I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

by Maya Angelou








I had heard of Maya Angelou's book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, mostly referred to as classical American and African American literature, and I was familiar with much of her poetry due to American literature classes in high school. What I did not know is that I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is an autobiography that was written on a dare. After hearing her life story, writer James Baldwin and editor Robert Loomis challenged Angelou to write it as a piece of literature. Angelou succeeded so exceptionally that some reviewers do not categorize it as nonfiction. Indeed, I was a quarter of the way through the book when I learned this, and had assumed that it was fiction.

Angelou's story begins in the deeply segregated Stamps, Arkansas, where she and her brother live with her paternal grandmother and her uncle. She speaks powerfully to her and her brother's feelings of abandonment as she describes how they were treated as baggage during their journey. A longing for love and acceptance from both of her parents laces throughout the work, and perhaps even intensifies during the periods where she lives with each of them, separately.

A second theme that Angelou weaves throughout her text is the effect of racism on herself and her brother. When Angelou gets a maid job in a white woman's house, she is re-named Mary by the housemistress, who seems to think it is a compliment. She only regains her name by breaking a favorite dish, then being abused and thrown out. The hurt and fear visited upon the child Maya is apparent through her silent defiance, although it becomes more intense as she talks about her brother, Bailey.

The third theme that Angelou's work engages is the misogyny and sexism which deeply impact her childhood. At the age of 8, Angelou was sexually abused and raped by her mother's boyfriend. The fear and confusion she felt is conveyed by her abuse being intensely connected with death. With this connection Angelou draws a powerful parallel known intimately to rape survivors: namely, that rape is a waking death that will always be a part of you. The fear associated with womanhood follows Angelou through the book and this, combined with a lack of education about her own body - in those days talking about women's reproductive parts was considered indelicate for women - results in her becoming pregnant at 16. The book ends as she passes from naieve, fearful childhood to a womanhood where she can trust herself and her body.

I very much enjoyed reading I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Angelou not only wove her three themes together masterfully, but did so with lyric, humor, frankness and percipience. When I finished the book I was eager to learn what happened next, and I may dig into the sequels soon, although I have heard this particular volume was her pièce de résistance.

Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time

by Greg Mortenson and David O. Relin







In 1993 Greg Mortenson expected to summit K2 in honor of his late sister, Christa. What he didn't expect was to fail his attempt, get lost on the mountain twice, and fall in love with a small village named Korphe, impoverished and forgotten by its own country. Mortenson promised the village leader, Haji Ali, that he would return to build a school for Korphe. Thus began Dr. Greg's school-building saga.Mortenson's mission is to breathe life into the forgotten, poor and wor-torn villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan by educating their children, both girls and boys. Not only does he build schools, but he also builds whatever is necessary for the students to thrive in their education, be it bridges, wells, or women's centers. Mortenson helps the villages to build these structures for themselves, a monument that they can put to immediate use and be proud of as a community. Mortenson builds these schools in the face of kidnapping, fatwas, death threats, loss of funding, 9-11, and war. His is an amazing and inspirational story of kindness, learning, and understanding. While the writing was a bit choppy, journalistic and, at times, cheesy, the story drew me in and captured my attention. You can learn more about Mortenson's campaign at the website for his foundation, the Central Asia Institute.

Finding Angela Shelton

Finding Angela Shelton: The True Story of One Woman's Triumph Over Sexual Abuse

by Angela Shelton







Finding Angela Shelton is a quasi-memoir written documenting the making of the documentary Searching for Angela Shelton. The idea behind the documentary was that she would travel around the country to survey women in America by meeting those that share her name, Angela Shelton (I had originally wanted to see the documentary but had a hard time getting my hands on it, so I read the book instead; now I'm more determined than ever to find the documentary). She thought it would be a fun and quirky documentary, however the film soon took another path as she learned that over 70% of the Angela Sheltons she talked to had been sexually or physically abused/assaulted in their lifetimes. A victim of childhood sexual abuse herself, Angela is mired in flashbacks. When she learns that one of the Angela Sheltons tracks sexual predators for a living and lives in the same town as her molester - her father - she knows that she needs to confrot him. When a broken bone has not been treated, it must be rebroken and set in order for it to heal properly. Similarly, Angela must delve into her personal history of sexual abuse and confront her abuser in order to heal both herself and others.

This book really hit me in the gut. While the author's childhood sexual abuse was both similar to and different from mine, many of her feelings and thoughts on her trauma reflected mine. As I sit here, I still cannot say what happened to me and am blushing with embarrassment whenever I write about the subject. But her message is that silence only allows abuse to continue shrouded in a shame that should be felt by the perpetrators but is all to often only felt by the victims. It is a call to action for people to open their eyes to the abuse that is epidemic in our society, for victim/survivors to shout and scream and make ourselves known, because what has been seen cannot be unseen and only when we force people to believe yes we ARE HERE yes we DO EXIST and we are NUMEROUS, will real change occur. Until then, the abusers will have the power through denial, blame and shame.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: A Memoir of Life in Death

by Jean-Dominique Bauby







The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was a delightful, quick read that I would reccommend to anyone. It is an autobiography, but it's more than just an autobiography. French Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby suffered a stroke at the age of 43, leaving him with locked-in syndrome, in which he was paralyzed everywhere except for his eyelids. He likens this to being trapped under a diving bell. He learns, however, to escape his prison by letting his mind travel wherever he chooses to go: "My diving bell becomes less oppressive, and my mind takes flight like a butterfly." Bauby weaves his daydreams and memories together with his day-to-day therapy, visits from friends and family, and the process of writing his memoir, often giving a bitersweet contrast of joy and frustration, of companionship and isolation. Bauby tells each tale, mundane or extrordionary, with rich imagery and wit that draws you in to his every word. Take, for example, this passage where he explains how he communicates:

ESARINTULOMDPCFB
VHGJQZYXKW

The jumbled appearence of my chorus line stems not from chance but from cunning calculation. More than an alphabet, it is a hit parade in which each letter is placed according to the frequency of its use in the French language. That is why E dances proudly out in front, while E labors to hold on to last place. B resents being pushed back next to V, and haughty J-which begins so many sentences in French-is amazed to find itself so near the rear of the pack. Roly-poly G is annoyed to have to trade places with H, while T and U, the tender components of tu, rejoice that they have not ben separated. All this reshuffling has a purpose: to make it easier for those who wish to communicate with me.

It is with this voice that Bauby draws us into his life: into his memories, into the hospital where there are those who are kind and those who wish to forget him, and into his effusive imagination. His story ends as frankly as it begins, and left me with the same bittersweetness that peppers this memoir, knowing that its author died just two days after his book was published in France.

Meeting Mr. Wrong

Meeting Mr. Wrong: The Romantic Misadventures of a Southern Belle

by Stephanie Snowe







Very special books do not cross my desk very often, but I am delighted to have read Meeting Mr. Wrong: The Romantic Misadventures of a Southern Belle. I am fortunate to read this book because the author, Stephanie Snowe, is a good friend of mine who has wanted to be a writer for decades and finally got the courage to not only publish a book, but to make her debut with an autobiographical account of her horrifying and horrifyingly hilarious experiences as a 22-year-old single mom of twins in the internet dating world. You can buy it here. Buy it. Read it. Love it. Also: Read her blog Jason. For the love of God. She is hilarious, y'all.

Left high and dry, pregnant with twins, just off the altar, Snowe plunges head-first into the internet dating world, despite being told that if she did so an axe murderer would hunt her down and kill her. After weeks of wading through emails from men who clearly were not paying attention to, you know, anything, Snowe ventures onto her first date with Denny and, apparently, all of his coworkers. Thus start the Romantic Misadventures of Ms. Snowe. Between big fat married liars, mama's boys, men with killer attack birds and even a suitor named Big Pimpin' Willie, Snowe bravely plunges through the hell of the dating world with humor and as much dignity as humanly possible while being asked by a client to help with his urges. It reminds me of the time I was asked by some random man - at a gas station - whether I wanted to be his "special friend for the day" wink wink nudge nudge.

You'll have to read the book to find out whether Snowe ever finds love in the series of tubes internet dating world or whether she gives up forever, how fun a date during a hurricane is, and exactly what is so distracting about Big Pimpin' Willie's tattoo.

Meeting Mr. Wrong is a quick read, both because it's easy to understand and because you're itching to flip the page to find out what dating disaster happens next. Snowe writes with such conversational wit that you could imagine laughing with disbelief as she told you her tales over coffee (or a good stiff drink!) I enjoyed Meeting Mr. Wrong so much I finished it the evening it arrived on my doorstep. I very much look forward to her next installment.

Lies My Teacher Told Me

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong

by James W. Loewen











I found the first 10 chapters of this book absolutely riveting, and I am one of those kids who hated history. American history has traditionally been taught in a bland, rose-colored manner, and now I know why. I also learned many of the facts of American history that have been left unsaid, things that might be unpleasant or controversial, but things which make history real. I always knew the happy shiny version of what was taught me was B.S. and to find out what was actively hidden was interesting and engaging. In the last two chapters the author delves more specifically into his thesis of why American history is taught the way it is, and what can be done about it, although as someone who is neither a teacher nor a parent, I got a little bored because there was really nothing for ME to do but note that someday in the distant future when I have school-aged kids I should remember this.

Goat

Goat: A Memoir

by Brad Land












An interesting read. I found this book very easy to follow and a quick read. This autobiography centers around two acts of violence committed on the author, the first at the hands of strangers, the second at the hands of his supposed friends. The book follows the author's recovery journey.

Wifework

Wifework: What Marriage Really Means for Women

Susan Maushart











I read this book before I got married, so it was a while ago! Still, a great commentary on modern marriages and the continued struggle for women who just want a little marital equity. Also great insight into WHY divorce rates might be soaring...

Misconceptions

Misconceptions: Truth, Lies and the Unexpected on the Journey to Motherhood

by Naomi Wolf











A wonderful book and a must-read for anyone, male or female, who wants to have a baby. Through my own research I found that, although the book was published almost a decade ago, many of the medical malpractices she talks about are still commonplace. A very relevant book that will have you shaking with anger at the obstetrical community.

Princess

Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia



by Jean P. Sasson

A shocking biography that will have you angry and sad. Sultana offers an inside view into the life of a Saudi Princess in the 80's. What I liked most about this book was her descriptions of the lives of women in the upper, middle, and lower class. I will put a warning however that there is a lot of violence against women and girls, including multiple rapes, for those women who might have flash-backs reading this sort of thing.