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Author, screenwriter and poet Maya Angelou distills the wisdom of a lifetime into this inspiring collection of down-to-earth essays about matters timely and timeless. The author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings celebrates the inimitable strength of her womanhood and the power of the word to surpass all boundaries of society and humanity.
Maya Angelou was raised in Stamps, Arkansas. In addition to her bestselling autobiographies, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and The Heart of a Woman, she wrote numerous volumes of poetry, among them Phenomenal Woman, And Still I Rise, On the Pulse of Morning, and Mother. Maya Angelou died in 2014.
Angelou was among the first, if not the first, to create a literary franchise based on autobiographical writings. In the series' six titles -- beginning with the classic I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and followed by Gather Together in My Name, Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas, Heart of a Woman, All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes, and 2002's A Song Flung Up to Heaven -- Angelou tells her story in language both no-nonsense and intensely spiritual.
Angelou's facility with language, both on paper and as a suede-voiced speaker, have made her a populist poet. Her 1995 poem "Phenomenal Woman" is still passed along the Web among women as inspiration ("It's in the reach of my arms/The span of my hips/The stride of my steps/The curl of my lips./I'm a woman/Phenomenally/Phenomenal woman/That's me"), and her 1993 poem "On the Pulse of the Morning," written for Bill Clinton's presidential inauguration, was later released as a Grammy-winning album.
Angelou often cites other writers (from Kenzaburo Oe to James Baldwin) both in text and name. But as often as not, her major mentors were not writers – she had been set to work with Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. before each was assassinated, stories she recounts in A Song Flung Up to Heaven.
Given her rollercoaster existence -- from poverty in Arkansas to journalism in Egypt and Ghana and ultimately, to her destiny as a successful writer and professor in the States – it's no surprise that Angelou hasn't limited herself to one or two genres. Angelou has also written for stage and screen, acted, and directed. She is the rare author from whom inspiration can be derived both from her approach to life as from her talent in writing about it. Reading her books is like taking counsel from your wisest, favorite aunt.
Angelou speaks six languages, including West African Fanti.
She taught modern dance at the Rome Opera House and the Hambina Theatre in Tel Aviv.
Before she became famous as a writer, Maya Angelou was a singer. Miss Calypso is a CD of her singing calypso songs.
jacobforman57
Posted Tue Oct 26 00:00:00 EDT 2010
Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now by Maya Angelou is a perfect book that is extremely inspirational. In this book Maya talks about basically anything that a woman could go through. She uses past experiences to connect with the reader on a different level then most readers. This book explains what it means to truly live well. She talks about sprituality and how to incorperate it into your everyday life, how it can shape your life, and the power of spirituality. I beileve this book is great for whoever feels like they might need a little advice or guidance. Maya Angelou in this book hits the nail right on the head she talks about exaclty what you want to hear. the book is inspirational and hits on a personal note. Many people might think Maya is to striaght foward which she is but thats exactly how she gets her points across especially the ones that have the most meaning. If you want to read a great book pick this one up off the shelf, it's not that long but the meaning behind it is extremly moving even for men. So please take this reconmendation into consideration I highly reconmend this book!
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Geebaw
Posted Tue Apr 14 00:00:00 EDT 2009
I love this book and buy it often as a gift (as was this purchase!). The short little essays make the perfect bedtime read...or ideal for taking along on a trip. Maya is one of my heroes and inspirations!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Sun May 18 00:00:00 EDT 2003
¿Wouldn¿t Take Nothing for my Journey Now,¿ is a collection of poems and short stories, which makes it very difficult to summarize. Each poem addresses a different topic which is why I cannot summarize the book. But, I enjoyed the book very much and the topics which it addressed were interesting. They were stimulating because it made the reader take a look at themselves and their lives and examine their behavior. Mrs. Angelou plays with her words and expresses her thoughts in a unique way. Which, is why I think I find her literature interesting and easy to read. Since, this was the first book I read, I didn¿t know anything about Ms. Angelou. But, by the end of the book I felt like I knew her. By reading the book I got an idea of the topics which were important to her and how she felt about them. Some of the topics give the reader clues as to the kind of environment she grew up in and the life she lived. This book allows the reader to get to know the author and her innermost thoughts (some of which you might not find in her biographies). I truly enjoyed reading this book.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted Mon Apr 16 00:00:00 EDT 2001
This book lets you inhale a new life, but at the same time keep you balanced. Words of wisdom walk you though that fine line of where were you then and what are you today.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.TheCE
Posted Tue Oct 26 00:00:00 EDT 2010
Maya Angelou's Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now is an insightful read. It is a great way to get a view into the mind of Maya Angelou. The book contains her inner thoughts on issues such as style: "Style is unique and nontransferable." and complaints: "Whining is not only graceless, but can be deadly." Maya Angelou has distinct views on life based on her family members that she brings up in the book, as well as her upbringing in a town in Arkansas. Based on the life lessons she learns from her strong female relatives give a view into the culture of a strong black women. As insightful as the book is, it can sometimes be incredibly tedious to read. The book sometimes has very tedious parts to read that offer very little view into her culture. The book also offers little advancement at a time. It can also be rather boring. When reading at night I fell asleep often, and I often would take breaks from reading this book to do other activities. I would also sometimes find myself making excuses not to finish reading the book. Despite all the drawbacks, Maya Angelou's Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now is an insightful read for anyone interested in the culture of a black woman.
1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Sat Jan 23 00:00:00 EST 2010
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Posted Wed Jun 10 00:00:00 EDT 2009
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Overview
Author, screenwriter and poet Maya Angelou distills the wisdom of a lifetime into this inspiring collection of down-to-earth essays about matters timely and timeless. The author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings celebrates the inimitable strength of her womanhood and the power of the word to surpass all boundaries of society ...