Letter to My Daughter

By: Maya Angelou

Narrated by: Maya Angelou

Length: 2 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's Summary

For a world of devoted readers, a much-awaited new volume of absorbing stories and inspirational wisdom from one of our best-loved writers.

Dedicated to the daughter she never had but sees all around her, Letter to My Daughter reveals Maya Angelou's path to living well and living a life with meaning. Told in her own inimitable style, this book transcends genres and categories: guidebook, memoir, poetry, and pure delight.

Here in short spellbinding essays are glimpses of the tumultuous life that led Angelou to an exalted place in American letters and taught her lessons in compassion and fortitude: how she was brought up by her indomitable grandmother in segregated Arkansas, taken in at thirteen by her more worldly and less religious mother, and grew to be an awkward, six-foot-tall teenager whose first experience of loveless sex paradoxically left her with her greatest gift, a son.

Whether she is recalling such lost friends as Coretta Scott King and Ossie Davis, extolling honesty, decrying vulgarity, explaining why becoming a Christian is a lifelong endeavor, or simply singing the praises of a meal of red rice, Maya Angelou writes from the heart to millions of women she considers her extended family.

Like the rest of her remarkable work, Letter to My Daughter entertains and teaches; it is a book to cherish, savor, re-read, and share.

©2008 Maya Angelou (P)2008 Random House Audio

Wisdom that not only experience can give...

I just saw this book appear in my library one day (after checking I found out my girlfriend got it) and it looked short enough so I thought... What the heck? To say I was impressed would be a massive understatement. If I never thought Maya Angelou was an icon before, I would know now. Her insight, humility and wisdom is something that cannot be bought and it's not something that only experience can teach. It takes something more... something that Maya Angelou clearly has. She speaks of both her shortcomings and triumphs in a great way, I often have to really just stop whatever am doing to replay a portion of book so I can really absorb what she has to say.

I first thought the book would be geared specifically for women, and maybe it is in some way that my limited insight cannot perceive. But I would suggest this book to anyone... Black... White... Mixed... Asian... Indian... male... female... whoever you are. The wisdom in this book is something that is just great to say the least, narration by Maya Angelou was a heaven sent.

Truly an EPIC piece!

My Best Listening Reviews

I am a very big fan of the author and try to get as many of her publications as possible. I am not quite finished with this book but finding it very interesting as it holds my attention with every word. And for me that is very important. Recommendation for this book A Must Have and/or Read. A+

Mistakes and personal insights, beautifully read

Maya Angelou has a voice like warm butter. If she read it aloud, she could make her grocery list sound wise and sensual and beautiful. When listening to her, I just want to nod my head and agree, grateful that she's sharing her thoughts with me. In this book, she recounts many of her personal experiences across eight decades of life. It's honest and sincere, and I was touched that she generously shared some of her own most embarrassing mistakes and what she learned about herself and the world through them.

After finishing this book, which only took a couple of hours, I reflected back on her lessons and can't say that I can embrace them all, perhaps because my experiences are not hers. But I'm nonetheless grateful that she's shared the insight she's gained through her remarkable life, and in her own voice.

Excellent!

Stories, thoughts, opinions, feelings, and impressions of her life and during her life , as told by Maya Angelo. I could listen to her voice go on and on indefinitely. I was expecting this to read more like an autobiography, but was pleasantly surprised- this is more like a memoir.

A delightful listen

A dose of Maya Angelou's typical wisdom. Shorter than I had expected but a wonderful listen nevertheless.

A Delightful Listen

What a delightful surprise to find out that Maya Angelou herself was the narrator. I felt like I was sitting at the feet of a sage, soaking in wisdom. This is a book I may end up picking up - that is the hardcopy - in order to easily reference the pearls of wisdom she graciously shares with her audience. My only criticism, is that towards the end, the stories became a bit impersonal, and seemed as if they were added as an afterthought. Didn't seem to fit with the idea of writing personal letters to a daughter. It sounded more like recycled speeches presented at other venues and hastily added towards the end of the book. This is why I gave the overall review 4 stars instead of 5.

Nail on the head!

Maya Angelou never had a daughter but this narrative of short stories and lessons, told in only a Maya Angelou can, is remarkable. Women, men, all races and religions van benefit from this. You'll be enlightened and have new perspectives on any struggles you may be going through.

Luved It!

Loved, loved luved it! Thank you Maya! God bless you! Your legacy lives on. XO

The mom I always wanted shares her wisdom.

Beautiful, haunting and strong voice of a literary icon sharing her stories made for a personal lesson gifted to the reader (listener).

I didn't know how much I needed this until in the thick of it, and I am quite thankful for her wisdom. I am sure to listen to this book many more times throughout my life and share with the women important to me.

God Bless this woman, our surrogate Mama.

Expected

I enjoyed the book and learned more about the author. I enjoyed clipping and slowing down the read .Also the reminders of the book. New to audible and pleased.

compelling

loved it..and I love the sound of her voice she is a mother to all.

a love letter.

I have always been intrigued by this woman, at some point her story was so surreal I thought she was a work of fiction. something created by Shakespeare or Dahl, or one of the great old literary geniuses of our time. Like James Bond or Sherlock Holmes or even our beloved caped crusaders. No one could be that wise, that composed, that respectable, that admired, that reveered, that influential, that loved and that far reaching unless they were carefully created and placed between the pages of a perfectly, well thought out book. I am in awe of her and her work and I could never tire of it. she to me is the definition that not all hope is lost and our generation has someone to look up to. Letter to my daughter should be read by every woman. You may not always have great things happen to you in your life, but you can be great inspite of them. Happy Reading.

Just like sitting in grandma's kitchen

Loved every minute, eloquent witty and interesting to hear more about her life...rip Dr Angelou!

DESTINED TO CONNECT WITH Dr. FOREVER MY GRANDMAMA

I wish I met this beautiful woman
Rest in peace magnificent Queen
I love you

A Heartfelt and Honest Rambling of a Life Well Li

Loved this book. Haven't read Maya Angelou since college and it felt like slipping into an old pair of pyjamas - familiar and comforting.

She shared some harrowing experiences from her young adult years as well as her life in the arts and as part of the 60s Civil Rights movement.

Ultimately this book is a story of a woman nearing her end who has taken the time to summarise some of the high and low points of her life in the brutally honest but kind way that is distinctly Maya's voice.

The fact that she read her own book made it even more touching.

I think anyone could and should read this book.

Letter to My Daughter - Class Read

I was surprised by some of the stories I heard, some of the emotion I felt, I laughed out loud and cried all in space of 5 minutes.

What a wonderful women, life and articulate way of writing! Highly recommend as you will learn and be delighted all in one!

Wonderful Memories

A delightfully written book that is full of heartfelt and heartbreaking memories. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

awesome!!!

great book. listened 3 times back to back! Maya Angelou is just bags of wisdom. I laughed, I learned, I cried

Every chapter spoke to me

I wish it was twice as long - so much packed into a short amount of words - amazing

Loved it

Love Maya Angelou's wisdom, humility and realism. Her narration makes the words come alive.