{"podcast":{"title":"Zero to Well-Read","slug":"zero-to-well-read-7458054","podcast_index_feed_id":7458054,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/ARML5239917426","website_url":"https://bookriot.com/listen/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/000d227e-6401-11f0-b195-8ba190ee0673/image/e3fee1181b821790fa7dee74f2a85215.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Riot New Media Group, Inc.","episode_count":47,"summary":"Part book club, part English class, Zero to Well-Read is a fun and informative guide to the books people talk about like everyone has read them. Each week, hosts Jeff O'Neal and Rebecca Schinsky take on a new title—from classics you should have read in high school to prize winners, cult favorites to modern hits—and tell you everything you need to know: the plot, what it feels like to read, why it matters, and the key takeaways.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-07T20:19:16.227807+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054"},"episode":{"title":"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou","slug":"i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings-by-maya-angelou","published_at":"2026-06-02T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054/i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings-by-maya-angelou","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054","url":"https://bookriot.com/listen/i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings-by-maya-angelou/","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/ARML6896805994.mp3","summary":"Maya Angelou's debut autobiography was an instant hit when it was published in 1969, and it has never gone out of print in the nearly 60 years since it was released. This week, Jeff and Rebecca explore what made I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings so groundbreaking, how Angelou subverted expectations at every turn, and why it continues to be widely celebrated and influential today. Subscribe to our free newsletter, and become a member for access to early, ad-free listening and bonus content. Follow Zero to Well-Read on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com Thank you to ThriftBooks for being the presenting sponsor of this season of Zero to Well-Read! Zero to Well-Read is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Go to Quince.com/wellread for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices","meta_description":"Maya Angelou's debut autobiography was an instant hit when it was published in 1969, and it has never gone out of print in the nearly 60 years since it wa…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":5727,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/zero-to-well-read-7458054/episodes/i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings-by-maya-angelou/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054/i-know-why-the-caged-bird-sings-by-maya-angelou.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}