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

McBride, James

ISBN 10: 1606406574 ISBN 13: 9781606406571

Publisher: Phoenix Audio, 2008

Synopsis

No fiction could be more unique and uplifting than this real-life biography of Rachel Deborah Shilsky, the daughter of an angry Orthodox Jewish rabbi in the South who runs off to Harlem, marries a black man, becomes a Baptist, and founds an all-black church. And puts 12 children through college! James McBride recalls his confusion as a black child of a white mother, the hardships of his childhood, and his own flirtation with drugs and violence, in the struggle to make peace with his own identity. Performed by Andre Braugher and Lainie Kazan, this extraordinary and best-selling memoir offers a special reflection on race and identity, a beautiful tribute to a mother from her son.

About this title

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.

About the Author:

James McBride is an accomplished musician and author of the National Book Award-winning The Good Lord Bird, the #1 bestselling American classic The Color of Water, and the bestsellers Song Yet Sung and Miracle at St. Anna, which was turned into a film by Spike Lee. He is also the author of Kill 'Em and Leave, a James Brown biography. McBride is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University.

About this edition

• Publisher: Phoenix Audio
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1606406574
• ISBN 13: 9781606406571
• Binding: Preloaded Digital Audio Player