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Making Magic in the World
In this audio cassette, Maya Angelou weaves a tapestry of her life's journey. The listener gets to travel with Maya, from deep South to the heart of Africa and back again, and share the memories of those mentors and teachers who have influenced her life.
- GenresNonfiction
Audio Cassette
First published January 1, 1998
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About the author
Maya Angelou
286 books14.4k followersMaya Angelou was an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees. Angelou's series of seven autobiographies focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim.
She became a poet and writer after a string of odd jobs during her young adulthood. These included fry cook, sex worker, nightclub performer, Porgy and Bess cast member, Southern Christian Leadership Conference coordinator, and correspondent in Egypt and Ghana during the decolonization of Africa. Angelou was also an actress, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. In 1982, she was named the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Angelou was active in the Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Beginning in the 1990s, she made approximately 80 appearances a year on the lecture circuit, something she continued into her eighties. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" (1993) at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton, making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961.
With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She was respected as a spokesperson for Black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of Black culture. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, although attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.S. libraries. Angelou's most celebrated works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes that include racism, identity, family, and travel.
She became a poet and writer after a string of odd jobs during her young adulthood. These included fry cook, sex worker, nightclub performer, Porgy and Bess cast member, Southern Christian Leadership Conference coordinator, and correspondent in Egypt and Ghana during the decolonization of Africa. Angelou was also an actress, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. In 1982, she was named the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Angelou was active in the Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Beginning in the 1990s, she made approximately 80 appearances a year on the lecture circuit, something she continued into her eighties. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" (1993) at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton, making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961.
With the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She was respected as a spokesperson for Black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of Black culture. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, although attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.S. libraries. Angelou's most celebrated works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing, and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes that include racism, identity, family, and travel.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 17, 2023
Menarik. Akan cari buku-buku MA yang lain juga.
September 9, 2023
Such a beautiful human being
October 4, 2020
A delightful audiobook to listen to. Funny, critical, hard hitting at the same time. Told in form of an interview, autobiographical in nature, Maya talks about various instances from her childhood to adulthood which influenced her to be who she was. She recounts her experiences with her teachers, with influential figures we know of and of course of her Mama (grandmother). I was planning to listen to this is more than one sitting, but ended up completing it one go. It’s quite short and Maya’s calming, comforting, friendly manner keeps you hooked on. Definitely give this a listen if you have read or planning to read any of her works.
November 3, 2022
I listened to this in bed and had to turn it off about 15 minutes before the end because Maya Angelou's voice started putting me to sleep. By no means boring, but it's nice to listen to her soothing voice. I bookmarked (is it a "bookmark" when it's audio?) a few spots that felt particularly profound. Only one hour long, so it wouldn't hurt to revisit this one.
May 23, 2025
This is a sweet little audiobook that is a recording from a radio show. I love Maya Angelou's wisdom and words. She shares some experiences from her life and from her mama's life. She's someone I really respect.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews