Reviews for Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer

The average rating for Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2019-01-23 00:00:00 Harold Smith The poems in Maya Angelou's collection, "Celebrations" were associated with important public and private events. Most of the works have a message of peace and healing, and encourage an atmosphere where all people are treated as equals. Other poems celebrate particular individuals such as the birthday poem, "Continue", for Oprah Winfrey. Angelou was also an accomplished speaker so it's no surprise that she was asked to read her poems at important events. Angelou read "On the Pulse of Morning" at the 1993 inauguration of President Clinton. She was a spokesperson for African-Americans in her poem, "A Black Woman Speaks to Black Manhood", which she read at the Million Man March in 1995. For the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations, Angelou's "A Brave and Startling Truth" is dedicated to the hope for peace and "A climate where every man and every woman/ Can live freely without sanctimonious piety/ Without crippling fear".

Review # 2 was written on 2020-12-08 00:00:00 Derrick Taylor CELEBRATIONS: Rituals of Peace and Prayer by Maya Angelou is a collection of 'timely and timeless poems', one of which Angelou read at President Clinton's 1993 inauguration, one of which she read at the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nation, one to celebrate her nephew's Bar Mitzvah, one to celebrate her mother on Mother's Day, and so many more. On the back cover, it says that Angelou is a chronicler of history, an advocate of peace, and a champion for the planet and I couldn't have said it any better than this since all of these descriptions fit so well. I loved every single poem, was mesmerised by Angelou's graceful, dignified and elongated style and her use of poetic devices. I'm rating this book with ★★★★★