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4.5**

I knew that I had become the woman I am because of the grandmother I loved and the mother I came to adore. Their love informed, educated, and liberated me.

you learned that you have power and determination... With those two things, you can go anywhere and everywhere.

This book was heart-wrenching and uplifting. This book is Maya Angelou's final work (I believe), published a year before her death in 2014. This book focuses on her mother, Vivian Baxter, who abandoned Maya Angelou at a young age, as well as during her young adult/early 20's, and portrays their complicated, tumultuous relationship. This book reviews the special connection of mother and child; between Vivian Baxter and Maya Angelou. Both of these women were able to move on and form such a strong loving, inspiring and supporting bond.

Before this book I had only read one other of Maya Angelou's biography- 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' published in 1969 (also a very powerful and interesting read if you have the chance to read it). There is a very long length of time between these two publications but Mom and Me and Mom almost reads like a sequel. During this book she revisits episodes noted in her previous works but has approached it from a new angle, focusing around the relationship with her mother.

Vivian Baxter is a powerful and beautiful women. She isn't perfect and is a very fierce character. She is also admirable and empowering. We are shown how she influences and helps Maya Angelou develop as a character and into her own skin. She shows encouragement and has a hand in the evolution of Maya Angelou as the writer and poet we still love today.

It was amazing to learn about both these two women. Two women I describe as power houses due to their sheer brilliance. I was especially excited to learn about Vivian Baxter as I had little knowledge of this character that played such a big part in the evolution of Maya Angelou's work, decisions, independence and self-awareness.

Both Vivian Baxter and Maya Angelou were fierce activists. Vivian Baxter set her heart out to help those who had been marginilised by society. Those people who were black, gay, women, poor, etc. and she accomplished this. In a way I think these accomplishments had a hand in the progression of helping Maya Angelou achieve so much, despite a society riddled in racism with the view that black women 'won't achieve', she did just that with Vivian Baxter's encouragement and fierceness.

I will put my foot in their door up to my hip until every woman can get in that union, and can get aboard a ship and go to sea.

It was also great that Angelou acknowledges the relationship that her brother, Bailey, has with their mother and how this is different from the one Angelou shares with her. It is great that Angelou accepts why that relationship is so different to her own with Vivian Baxter.

Overall this book is probably one of my favourite biographies. It explores such an interesting relationship between mother and daughter and the turmoils both must face and how to overcome this. This had beautiful quotes littered throughout that my book is covered in post-its. Overall, this is a fantastic piece of 'final' work published before Maya Angelou's death.