Customer Reviews
Good & beautifully written but in some ways Maya's not a role model - By: Ms. Monica Sheaf, 05 Jun 2008 
Loved reading this book - very poetic & completely devoid of self-pity despite Maya's obviously deprived background & her having been the victim of extensive racial prejudice.
My only issue with it is how Maya who seems to be an extremely intelligent woman, doesn't ask herself whether it is a good thing that she had a baby resulting from an apparent one-night stand @ 16 - it seems that casual sex was almost expected & her Mum almost wanted her to be sleeping with strangers. She does seem to have come from the type of background placing her at risk of teenage pregnancy but maybe should have put a 'health warning' on young readers warning them not to indulgein risky sexual behaviours as getting pregnant at 16 is (despite what Maya seems to think) hardly something to be proud of.
Honest, explicit and a fearless pen - By: S. Gunasekera, 07 May 2008 
I learnt alot about American history & lifein various citiesin the US. This book is the autobiography of one of the most powerful womenin America who lives, works & rose against the odds. This book must be depositedin every library around the world that women may read, learn & understand that life & its beautyin is doing different things under different & difficult circumstances which sometimes are cruel, nasty or not understandable to our way of life.
"... his teeth fell, no actually his teeth jumped, out of his mouth. ... grinning uppers & lowers lay by my right shoe, looking empty & ... contain all the emptinessin the world ... Sister Monroe was struggling with his coat, & men had to all but picked her up to remove her from the building ... 'Naked I came into this world, & naked I shall go out.' (pages 47) - made me laugh so much.
I also cried during the read on the fears of running a small family shop. I know those fears well. I felt those fears & I waited for those fears every day then.
The book is dedicated to all the Strong Black Birds of promise but reading it is an asset to any Bird who wants life to be one of promise & hope. What I take away most from this read is not to be ashamed of writing my truth. This reading gave me enough reasons why I should celebrate womanhood. The reading ended only after I felt & realised Freedom of the Pressin the United States of America.
A book to keep and re-read - By: H. V. L. Sheppard, 15 Mar 2008 
I originally studied this book at A-level; I love it & have read it three times more since finishing the course. This book will definitely have a permanent position on my book shelf.
Why does the caged bird sing? - By: P. McDONALD, 04 Oct 2007 It's simply this - he's deliriously happy that he's only a spectatorin the madness of life. Did Maya secretly wish that she could observe her life from the safety of a cage instead of having the starring role? In fact is that how she coped at all?
Fantastic story. Full of racial prejudice (from both sides). But it'sin examining the reasons for that prejudice that your empathy for Maya really grows. All kinds of parallels can be drawn between this book & The Color Purple & To Kill A Mocking Bird.
A great gift - By: Ms. Yasmin Lambat, 03 Sep 2007 I was given this book as a gift & am grateful to the giver for introducing me to this incredible woman. As a life coach I found her life journey of personal growth a great lesson on how you cannot change your situation but you can certainly change how you respond to it & that comes throughin her character. I've seen her interviewed & her dignity & achievement shine throug & that's truely inspiring.
