Mom & Me & Mom

I first heard about Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou from an interview at the back of Time Magazine called "10 Questions." I'd just finished an autobiography by Valerie Harper, I read something similiar before that, and I wasn't in the market for another memoir. However, after reading those ten simple questions in Time, I decided to buy the Kindle version of Mom & Me & Mom anyway.The book begins with the earliest part of Angelou's life and how she and her brother, Bailey, had been sent to live with their maternal grandmother. Their mother, Vivian Baxter, thought it would be a better environment for them. As a result, when it was time for them to leave the racially charged south as young adults a few years later and return to San Francisco to live with Vivian again, both Maya and Bailey held reservations...and a certain amount of resentment...toward Vivian for sending them away in the first place.These strong emotions follow the move back to San Francisco. And in this book Maya Angelou discusses the difficulties Vivian Baxter had in trying to win the trust...and respect...of her two children. Bailey seemed to take it better, where Maya missed her grandmother and didn't even want to call Vivian "Mother." It's all explained well, and it portrays Vivian as a strong, determined woman, with an intrinsic brand of wisdom her daughter, Maya, seems to have inherited from her. And while I was reading I kept wondering why I didn't dislike this woman, Vivian, who had sent her two children away to live with their grandmother more than I did, and I think that's because this story is told in a way that shows no one is perfect and we all do the best with what we have. Vivian Baxter did this with her head held high, diamonds in her ears, and a pistol in her purse.At one point in the book, Angelou discusses being raped at a very young age. Of course I'd read about this before and it wasn't a big surprise. But there are surprises in the book, and things I didn't know about Angelou I won't give away now as spoilers for those who have not read it yet. In a general sense, as the book moves forward and we see Maya learning more about Vivian Baxter, each experience Maya has is centered around Vivian's grand style, her pragmatism, and her ability to love as deeply as a mother can love.Toward the middle of the book, we see Maya growing into a woman, and dealing with a few of the realities we all face during those early years. Again, no spoilers, however, I found myself liking Vivian Baxter even more during several events that could have altered the course of Maya Angelou's entire life if it had not been for Vivian's Baxter's support. And yet, at the same time, there was nothing simple about Vivian Baxter at all. And although Angelou never really gets into this in any details, Vivian had a full life of her own, and was loved by both men and women. But never once controlled by anyone.One of the things I've always enjoyed about Maya Angelou's books is her ability to wave that proverbial magic wand and turn a pumpkin into a golden carriage, so to speak. She takes ordinary situations, and comments, and turns them into exercises in wisdom in a way that's so poetic you wind up rereading them as they come up in the book. There's one section in the book where Maya is dealing with a new career, being a single mother, and trying to be as independent as possible given her circumstances. She's overwhelmed to the point of absolute panic, and it's as frightening to read as it must have been to go through at the time. Yet in the end, she leaves us with one simple, basic word that seems to make everything okay again: gratitude.Although the difficulties of growing up African American during a period when racial tensions were high, to put it mildly, did come up, I never once found this book focusing on race. It's mentioned on occasion, and then it's time to move forward. At one point Angelou did mention how difficult it was to be a single mother. She was working two jobs at that time, and balancing what little time she did have with her son. It all came to a climax after she'd read an article in a magazine while sitting in a doctor's office one day. Angelou's son had serious allergies and the article talked about how allergies subside when the children get more attention. This infuriated her for several reasons, mostly because she didn't have the luxury of spending more time with her son. And once again, Vivian Baxter came to her side, gave her support, and turned things around with a few simple words and a very generous loan.I would recommend this book to anyone without thinking twice. I'm giving it five stars because there's no place to click where I can give it ten. It's the kind of book that would be a great read if you have the time to do in one sitting. And if you don't, I suggest reading it before you go to sleep at night because it's the kind of book that makes you feel better about yourself when you wake up in the morning.If you don't believe me, I suggest you read the free excerpt on Amazon before you go to bed tonight, which is what I did before I made the purchase.

Maya Angelou holds a very special place in my heart, for it was she who 20 years ago on the day Bill Clinton was inaugurated President, reading her "Inaugural Poem," acknowledged me as no one ever had from any Inaugural podium: "The Gay, the...," putting me before "the Straight," before "the Preacher." I recall exactly where I was as my eyes flooded just as they flooded this past Inaugural day when President Obama uttered, after Seneca Falls and Selma, "Stonewall.""I Know Why the Cage Bird Sings" is a book I have read at least three times, a book that feels so right to be reading upon a re-reading of Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird." So when 85-year-old Maya Angelou was interviewed on the NewsHour, talking about this new book, I ordered it immediately and began to read it as soon as the UPS delivery guy was back in his truck--or nearly that quickly.It's a beautiful little book with a cover that is just so perfect for the direct, simple narrative about a daughter's relationship with a mother she never knew until she was thirteen. And I treated myself to a Friday afternoon of cover-to-cover pleasure.Ms. Angelou's mother was, in the vernacular of a few people I know, "a piece of work." A gambler who spent time in jail and who actually owned a gambling operation up in Nome, Alaska, as well as what she had in San Francisco: "She gave me a key to her money closet, where she kept thousands of dollars and cases of liquor." Some liquor comes up missing. But I won't tell you why young Maya took it. You'll have to read the book to find that out.I am one of the older gay men who, denying that reality, was deceptive and married and became a parent, thinking that not only could I change my sexual desires but could be a good parent, that parenting would not be difficult. How delusional I was. So when the author of this book writes about her mother's parenting, about the fright parents often have and the thoughtless reactions we have to it, I can and do empathize as, obviously, does Ms. Angelou. Parents make mistake, sometimes, like me, far far too many.The book is filled with surprises, things I'd not known before about this gifted poet and writer of prose, and I grew to really like her mother as the writer grew to love Vivian Baxter. Let me quote this when Vivian's daughter decides to leave home to create one for herself as well as the little surprise that awaits you, the reader: "All right, you go, but remember this: When you cross my doorstep, you have already been raised. With what you have learned from your Grandmother Henderson in Arkansas and what you have learned from me, you know the difference between right and wrong. Do right. Don't let anybody raise you from the way you have been raised. Know you will always have to make adaptions, in love relationships, in friends, in society, in work, but don't let anybody change your mind. And then remember this: You can always come home."And that gave Ms. Angelou permission to take "life by the lapels."This is such a sweet, sweet book. My adult daughters' mother died in 2009--very, very sadly missed by them and so many other people her gentleness touched--and so this book is the Mother's Day gift each will receive nwzr month. Thank you, Maya Angelou. You are so cherished.

I have given Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou five out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I really enjoyed learning about Maya Angelou’s personal life, whether that be through her good times or bad times, you could tell just how much those events impacted her through her artistry and writing. Maya Angelou’s biggest impact of all was definitely her mother, Vivian Baxter.Vivian Baxter was a strong, powerful and big character, which I thought Angelou managed to bring all of these qualities to life well through the pages of her autobiography. The relationship shared between Maya and Vivian was very rocky and difficult towards the beginning, which is completely understandable considering Vivian had sent Maya and Bailey away to live with their grandmother when they were younger, but once they meet again their relationship slowly starts to build back up. It’s really nice to see the changes in their relationship start to shine through. Seeing how strong Vivian helped Maya to become on paper was like nothing g I’ve ever read before, it made me feel uplifted and strong in myself just from reading their words.Despite the timeline of certain parts of their lives being stilted in this book, I thought Angelou’s writing flowed really well. Her writing is simplistic and yet she manages to pull you in right from the beginning and keep your attention and focus on this story throughout.I was quite shocked to find out some of the details that happened throughout Maya Angelou’s life, some very saddening events that took place. Although I have great respect for this woman, just by reading this autobiography it gave me a whole new level of understanding why I respect her so much.I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy Maya Angelou’s writing and would like to know more about her personal life as well as her relationship between herself and her mother.

This is the most amazing book that I have ever read. Although I got it because I needed to read an extract for an assignment, I ended up reading the whole book. It made me feel so many different emotions and there were definitely times when I laughed and many where I cried till my eyes were blurred and I had to pause until I could see clearly again.Her struggles inspired me to keep going no matter what and to never give up. I couldn’t put this book down and I will certainly be reading more of Maya Angelou’s works.

I had no idea Maya Angelou had done so much in her life and the same goes for her mother. "Lady" was a big influence on her daughter. Without her strong character, I wonder if Maya would gave achieved as much as she has.

We all can learn from Maya's mom to show us chin up, be proud of who you are no matter of any circumstance and environment. Sometimes in a very literal way with gun in hand she shows her dominance of don't even dare mess with her or her child but you can see through the tough actions and words and see all the lessons and confidence she has instilled in Maya. YES, read it's easy, a friend telling you what happened to her today kind of a read but with profound perspectives in between.

Maya Angelou uses her unique voice to describe her mother's life, with relatively little description of her own, but enough to give some context. It shows a amazing dynamic woman and their relationship with great love.