I was in shock after finishing I Know Why theCaged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I found it an absolutely spellbinding book,entrancing from beginning to end. Angelou describes the first 16 years of herlife, from growing up as a black girl in the South with her religiousgrandmother, to her rape, to living in a junk yard.

Angelou describesher life in incredible detail, and her attitude toward her misfortune isunbelievable. She writes about her trauma with the detachment that kept her fromliterally going insane. Her stepmother stabs her, her father gets drunk inMexico, forcing her to learn how to drive back alone, and her mother favors herbrother because she considers Angelou ugly.

Angelou thinks in an uncommonway, and readers can look at the world through her eyes. The way she paintsimages is captivating. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading. Whatare you sitting here reading this article for? Go get the book!