Life of the Author - Maya Angelou

"On April 4, 1928, when Vivian Baxter Johnson gave birth to her second child and first daughter, she was still a happy woman. Facing a divorce was less terrifying than some other experiences Marguerite had undergone earlier in her life. Moving to The Purple Onion demanded hard work on Marguerite's part. She knew she was not an accomplished singer; she began lessons with a good teacher and then moved to Frederick Wilkerson, one of the area's best. She accepted the management's suggestion that she become "Maya Angelou," a Cuban native. She would never again be a plain United States African American woman; she would be geographically, and musically, different--perhaps even "exotic." Decades later, after she had made her mark on the literary world and was asked frequently for interviews, Angelou included her years spent with Vivian and Daddy Clidell when she spoke of the years of love she had been given as a child. Maya Angelou kept giving the lectures that made so many of her readers flock to her as a person, a speaker, a sentient and responsive human being. The invitations to come to a campus or other venue to speak had slowed appreciably, but she had learned to travel in her helpfully designed bus. She had learned to bring only trusted employees and friends with her on these travels; she had learned how to monitor her need for additional oxygen, for food that gave her stamina, for extra rest. She was husbanding what resources remained to her"--
Discover the remarkable life of Maya Angelou with a highly personal and detailed account of her challenges and triumphs  The Life of the Author: Maya Angelou delivers an engaging and thorough retelling of the life and work of the celebrated and accomplished writer, director, and essayist. The book offers readers an engrossing retelling of Maya Angelou’s entire life, from her time as a child in the segregated town of Stamps, Arkansas, to her death in 2014 in Winston-Salem.  Written with an emphasis on accessibility, the author avoids critical theory to the extent possible and focuses on the human side of Maya Angelou’s growth as a person and writer. This inspirational book tells the story of a young black woman overcoming poverty and endemic structural and personal obstacles to lead a life full of accomplishment and meaning.  Readers will also enjoy:  A thorough retelling of the time Maya Angelou spent in Africa and how it shaped her views and work  An exploration of the screenplays written by Maya Angelou  Discussions of Maya Angelou’s early life as a dancer, singer, writer and mother  Accounts of Maya Angelou’s writing and production of television shows  A fulsome treatment of Maya Angelou’s work, including her poems, autobiographies, films, music, and theatre  Perfect for any of the millions of people who love Maya Angelou and her work, The Life of the Author: Maya Angelou will also earn a place in the libraries of biography and literature enthusiasts who seek to improve their understanding of the life and story of Maya Angelou with a highly personal and accessible new book.