The Color of Water [Paperback]

 

 

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A beuatifully written book about a mulatto son and her white mother, The Color of water stands out as one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. It shows how through courage, a sense of direction, unity and sacrifice, a person can achieve sucess in present day America.

Also recommended: THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES, DREAMS FROM MY FATHER,THE GODFATHER

The Color of Water is one of the best books that anyone can read. After reading this book several times, I would recommend it to anyone. The memoir not only expresses how religion is important to one's life, but it demonstrates the need to know of one's past to know where one is going in the future. The author James McBride writes how he struggled with knowing his identity, and through his struggles he finds that it is not the color of one's skin that matters but it is the person's dedication, perseverance, and faith that counts. McBride also illustrates how the strong will of his white mother, Ruth McBride Jordan, produced twelve successful black adults from the projects of Harlem.
Ruth's story is not only unforgettable, but it is also encouraging for men and women alike. After being disowned by her family, burying two husbands, and forced to raise twelve children on her own, Ruth shows what being strong-willed and having strong faith is all about. McBride's juxtaposition of his life story, with his mother's allows the reader to see that Ruth's commitment to her family has made James and his siblings the affluent adults they are today. A quote from chapter two, The Bicycle, represents this, "The nuts and bolts of raising us was left to Mommy, who acted as chief surgeon..., war secretary..., religious consultant..., and financial advisor." Ruth was always there for her children, and this book is a wonderful tribute to her and mothers everywhere.

James McBride wrote this autobiography,The Color of Water, to his white mother, Ruchel Dwarja Zsylslca. This book narrates the life of, recently Rachel Deborah Shilsky, now Ruth Jordan McBride, to a polish orthodox Jewish family that emigrated in 1921 to the United States. Close to poverty, Ruth amazingly raised twelve children in Brooklyn's Red Hook housing projects. The memoir narrates in a chronological order of his mother and him. The book first asks and then answers the question: What makes people diverge, Jews and Christians, blacks and whites? And, what traits all people have in common?
Ruth kept a secretive past. She never revealed any information about her heritage and roots. Ruth would always reply "I'm light-skinned," when asked by James why she looked different from the kids parents that rode the bus as him. When he'd ask if he was either black or white she would say "You're a human being." She snapped. "Educate yourself or you'll be a nobody." His older siblings had grown out of questioning their mom of her ethnicity but James was not going to be like his sisters and brothers he wanted a forward answer.
Ruth had embrased the Christainity of her husband and raised her children up as Christains. There was a time when James had asked his mother whether God was black or white. She explained God was a spirit. James then asked "What color is God's spirit?"
She would say "It doesn't have a color."
"What color is God."
She'd answer "God is the color of water. And water doesn't have a color." James had accepted that answer and it was the last time he asked her about God and color again.
In the midst of the harsh prejudice against mixed marriages and children, as he and his mother and father were, there was a point in James' life where he felt embarrassed and ashamed of his white mother and the fact that he was mixed. As James grew up he hung around mainly blacks because he felt white people were "fake". All the grief, pain, and the downfalls made him turn a corner in his life. At this point and time of his life he began to smoke weed, steal, and snatch elderly women purses from underneath their arms and watch them scream for help. His "partners in crime" refused to steal purses any longer because they felt it was bad but, James continued to do it alone. He began to ditch school causing his terrific and outstanding grades of straight A's to drop and ruin his education.
James and his siblings really never had a stable home because their mom was always moving, trying to manage things, and searching for a better home, school, neighborhood and not to mention, good and reliable neighbors for her and her kids to have. The reason for this commotion was that after several years of happiness and devotion with her husband he would die, leaving her nothing but some bills to pay, although it was not meant to happen like that, it did, twice. Also, the fact that the oldest children of the house were going to college and moving out on their own made a change to the house. Ruth had it hard not only then but also as a teenager. Ridiculed for marrying a black man. After doing so and moving with her man she was considered out of the family by her parents and their siblings. they helped raise her by caring and watching after her every summer when she wanted to escape the life she had at home. Ruth worked for the store her father, an orthodox rabbi, owned. She was getting tired of seeing her dad dishonor her mother by cheating on her. Her mother would never agree to divorce her until he went out of town to get a quickie. And her mother was getting sick and Ruth couldn't bare to watch her mother struggle for her life. While Ruth was at home with her husband she received a phone call saying her mother was in hospital and she wasn't allowed to visit because she was no longer part of the family. She never got over it and she cried. But she had to care and feed her children and maintain a job.
To know the end of this memoir search for it, it's very interesting, easy, and hard to put down book. One thing that's so great about this book is that ALL twelve of Ruth's kids grow up to be very successful despite the hardships. That information is listed in the book as well as pictures of the huge Jordan/McBride family combined. Read this book and find out how James uncovered Ruth's history and how he does after cutting from school, taking drugs, and so on. The moral of this story is that suffering, unintended, can lead to success and happiness if you learn and change from it.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Color of Water
Fabulous book, I was riveted, after reading this book it made me think of the less fortunate, and why people can't accept other race and religions equally and live harmoneously in... Read more

Published 19 months ago by Fay

5.0 out of 5 stars A great tribute
When I first picked up "The Color of Water", I never thought it would be such a moving story. In fact it is one of the most gripping and inspirational books I have read. Read more

Published on Feb 24 2005 by Edward Tem

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this book for your mother!
This is one of the best books i have ever read!

the racial issue between a black man's perception of his white mother is presented equally with the outpouring of love and... Read more

Published on July 16 2004 by Kate C.

5.0 out of 5 stars Escape Into McBride's Plight
I read this biography over the summer during camp, when I wanted to escape from the heat (not to mention the annoyance of the little campers!). Read more

Published on Jun 1 2004 by Jill

4.0 out of 5 stars A question of identity
James McBride, the author, knew very little about his mother's heritage before he began writing this book. One thing he did know was that she was different. Read more

Published on May 22 2004 by Karen Potts

5.0 out of 5 stars Read, Read, all about it. It's emotional and inspiriational.
The color of water should be read by every high school student and by every race.

The color of water is very well put together. Read more

Published on May 19 2004 by Sana Brooks

5.0 out of 5 stars A page turner
I borrowed this book from a friend of mine who just raved over it (a Jewish white male). I'm white & my boyfriend is black. Read more

Published on Mar 11 2004 by Amy K Grissom

4.0 out of 5 stars A must read by people of all race
This is a beautiful tribute to the author's mother, who is an extrordinary woman.

Published on Mar 4 2004 by book lover

4.0 out of 5 stars The Life of Differemt Race Parents
The Color of Water is by a black man and it is a tribute from him to his white Jewish mother. The black man, James, tells his life and what it was like growing up with a white,... Read more

Published on Mar 3 2004 by Mallory Picard

5.0 out of 5 stars nicks magical review
The Color of Water (by Nicholas Tucker) Book Review.
In The Color of Water, the author, James McBride, splits his narrative into two points of view. Read more

Published on Mar 1 2004 by nick tucker

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