Order of Book Series
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Maya Angelou Books in Order

Maya Angelou has written 51 books, published between 1969 and 2014. The first book is I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) and the newest is Strategies of Abundance (2014). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
51
Published
1969–2014
Pages on record
4,396 in 33 of 51 books
Reading time
73–110 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 4,396 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 33 of 51 titles with a page count on record.

See all 51 books in order Printable Maya Angelou checklist
Photo of Maya Angelou, author

Maya Angelou (April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014), born Marguerite Annie Johnson, was an American memoirist, poet, essayist and civil rights activist. Angelou published seven autobiographies, three books of essays and several books of poetry. The first autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), covers Angelou's life up to age 17. Other catalogued titles include Gather Together in My Name (1974), Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas (1976), The Heart of a Woman (1981) and All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986). The catalogue counts 51 books, including And Still I Rise (1978), and ends with Strategies of Abundance (2014). Angelou received more than 50 honorary degrees.

How many Maya Angelou books are there?

Maya Angelou has 51 books, released between 1969 and 2014. They include 2 series and 38 titles listed outside any series.

Maya Angelou Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 51 Maya Angelou books in the order they were released, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, book 1 of the Maya Angelou's Autobiography series (1969)
  2. Cover of Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Diiie by Maya Angelou (1971)
  3. Cover of Gather Together in My Name by Maya Angelou, book 2 of the Maya Angelou's Autobiography series (1974)
  4. Cover of Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well by Maya Angelou (1975)
  5. Cover of Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas by Maya Angelou (1976)
  6. Cover of And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou (1978)
  7. Cover of The Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou, book 4 of the Maya Angelou's Autobiography series (1981)
  8. Cover of Shaker, Why Don't You Sing? by Maya Angelou (1983)
  9. Cover of All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes by Maya Angelou, book 5 of the Maya Angelou's Autobiography series (1986)
  10. Cover of Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou (1987)
  11. Cover of Now Sheba Sings the Song by Maya Angelou (1987)
  12. Cover of I Shall Not Be Moved by Maya Angelou (1990)
  13. Cover of Life Doesn't Frighten Me by Maya Angelou (1993)
  14. Cover of Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now by Maya Angelou (1993)
  15. Cover of Soul Looks Back in Wonder by Maya Angelou (1993)
  16. Cover of The Complete Collected Poems by Maya Angelou (1994)
  17. Cover of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou (1995)
  18. Cover of A Brave and Startling Truth by Maya Angelou (1995)
  19. Cover of Even the Stars Look Lonesome by Maya Angelou (1996)
  20. Cover of Kofi and His Magic by Maya Angelou (1996)
  21. Cover of Making Magic in the World by Maya Angelou (1998)
  22. Cover of Amistad by Maya Angelou (1998)
  23. Cover of Mary Ellen Mark by Maya Angelou (1999)
  24. Cover of Graduation by Maya Angelou (2000)
  1. 1
    I Know Why the Caged Bird SingsMaya Angelou's Autobiography #11969 · 281 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1969281
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Diiie1971 · 48 pages · confirmed 1/4
    197148
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Gather Together in My NameMaya Angelou's Autobiography #21974 · 214 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1974214
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well1975 · 67 pages · confirmed 1/4
    197567
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like ChristmasMaya Angelou's Autobiography #31976 · 288 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1976288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    And Still I Rise1978 · 54 pages · confirmed 1/4
    197854
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    The Heart of a WomanMaya Angelou's Autobiography #41981 · 288 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1981288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    Shaker, Why Don't You Sing?1983 · 44 pages · confirmed 1/4
    198344
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    Mrs. Flowers1986 · 32 pages · confirmed 1/4
    198632
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    All God's Children Need Traveling ShoesMaya Angelou's Autobiography #51986 · 224 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1986224
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    Letter to My Daughter1987 · 166 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1987166
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    Now Sheba Sings the Song1987 · 54 pages · confirmed 1/4
    198754
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    I Shall Not Be Moved1990 · 48 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199048
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    Life Doesn't Frighten Me1993 · 32 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199332
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now1993 · 141 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1993141
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    The Poetry of Maya Angelou1993 · confirmed 1/4
    1993–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    On the Pulse of Morning1993 · confirmed 1/4
    1993–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    Soul Looks Back in Wonder1993 · 40 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199340
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken, and Me1994 · confirmed 1/4
    1994–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou1994 · confirmed 1/4
    1994–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    The Complete Collected Poems1994 · 273 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1994273
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    Maya Angelou: Poems1994 · 209 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1994209
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    Phenomenal Woman1995 · 22 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199522
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    A Brave and Startling Truth1995 · 30 pages · confirmed 1/4
    199530
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    Even the Stars Look Lonesome1996 · 145 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1996145
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    Kofi and His Magic1996 · confirmed 1/4
    1996–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    The Voyage of the Amistad1997 · confirmed 1/4
    1997–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    Making Magic in the World1998 · confirmed 1/4
    1998–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    Amistad1998 · 127 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1998127
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    Black Pearls1998 · confirmed 1/4
    1998–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Maya Angelou books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. None of these groups has a reading-order page of its own on this site.

Maya Angelou's Autobiography in order

7 books
  1. 1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
  2. 2. Gather Together in My Name
  3. 3. Singin' and Swingin' and Gettin' Merry Like Christmas
  4. 4. The Heart of a Woman
  5. 5. All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes
  6. 6. A Song Flung Up to Heaven
  7. 7. Mom & Me & Mom

Maya's World in order

5 books
  1. 1. Angelina of Italy
  2. 2. Izak of Lapland
  3. 3. Mikale of Hawaii
  4. 4. Renee Marie of France
  5. 5. Cedric of Jamaica

Poetry for Young People in order

1 book
  1. 25. Poetry for Young People

Standalone books

38 books

38 Maya Angelou titles here are not listed as part of any series.

Maya Angelou Books in Chronological Order

By publication date, the Maya Angelou books run from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969) to Strategies of Abundance (2014), the sequence in the table above. No separate story order is recorded for Maya Angelou in the book listings this catalogue merges, so publication order is the only order on record.

Do you have to read Maya Angelou books in order?

You only need to read Maya Angelou books in order within each series: the books listed here span 2 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with Maya Angelou

Start with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), the earliest published title.

What is the newest Maya Angelou book?

Strategies of Abundance (2014) is the newest Maya Angelou book released so far.

Is there a new Maya Angelou book coming?

No next Maya Angelou book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Awards Maya Angelou has won

Wikidata records 2 awards for Maya Angelou. Each row states whether the title won or was shortlisted, and the year the award was given.

  • Langston Hughes Medal1991Won
  • North Carolina Award for Literature1987Won

Maya Angelou at a glance

Died
Maya Angelou died in 2014, according to Wikidata.
Last book
The newest book credited to Maya Angelou on record dates from 2014.
Release pace
Maya Angelou books have appeared about one a year on average.
Length
4,396 pages across the 33 of 51 books with a recorded length, a median of 128 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Maya Angelou books, 19 of 51, were published in the 1990s.

What the Maya Angelou books are about

43 of the 51 Maya Angelou books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: african american authors is tagged on 15 of 43. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.