"To be allowed, no, invited, into the private lives of strangers, and to share their joys and fears, was a chance to exchange the Southern bitter wormwood for a cup of mead with Beowulf or a hot cup of tea and milk with Oliver Twist."
"To be left alone on the tightrope of youthful unknowing is to experience the excruciating beauty of full freedom and the threat of eternal indecision."
Need I say more??
What a beautiful, heartbreaking story of growing up. Of growing up hard, poor, black, female. I can't believe I have never read Maya Angelou. Thank you to my niece for giving me the entire set of Angelou's memoir. This was just book one and takes us through the first 16 years of Angelou's life. And what experiences she has - joyous, traumatizing, shocking and eye-opening. I did love learning why she is called Maya, and what her given name is. I can't wait to see what happens next. And what sentences I will mark and quote in the remaining volumes!!!!
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