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

The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride
601 reviews (1996) (336p)
ALA Notable Books - Nonfiction Finalist

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Book Description
This is a book that will "make you proud to be a member of the human race," says Mirabella, and countless readers have already discovered its power. Written in remembrance of his Polish-born, Southern-raised Jewish mother-who married a black man and raised twelve children, all of whom completed college-The Color of Water is a classic of the memoir genre, a testament to love, and a truly American story.


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.


Other Award Winning Books by James McBride
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
4390 reviews (2020) (p) () (Amazon Top100) (Amazon Top10Lit) (NYT100) (NYT Top10) (Time Top10) () (Amz BoYSF) () (NYTimes) (TIME) (TIME1) (Amazon) (ALA) (Carnegie)
Read Reviews | Visit this book's Amazon.com page
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
943 reviews (2013) (432p) (Amazon Top100) (PW Top10) (NYT100) (WP Top10) (NBA)
Read Reviews | Visit this book's Amazon.com page

James McBride Award Stats
Major Prize* Nominations 3  
Unique Books Nominated for a Major Prize* 3  
Pulitzer Prize Wins 0  
Pulitzer Prize Nominations 0  
National Book Critics Circle Award Wins 0  
National Book Critics Circle Award Nominations 0  
National Book Award Wins 1 The Good Lord Bird ·  
National Book Award Nominations 1 The Good Lord Bird ·  
Man Booker Prize Wins 0  
Man Booker Prize Nominations 0  
PEN/Faulkner Award Wins 0  
PEN/Faulkner Award Nominations 0  

*Major Prize = Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, National Book Award, Man Booker Prize, and PEN/Faulkner Award

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