Maya Angelou Collections books in order

Maya Angelou's poetry collections span from 1971 to 2011 and include her most celebrated verse, from And Still I Rise to On the Pulse of Morning.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie 1971 Maya Angelou Buy
2 Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well 1975 Maya Angelou Buy
3 And Still I Rise 1978 Maya Angelou Buy
4 Now Sheba Sings the Song 1987 Maya Angelou Buy
5 I Shall Not Be Moved 1990 Maya Angelou Buy
6 The Poetry of Maya Angelou 1993 Maya Angelou Buy
7 On the Pulse of Morning 1993 Maya Angelou Buy
8 Soul Looks Back in Wonder 1993 Maya Angelou Buy
9 The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou 1994 Maya Angelou Buy
10 The Complete Collected Poems 1994 Maya Angelou Buy
11 Maya Angelou: Poems 1994 Maya Angelou Buy
12 Phenomenal Woman 1995 Maya Angelou Buy
13 A Brave and Startling Truth 1995 Maya Angelou Buy
14 Black Pearls 1998 Maya Angelou Buy
15 Van Gogh’s Ear 2005 Maya Angelou Buy
16 Amazing Peace 2005 Maya Angelou Buy
17 Celebrations 2006 Maya Angelou Buy
18 Love’s Exquisite Freedom 2011 Maya Angelou Buy

Maya Angelou’s poetry collections span four decades, beginning with Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie (1971), which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. And Still I Rise (1978) contains her most famous poem and became the collection most associated with her name. I Shall Not Be Moved (1990) continued her poetic voice into the new decade.

On the Pulse of Morning (1993) brought her poetry to the widest possible audience when she read it at President Clinton’s inauguration. The Complete Collected Poems (1994) gathered her full body of verse. Later collections like Amazing Peace (2005) and Celebrations (2006) showed she was still writing poetry into her late seventies. Her poetry collections are among the most widely read in modern American literature.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Maya Angelou Collections series?

There are eighteen books in the Maya Angelou Collections series, published between 1971 and 2011.

What is the first book in the Maya Angelou Collections series?

The first book in the Maya Angelou Collections series is Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Diiie, published in 1971.

What are Maya Angelou's most famous poetry collections?

And Still I Rise (1978) is probably her best-known collection, containing the title poem that became one of the most quoted in American literature. On the Pulse of Morning (1993) was the poem she read at President Clinton’s inauguration. Phenomenal Woman (1995) features another of her signature poems. The Complete Collected Poems (1994) gathers her full body of verse in one volume.

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