Maya Angelou has fascinated, moved, and inspiredcountless readers with the first three volumes ofher autobiography, one of the most remarkablepersonal narratives of our age.

Now, in her fourthvolume, The Heart of a Woman, herturbulent life breaks wide open with joy as thesinger-dancer enters the razzle-dazzle of fabulousNew York City.

There, at the Harlem Writers Guild,her love for writing blazes anew.

Hercompassion and commitment lead her to respond to thefiery times by becoming the northern coordinatorof Martin Luther King's history-making quest.

Atempestuous, earthy woman, she promises her heart toone man only to have it stolen, virtually on herweding day, by a passionate African freedomfighter.

Filled with unforgettable vignettes offamous characters, from Billie Holiday to MalcolmX, The Heart of a Woman singswith Maya Angelou's eloquent prose -- her fondestdreams, deepest disappointments, and her dramaticallytender relationship with her rebellious teenageson.

Vulnerable, humorous, tough, Maya speaks withan intimate awareness of the heart within all ofus.From the Paperback edition.