I dedicate this book to my grandson, Colin Ashanti Murphy-Johnson

 

Special thanks to a few of the many sister/friends whose love encourages me to spell my name:

WOMAN

 

Doris Bullard, Rosa Guy, J. J. Hewitt, Ruth Love, Paule Marshall, Louise Merriwether, Dolly McPherson, Emalyn Rogers, Efuah Sutherland, Decca Treuhaft, Frances Williams, A. B. Williamson

Back Cover

The Heart of a Woman
Maya Angelou

In the fourth volume of her highly acclaimed autobiography, Maya Angelous continues one of the most remarkable -- and inspiring -- personal narratives of our age.

As The Heart of a Woman begins, her turbulent life breaks wide open with joy as the singer-dancer enters the razzle-dazzle of fabulous New York City.  There, at the Harlem Writers Guild, her love for writing blazes anew.

Her compassion and commitment lead her to respond to the fiery times by becoming the northern coordinator of Martin Luther King's history-making quest.  A tempestuous, earthy woman, she promises her heart to one man only to have it stolen, virtually on her wedding day, by a passionate African freedom fighter.

Filled with unforgettable vignettes of famous characters, from Billie Holiday to Malcolm X, The Heart of a Woman sings with Maya Angelou's eloquent prose -- her fondest dreams, her deepest disappointments, and her dramatically tender relationship with her rebellious teenage son.  Vulnerable, humorous, tough, Maya speaks with an intimate awareness of the heart within us all.

"Remarkable ... a great lady moving right on through a great memoir."
--Kirkus Reviews