|
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother (Unabridged) | 
| Author: James Mcbride
Publisher: audible.com
Category: Book
List Price: $25.00
Buy New: $13.12
You Save: $11.88 (48%)
Rating:  587 reviews
Media: Audio Download
ASIN: B0000546AI
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
| |
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Review
Order this book ... and please don't be put off by its pallid subtitle, A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, which doesn't begin to do justice to the utterly unique and moving story contained within. The Color of Water tells the remarkable story of Ruth McBride Jordan, the two good men she married, and the 12 good children she raised. Jordan, born Rachel Shilsky, a Polish Jew, immigrated to America soon after birth; as an adult she moved to New York City, leaving her family and faith behind in Virginia. Jordan met and married a black man, making her isolation even more profound. The book is a success story, a testament to one woman's true heart, solid values, and indomitable will. Ruth Jordan battled not only racism but also poverty to raise her children and, despite being sorely tested, never wavered. In telling her story--along with her son's--The Color of Water addresses racial identity with compassion, insight, and realism. It is, in a word, inspiring, and you will finish it with unalloyed admiration for a flawed but remarkable individual. And, perhaps, a little more faith in us all.
Product Description
As a boy in Brooklyn, James McBride knew that his mother was different. But when he asked about it, she'd simply say, "I'm light-skinned". Later he wondered if he was different too, and asked his mother if he was black or white. "You're a human being", she snapped. "Educate yourself or you'll be a nobody!" When James asked what the colour of God was, she said, "God is the colour of water". As an adult, McBride finally persuaded his mother to tell the story. Her story was of a rabbi's daughter, born in Poland and raised in the South, who fled Harlem, married a black man, founded a Baptist church, and put 12 children through college. This is James McBride's tribute to his eccentric and determined mother, and an exploration of what family means.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 582 more reviews...
 A Touching Tribute December 29, 2008
Busy Mom (Ohio)
I stayed up all night to finish this book. It is a very interesting perspective of a man's mother. That isn't anything new but what makes it unique is that he is the son of a white Jewish mother and an African-American father, one of 12 children, growing up in the 50s and 60s. That makes for an unusual story in itself, but this is a tribute to a woman who defied culture and religion to be with the men she loved.
Ruth McBride was a young Jewish girl who was staying with her grandma in NYC when she met her first husband, who was working for her aunt. This book is about her marriages and her children and her struggles on raising 12 children to become professors and doctors and teachers. She was not the best cook nor was she the best housekeeper, but her son relates that she is the best motivator. She pushed and nagged her children to succeed in the world especially during the rebellious 60s. She was a matter-of-fact woman who simply answered her son's question about what does God look like? "He looks like the color of water."
This is an amazing story of a woman who faced and defied odds in her lifetime. It is also a story of a young man who did stray off the path his mother set him on but found his way back on because of her determination and love. This is a story of faith and perservance. It is a story of family and life. It is really one of the better stories I've read in the year 2008 and is one that I will share with others. This is one of the most inspiring stories that you wish there were more of.
12-28-09
Inspiring December 26, 2008
Waoac (Gig Harbor, WA)
This was an inspiring story of triumph and human spirit. We read this for my book club and it received mixed reviews. I don't know too much about the technical aspects of writing so I can't really comment about the structure of the book. This review is about the audio book version and Lanie Kazan and Andre Braugher really brought the story to life. Excellent job.
 Students #1 choice! November 15, 2008
Elaine Sohn (Brooklyn, NY)
Two Literacy Students at the Aguilar Language Learning Center (of the New York Public Library) recently read this book in their tutoring group and wrote these reviews:
MARIA LOPEZ
This book made me laugh, made me feel sad, and broke my heart. I found the book fascinating. It was a great read. One of my favorite passages was the description of Ruth riding her bicycle. One part that made me laugh and laugh was when Ruth and Mary got boyfriends. I also love when Ruth disappeared for a few days and went to Brooklyn to visit her old friends.
I loved the chapter about Chicken Man. James thought he was smarter than people thought. That is true. He is very smart! Also, I was very sad to read about how James acted as a teenager. I think that he must have felt very lonely.
I really enjoyed reading The Color of Water. I have never read a book like it before. I learned a lot about different cultures and the value of family.
MARIAME TRAORE
I recommend The Color of Water by James McBride because it teaches us about family values and culture. James McBride was raised with many brothers and sisters in the early 60 s by his white mother. As a child, McBride always questioned why he and the rest of his family look different from his mother. As he got older he found out the truth and learned to respect his family and his culture.
Allen Hoage's Review November 11, 2008
John Lichtenstein (New York, NY United States)
Take a minute for yourself and your family and please read The Color of Water. What you can learn from this book expert in a few minutes is that the McBride family is no different from my big family. We came from the South to the North for a good life and to get a good education. A black man married out of his race and struggled. They had to keep the marriage quiet because in the South, if a black man was walking down the street, and a white woman was walking down the same street, the black man would have to turn his head away. I have no problem passing this book to a family member or a friend. I relate to this book because my kids married our of their race. If they are happy then I'm happy too. It is your right to marry whomever you want. Don't listen to people telling you that it can't work out. Listen to what God is saying and it will work. Have you ever watched little boys and girls play in the park? Sit down and watch. They do not see color. Kids live to have fun. Growing up in the same neighborhood, they are good friends. But somewhere down the line these relationships may change. I notice that we are beginning to understand each other better, and books like The Color of Water pave the way for this better understanding.
Unsentimental and touching September 21, 2008
MJS (Addison, ME)
This is a remarkably unsentimental portrayal of a black man's white, Jewish mother who finds a life with those of another race more sustaining than staying with her own.
|
|
|
Proud member of the Celebrity Pro Network. Make sure you check out these other great JimmyKat network sites:
Lyrics Database
Celebrity Blog
Celebrity Thing
Celebrity PC
Latest Celebrity Photos
Web Portal
Travel Photos
Quotes
Flash Games
|
Is there a better
price available?
Find out:
|
|
|
|
