Mini-Challenge Fall Catch Up Read-A-Thon

In addition to the Read-a-Thon, The True Book Addict is running a mini-challenge.The task : In honor of Banned Books Week--go to the American Library Association (ALA) banned book page, look over the Frequently Challenged Books, pick on that you have read and tell why you read it, what your thoughts, and anything else you might want to share. Then add your info to the linky.

I chose I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (for full review, click title). I just recently read this for The Birth Year Challenge hosted by Hotchpot Cafe. So, I read it primarily because it was published in 1969. But I also chose it because I had never read anything by Maya Angelou before and wanted to. I had no idea that it had ever appeared on the Challenged Book list when I read it. It is quite open about some sexually disturbing topics, so obviously that's why the book banning brigade have it listed (not that I agree that it should be banned--I do NOT support book-banning!).

As I wrote at the end of my review: The raw emotion and sensitivity of this book made it a difficult read, but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. It is a powerful memoir of growing up black and female in the 30s and 40s.