The Color of Water

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

Publisher: The Berkley Publishing Group

Genre: Memoir

Where I got it: It was recommended to me by Mrs. Meadows.

One Sentence Summary: As a little kid, James McBride has had to live with his Jewish mother and his eleven other siblings without a father, and as his mother tells him her story of how she found herself with her two dead husbands and her twelve kids, James tells us how this is impacting his life as a growing child by the way he lives discovering thing such as alcohol, drugs, and the way he should live his life.

First sentence of the book: I'm dead.

First Chapter Review: Rachel-James's mother- tells us how she doesn't belong in her Jewish family anymore after running away from her house in the South. Her father was a very serious man who cared about the money, and really never cared about his handicap wife as he takes care of the shop they had. Rachel and her little sister, Dee Dee, are the only ones to take care of her mother, but Rachel had the biggest responsibility as the oldest sister to do the chores and clean the shop. One day she decided to escape and live her life in New York leaving her past as a Jewish girl.

Verdict: I seriously adore this book because of how James and his mother really connect as mother and son. Their experience make the book delightful to read.

Cover Comments: The cover shows a picture of James, his mother, and his little sister. He is sort of distant from his mother, in the picture, compared to his sister which shows how his mother always pushed him aside so he could realize himself how his life should go.