These notes include affiliate links.

Today, Fable and the Verbivore are sharing our January book club episode on Dr. Maya Angelou’s powerful memoir “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”.

In this episode, we talk about some of the many things that stood out to us about her story and her writing:

How steeped in the past this story felt, making the reader feel as if they’re bearing witness - hearing what she heard, seeing what she saw, and feeling what she felt

The emotional honesty and visceral language

The stories truly reflected universal childhood truths and growing up experiences (wounds and joys alike), while also clearly and unflinching represented and expressed the specific time and place of what it was like to grow up a black girl in the south and what her specific experiences were

The empathy, nuanced understanding, and emotional objectivity given to all the adults in her life, however flawed. It feels as though she didn’t back down from the hurt of the circumstances, but also strove to see the decision made by the people in her life in the best possible light

That the bravery she models in the writing of this truly courageous look back into the corners of her past feels as if it compels us to be equally brave and look into the shadows of our own histories

If it’s not yet obvious, we both love Maya Angelou’s writing and feel that this book has a lot to offer - both about writing memoir and life.

We hope you enjoy this episode! Keep reading, writing, and putting your voice out there!

Into the woods,

Fable & The Verbivore