--- product_id: 199532 title: "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" price: "€ 19.36" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.be/products/199532-i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings store_origin: BE region: Belgium --- # I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings **Price:** € 19.36 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - **How much does it cost?** € 19.36 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.be](https://www.desertcart.be/products/199532-i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide. Her life story is told in the documentary film And Still I Rise, as seen on PBS’s American Masters . Here is a book as joyous and painful, as mysterious and memorable, as childhood itself. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local “powhitetrash.” At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age—and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors (“I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare”) will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned. Poetic and powerful, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read. “ I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity.”—James Baldwin Review: A wonderful book - Before reading this book, I regularly came across Maya Angelou's quotes, and her words often resonated with me. “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud,” “Nothing will work unless you do,” and “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you” are my favourites. So I was glad when an opportunity presented itself to read the first of her autobiographical books, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Despite the disturbing topics the author touches upon while sharing her memories of her childhood and younger years, surprisingly, it turned out to be a gentle book. While reading, I felt like I saw Maya Angelou smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners. The healthy dose of humour, which she used to describe the bad things that happened to her, shows, in my opinion, acceptance, something that exists on the other side of hate directed not only at one’s offenders but at all humanity. I admire it. I also felt, though, that the author did not share everything, skipping and blurring some details, mostly about her family. It didn’t affect the enjoyment from reading, as it sometimes does when an author tries to hide something in order to make themselves appear better than their actions or thoughts would have led readers to believe. With Maya Angelou, the reason for evasiveness was different. At least, that’s my impression. I completely understand her wish to shield, for example, her mother from public scrutiny and condemnation. The part that I particularly enjoyed is where the author shares her memories of the time she and her brother spent living with their grandmother in a small town in the South. Although she had written the book when she was an adult, she managed to convey her memories through the lens of a little girl. And it was fascinating to learn about life in the US in the 30s-40s as a black girl saw and felt it. At that age, we don’t judge, we watch. We draw conclusions according to our still pure system of values, not yet fiddled with by society, mass media, and politicians. When Maya Angelou described the scene where white girls demonstrated disrespect to her grandmother, she told us about what she was thinking and how she was feeling at that moment, rather than what we should think and feel. That is what I loved most about this book. I was offered the facts, not necessarily objective ones, but such as the author perceived them. And I was given the freedom to ponder and decide. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it. Review: A must read for anyone feeling down - Angelou is highly regarded and for good reason. This book is on the level of classics like To Kill a Mockingbird, and My Bondage and My Freedom. It’s a beautiful story, and also has an introduction by Oprah Winfrey, which is a lovely edition to read. It’s a book that gives me personally a little bit of hope in life, every time I read it. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #3,169 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #5 in Author Biographies #37 in Women's Biographies #61 in Memoirs (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 38,821 Reviews | ## Images ![I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61-E0cMKZeL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A wonderful book *by B***D on January 17, 2026* Before reading this book, I regularly came across Maya Angelou's quotes, and her words often resonated with me. “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud,” “Nothing will work unless you do,” and “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you” are my favourites. So I was glad when an opportunity presented itself to read the first of her autobiographical books, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Despite the disturbing topics the author touches upon while sharing her memories of her childhood and younger years, surprisingly, it turned out to be a gentle book. While reading, I felt like I saw Maya Angelou smile, her eyes crinkling at the corners. The healthy dose of humour, which she used to describe the bad things that happened to her, shows, in my opinion, acceptance, something that exists on the other side of hate directed not only at one’s offenders but at all humanity. I admire it. I also felt, though, that the author did not share everything, skipping and blurring some details, mostly about her family. It didn’t affect the enjoyment from reading, as it sometimes does when an author tries to hide something in order to make themselves appear better than their actions or thoughts would have led readers to believe. With Maya Angelou, the reason for evasiveness was different. At least, that’s my impression. I completely understand her wish to shield, for example, her mother from public scrutiny and condemnation. The part that I particularly enjoyed is where the author shares her memories of the time she and her brother spent living with their grandmother in a small town in the South. Although she had written the book when she was an adult, she managed to convey her memories through the lens of a little girl. And it was fascinating to learn about life in the US in the 30s-40s as a black girl saw and felt it. At that age, we don’t judge, we watch. We draw conclusions according to our still pure system of values, not yet fiddled with by society, mass media, and politicians. When Maya Angelou described the scene where white girls demonstrated disrespect to her grandmother, she told us about what she was thinking and how she was feeling at that moment, rather than what we should think and feel. That is what I loved most about this book. I was offered the facts, not necessarily objective ones, but such as the author perceived them. And I was given the freedom to ponder and decide. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A must read for anyone feeling down *by M***G on February 26, 2026* Angelou is highly regarded and for good reason. This book is on the level of classics like To Kill a Mockingbird, and My Bondage and My Freedom. It’s a beautiful story, and also has an introduction by Oprah Winfrey, which is a lovely edition to read. It’s a book that gives me personally a little bit of hope in life, every time I read it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ A nonchalant life and book *by D***C on November 4, 2025* Maya Angelou wrote her life story so nonchalantly. I love that because that’s how life should be. We survive much better when we live through our traumas and healings in a casual calm, and relaxed manner. No need for anxiety, interest or enthusiasm. Bad things can happen. Good things can happen. Stay on your course what ever that may be. That one lesson, though there are many more, is worth five stars from this reader. ## Frequently Bought Together - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Fahrenheit 451 - Animal Farm: 75th Anniversary Edition --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.be/products/199532-i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings](https://www.desertcart.be/products/199532-i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings) --- *Product available on Desertcart Belgium* *Store origin: BE* *Last updated: 2026-05-25*