I know why the caged bird sings by Maya Angelou

Another wonderful book. This is the first one I’ve read by Angelou, even though I’ve wanted to read her books for a long time. I’d read some of her poetry before –Phenomenal Woman, Still I Rise– and fell in love. The book was up to par to what I’d read previously.
In it Angelou describes what it’s like growing up a not-so-feminine black girl in Stamps, Arkansas. Her grandmother owns the only black store in Stamps, but that doesn’t keep any racism at bay. The book gives a truthful and intimate insight into what it was like for her, and other black people, in the racist south. Even ‘powhitetrash’ treat black people like they themselves are trash.
At one point her brother, Bailey Jr., witnesses the cadaver of a black man that drowned, and the reaction of the white people. When he describes the situation to his grandmother she decides is time to take them north to their parents. They move to San Francisco to live with their mother, and Angelou and her brother experience a different kind of life, and different adventures.
The narrative is just beautiful, and the stories engaging. This is a good book to read and get some insight into what life was like for black southerners. Angelou is a clever writer, and this book is a very good read.