Title: Mom & Me & MomSynopsis: The story of Maya Angelou’s extraordinary life has been chronicled in her multiple bestselling autobiographies. But now, at last, the legendary author shares the deepest personal story of her life: her relationship with her mother.
For the first time, Angelou reveals the triumphs and struggles of being the daughter of Vivian Baxter, an indomitable spirit whose petite size belied her larger-than-life presence—a presence absent during much of Angelou’s early life. When her marriage began to crumble, Vivian famously sent three-year-old Maya and her older brother away from their California home to live with their grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. The subsequent feelings of abandonment stayed with Angelou for years, but their reunion, a decade later, began a story that has never before been told. In Mom & Me & Mom, Angelou dramatizes her years reconciling with the mother she preferred to simply call “Lady,” revealing the profound moments that shifted the balance of love and respect between them.
Delving into one of her life’s most rich, rewarding, and fraught relationships, Mom & Me & Mom explores the healing and love that evolved between the two women over the course of their lives, the love that fostered Maya Angelou’s rise from immeasurable depths to reach impossible heights.
What I thought about the book: I listened to an audiobook of this read by Maya Angelou, the best way to read a memoir in my opinion. (Check out John Cleese’s audio memoir as well it’s very funny)
In this memoir, Angelou explores her relationship with her mother which was pretty non-existent in the early years of her life but grew into something resilient and empowering later.
Her mother was essentially a stranger to her as a child, she chose to call her Lady instead of Mom which says a lot about the distance she felt. It also shows how she saw her as no ordinary woman but as someone to look up to, someone refined and feminine but still in charge.
This book really shows how love grows between people and how it makes us stronger.
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Nice review! I’ve only read I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, but someday I’m hoping to read Angelou’s other memoirs. I’ve just started trying out audiobooks, but I definitely can see what you mean about listening to memoirs. There’s something powerful about listening to an author tell their story in their own voice.
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I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is great as well. She’s a very interesting and inspiring woman.
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This was a fitting end to her chapter of memoirs, one that came full circle in reaching that point of healing, having forgiven her mother and found compassion. I recall some criticized her for supposedly changing her mind, but by the time one arrives in one’s 80’s I certainly would hope we are all capable of letting go of the mistakes our families may have made. This is what Maya Angelou demonstrates and reminds us all to take good care of children, of the innocent. Thanks for a lovely review.
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I’ve ordered book 2 after starting into the collection a few weeks back. Incredible lady!
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Yes, she’s very inspirational.
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Beautifully-written review, Elaine! I listened to this on audio, too! It added everything to the experience. I agree about audios and memoirs. The best!
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Thank you 🙂 I really enjoyed listening to John Cleese’s memoir on audio as well. It was quite funny.
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Awesome! Can we connect?
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