February 22: The Complete Poetry by Maya Angelou

Throughout her illustrious career in letters, Maya Angelou gifted, healed, and inspired the world with her words. Now the beauty and spirit of those words live on in this new and complete collection of poetry that reflects and honors the writer’s remarkable life.

Every poetic phrase, every poignant verse can be found within the pages of this sure-to-be-treasured volume—from her reflections on African American life and hardship in the compilation.

From "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'fore I Diiie" ("Though there's one thing that I cry for / I believe enough to die for / That is every man's responsibility to man") to her revolutionary celebrations of womanhood in the poem "Still I Rise" ("Out of the huts of history's shame / I rise / Up from a past that's rooted in pain / I rise") to her "On the Pulse of Morning" tribute at President William Jefferson Clinton's inauguration ("Lift up your eyes upon / The day breaking for you. / Give birth again / To the dream.").

Maya Angelou: The Complete Poetry also features her final long-form poems, including "A Brave and Startling Truth," "Amazing Peace," "His Day Is Done," and the honest and endearing "Mother":

"I feared if I let you go
You would leave me eternally.
You smiled at my fears, saying
I could not stay in your lap forever"

This collection also includes the never-before-published poem "Amazement Awaits," commissioned for the 2008 Olympic Games:

"We are here at the portal of the world we had wished for
At the lintel of the world we most need.
We are here roaring and singing.
We prove that we can not only make peace, we can bring it with us."

Timeless and prescient, this definitive compendium will warm the hearts of Maya Angelou's most ardent admirers as it introduces new readers to the legendary poet, activist and teacher — a phenomenal woman for the ages.

Located in Hunt Valley, Maryland and part of Baltimore County, Greetings & Readings of Hunt Valley is the premier independent gift store in Maryland. Fiction, fashion and fun.

February 1: Rainbow in the Cloud by Maya Angelou

"Words mean more than what is set down on paper," Maya Angelou wrote in her groundbreaking memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Indeed, Angelou's words have traveled the world and transformed lives - inspiring, strengthening, healing. Through a long and prolific career in letters, she became one of the most celebrated voices of our time.

Now, in this collection of sage advice, humorous quips, and pointed observations culled from the author's great works, including The Heart of a Woman, On the Pulse of Morning, Gather Together in My Name, and Letter to My Daughter, Maya Angelou's spirit endures.

Rainbow in the Cloud: The Wisdom and Spirit of Maya Angelou offers resonant and rewarding quotes on such topics as creativity and culture, family and community, equality and race, values and spirituality, parenting and relationships. Perhaps most special, Maya Angelou's only son, Guy Johnson, has contributed some of his mother's most powerful sayings, shared directly with him and the members of their family.

A treasured keepsake as well as a beautiful tribute to a woman who touched so many, Rainbow in the Cloud reminds us that "If one has courage, nothing can dim the light which shines from within."

Located in Hunt Valley, Maryland, and part of Baltimore County, Greetings & Readings of Hunt Valley is the premier independent gift store in Maryland. Fiction, fashion and fun.

February 19: Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou

For the first time, on sale April&nbsp2, one of America's most celebrated writers shares the deepest personal story of her life: the story of her relationship with her mother.

In Mom & Me & Mom, Maya Angelou, the celebrated author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, shares the intimate story of her relationship with her mother, a first black woman officer in the Merchant Marines and a purveyor of a gambling business and rooming house, relating the events that prompted her mother to send young Angela away and the complicated fallout that shaped their family life.

Located in Hunt Valley, Maryland and part of Baltimore County, Greetings & Readings of Hunt Valley is the premier independent bookstore in Maryland.