that she "can't wait to see all of the whites burn in hell for their pride while all the humble blacks go to heaven". This book for me can be summarized in one word... HYPOCRACY. She complains about being oppressed but then she turns around and calls all whites oppressive, hell bound, hate filled people. Don't be blindly lead to believe that this book is a literary masterpiece read it for yourself and see the hypocrasy in the book. ( I'm not saying that blacks weren't oppressed, they were, and I'm sorry, but it is no excuse for this tripe! )
Rating: 
Summary: Keeps A Young Kid Interested!
Review: Well, I finished the book and I'd have to say I really enjoyed it. I have read many books over the past year and this has to be one of my favorites. So many things happened to Marguerite and she still had will power, it seemed nothing kept her down or unable to do anything. Many people told me to read this book becuase they said it was so great and they were right! This book really inspires me to do everything I want to and if something gets in my way I just have to get around it. She is such a strong woman and for that she deserves a lot of credit. Maya Angelou is a fantastic writer and I can't wait to read some of her poetry or another book!
Rating:
Summary: A good book, although the ending is rushed.
Review: I was intrigued by the mixed ratings of this book & the various comments about Maya Angelou being racist towards whites. This book is written throught the eyes of a young black child growing up in a community where there is segregation & discrimination on account of skin colour. To see 'differences' between 'black' & 'white' is something she has grown up with.Taken by her Grandmother with severe toothache to a white dentist (the black dentist being a days journey away), Maya is refused treatment with the excuse - "I'd rather put my hand in a dogs mouth than in some niggah." This man had borrowed money from Maya's Grandmother to keep his surgery open during the depression. He refuses to treat a 'black' child......but 'black' money is 'acceptable'. With such hypocrisy, surely you can understand how Maya would feel a little disgruntled towards her white countrymen? Who wouldn't? Being a 'white' female, I will probably never encounter such racial discrimination or even understand how another person prejudices could effect your own peace of mind. Read it & remind yourself of the similarities between human beings rather than superficial differences.
Rating:
Summary: Just Lovin It
Review: This book was simply amazing. I loved every minute of it. It drew me into another world and I related perfectly with the main character. I think everyone should read this book it is simply just too good. I love it so much and I credit Maya Angelou, she is a beautiful and creative writer
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE BEST INSPIRATIONAL BOOKS PUBLISHED!
Review: THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK ABOUT THE HARDSHIPS THAT MANY BLACKS HAVE TO FACE GROWING UP AND ALL THROUGHOUT LIFE. I WAS VERY INSPIRED BY THIS BOOK. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMNED IT TO ANYONE. THIS BOOK SHOULD BE READ BY PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE GO THROUGH AND ENJOY A GOOD BOOK AND REALIZE ONE WHEN THEY COME ACROSS IT. IT IS NOT FOR IMMATURE, YOUNG MINDS.
Rating:
Summary: I hated it, but perhaps it's just me.
Review: Now, before you accuse me of being some idiot teenager who hates English, let me assure you that it is not true. I love to read, my favorite writer is Charles Dickens (I like the Victorian English writers). I usually like books that I'm made to read, but not this one. Maya Angelou is an excellent writer of prose, and I'd like to read some of her poetry. But I agree with what one of the reviewers said below me. This book is pointless. It's just a mishmash of experiences from her life which have no meaning and ignited no feelings of comedy, tragedy, or anything for me. Perhaps others liked it because they felt that they could relate to Maya's experiences, but I felt I couldn't. I think it's because I'm a white, Northern, Jew and she's a black, Southern, Christian. I don't really know. I felt this book was pointless, and I don't feel that her life really had anything that worth shouting about. Well, some things she did, but, for the most part, no.
Rating:
Summary: i LIKE THIS BOOK AND i AM CURRENTLY DOING RESEARCH PAPER.
Review: PLEASE SEND ANY INFORMATION THAT WILL BE USEFUL IN DOING MY RESEARCH PAPER i AM HAVING A VERY HARD TIME. THANKS bRIDGET sIMPSON a STUDENT AT WAYNE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IN WAYNESBORO ms
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