We have a favor to ask. One of our advertisers is conducting a survey, and we'd be grateful for your help, answering a few of their questions. It'll take less than 10 minutes for your time, and your participation helps our show. You can go to slate study.com right now to complete the short

survey. Thanks. Today on Studio 360, how Maya Angela turned memories of the brutal racism of her

childhood into a gorgeous, important book. She identified with that caged bird with this tremendous impulse to fly, to be free of that cage.

I know why the caged bird sings, the newest American icon.

Plus, some of Liz Faire's best-known lyrics started as college kid thought she hadn't planned to share, let alone sing for decades.

Be careful what you scribble in your journal, because you might just have to be performing it at 52.

You know, like, be careful what you do.

I talked to Liz Faire about her new book, 90s nostalgia,

and that time everybody said she'd sold out.

That's ahead on Studio 360, right after this.

This is Studio 360.

I'm Kurt Aniston, and I'm sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

This first level of garden.

This is Thomas Jefferson's vegetable garden.

I like to have the roasted chicken base.

Very well done.

Editing is all about timing.

I try to get a little bit away from the actual subject.

You must get sick of your own voice, right?

Studio 360.

With Kurt Anderson.

Given how ubiquitous memoirs are today, people actually get master's degrees in memoir writing,

...