42 pages 1 hour read

Maya Angelou

Mom & Me & Mom

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2013

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Mom & Me & Mom is a memoir by Maya Angelou that explores her evolving relationship with her mother, Vivian Baxter, from initial abandonment to eventual reconciliation. The memoir details Angelou's experiences growing up with her paternal grandmother in Arkansas, her traumatic childhood, her and her brother Bailey's reunion with Vivian in San Francisco, and their complex emotional journey towards mutual understanding and support, culminating in Angelou finding her own identity and strength with her mother's guidance. The book references the sexual assault of a child, child abandonment, and death and depicts physical abuse of a child, domestic abuse, racism, anti-gay bias, suicidal ideation, drug addiction, and lung cancer.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou receives praise for its deep emotional narrative and beautiful prose, offering insight into the author's complex relationship with her mother. Critics appreciate Angelou's storytelling and honesty. Some find the memoir less detailed than her earlier works, lacking depth in exploring certain events. Overall, it's a heartfelt and engaging read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Mom & Me & Mom?

Readers who enjoy deeply personal memoirs with themes of family, resilience, and redemption will find Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou compelling. Fans of Becoming by Michelle Obama and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls will appreciate Angelou's candid storytelling and insightful reflections on her relationship with her mother.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Themes

Relationships: Mothers

Relationships: Daughters & Sons

Self Discovery

Topics

Gender / Feminism

Race / Racism

Women's Studies (Nonfiction)

Genre

Biography