The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother

Rating:
Summary: A Great Read
Review: This is truly a great book composed of two inspirational stories: a black man's recount of his difficult childhood, and his white mother's experience of racism, forbidden love, and raising 12 black children. I found it very uplifting in how people can overcome great odds (poverty, racism and lack of family support) to achieve their goals in life. It made me believe that I can do almost anything, especially since I don't have those problems. James McBride's story gave me more confidence that I can do it all. A worthy book to read by far.

Rating:
Summary: Warning: This is A Book You Can't Put Down!
Review: McBride is an amazing writer. His mother, who always agreed with him that she was a "light-skinned Black", finally reveals her true heritage: that her parents were poor Polish Jewish immigrants who had settled in rural Virginia. My own parents are also Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, and McBride does a masterful job as he alternates chapters about his and his mother's life: one chapter about their lives in New York as African Americans, the next about her being raised as the daughter of a Rabbi in rural Virginia. He conveys so well the "Yiddishkeit", the Jewish upbringing, of his mother: the observance of the religion and the culture, her isolation, her horrible treatment at the hands of her father, and how she was shunned by the other Jews, who were wealthier, as well as by most of the non-Jews. The only warmth she found from any community was from the Blacks who frequented her father's store (he ended up being a merchant, as that brought in more money than being a Rabbi.). It is no wonder, then, that when she reached adulthood she ended up marrying two African American men, raising a dozen children in a Black community in New York, and demanding that they attend Church as well as get a college education. In spite of her wounding, she lifts herself out of an oppressive background not only to gain happiness for herself, but to transmit important values to her children. What is conveyed throughout is McBride's tremendous love and admiration for his mother. This book is a triumph.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best books ever
Review: I loved it! I laughed, I cried, I was moved and overwhelmed by the superlative writing and characters.

Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary story about a family
Review: I saw McBride on C-Span after a book club dissected his book. (It was a re-run.) That convinced me to get it and I was not disappointed. This man can write! I am overwhelmed by all kinds of emotions dredged up by the story of McBride, his siblings, his extended family and his extraordinary mother. I hated Ruth's Orthodox father and am sad that such a pervert came to signify Judaism. This horrible little man is a twisted distortion of the Torah. I am not at all surprised that Ruth never wanted anything to do with the religion he distorted. As for Ruth's New York relatives, they are familiar but I still wonder if Ruth's memories of them and how they treated her were not colored by the bleak abusive childhood she had back home in the store. After all, the relatives did take her in every summer, and for an entire school year during the Depression and helped her solve a problem as a teenager. I'm sorry Ruth and her sister were unable to comfort each other better until they could escape. I do think Ruth's nurturing of her McBride/Jordan clan is breathtaking. It is disturbing that violence is so common in the story. There's the abuse Ruth and her mother suffered at the hands of her repulsive father, the beatings Ruth gave her own children, and the street life McBride favored as a punk teenager. I also had a bleak, poverty-filled childhood with uncaring relatives and in my case, a devoted father, but my life was devoid of the violence depicted here. For me, it explains a lot about the teenage punk McBride. It's a great book.

Rating:
Summary: A family's love triumphs over race, poverty,tradition & hate
Review: James McBride is a most outstanding narrator of his childhood story. Intertwined is his mother's version of her own life as it pertains to her life before and after she left her Jewish family to move to Harlem. James and his 11 siblings struggle growing up as part of an inter-racial family. His mother, the daughter of a hypocritical rabbi, gave up her Jewish faith and was excommunicated from all family contact after leaving the South to live with Dennis, a black man. Among bigotry, hatred, poverty, personal hardships & triumphs, Ruth raises 12 children and puts them through college, founded a church, and becomes a shining star of truth and love to her adult children. A true and heartfelt story of personal beauty, full of laughter, sadness, and ultimate respect for a woman who lived against all odds, but was triumphant with God on her side and her unwavering love for her children. Don't miss this one!

Rating:
Summary: Color Of Water
Review: As a fitrst time reader, I really like this book because it was well written and understandable. I usually don't read this kind of books, but to me it was very interested. When authers write books we don't know what they went through in their lifes and that's why they let us know about it with their writtings. I wish Mr. Mcbride has more books like this one.

Rating:
Summary: I really loved this book so much
Review: I really loved this book because how his mom raised 12 kids and how she survived day to day, and how she sended her 12 kids to college and they all graduated from college and were doctors, teachers and musicians. How the author James quit school and he went back to school and he got help from some people. and how his family was raised so poor and how he was the only black kid in his school, and his mom was a white women raising 12 black kids, the only white mom in a black community. I would really recommand this book for any one to read. Dan the man

Rating:
Summary: So great!
Review: That was a great story that couldnot be read without crying. I was able to feel their life, emotion, and grief. I also experienced new culture about Jewish family and black family. I haven't ever known about that before since I had grown in Korea almost for about 2o years.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I really loved reading this book.This book conveys a lot of feelings and emotions to me. This book has now become one of my favourite's.I would like the author to write some more books .

Rating:
Summary: evaluation!
Review: This book "The Color of Water" is one of my favorite now since i like ti read non-fiction. It was an an incredibal book!