Maya Angelou has become a national celebrity since she read her poem, "On the Pulse of the Morning," at the inauguration of President Clinton. Before that, she was probably best known for her autobiographical I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. What is it about Angelou's writing that is attractive to so many people? In large part, Maya Angelou's success as a writer is due to her easy-going style of writing that embraces the reader and conveys thoughts and emotions almost effortlessly. For this style, Angelou owes a great debt to her African-American heritage. Angelou is at her best when she builds on African-American traditions in her work, which she does in practically al