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James McBride grew up one of twelve siblings in the all-black housing projects of Red Hook, Brooklyn, the son of a black minister and a woman who would not admit she was white. The object of McBride's constant embarrassment and continuous fear for her safety, his mother was an inspiring figure, who through sheer force of will saw her dozen children through college, and many through graduate school.
McBride was an adult before he discovered the truth about his mother: The daughter of a failed itinerant Orthodox rabbi in rural Virginia, she had run away to Harlem, married a black man, and founded an all-black Baptist church in her living room in Red Hook. In her son's remarkable memoir, she tells in her own words the story of her past.
Around her narrative, James McBride has written a powerful portrait of growing up, a meditation on race and identity, and a poignant, beautifully crafted hymn from a son to his mother.
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Previews available in: English
Subjects
Biography, Mulattoes, Whites, Race identity, Mothers, Racially mixed people, Racially mixed children, Parents of racially mixed children, Family, Jewish women, Jews, Interracial marriage, Families, Social aspects, Mothers and sons, New york (n.y.), biography, African americans, biography, White peoplePeople
Ruth McBride-Jordan, James McBrideShowing 4 featured editions. View all 17 editions?
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1
The color of water: A black man's tribute to his white mother
2002, Riverhead
Unknown Binding
in English
- Special New York reads together ed edition
1573229970 9781573229975
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2
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother
October 13, 1998, Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Paperback
- New Ed edition
0747538328 9780747538325
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3
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother
February 1, 1997, Riverhead Trade
Paperback
in English
1573225789 9781573225786
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4
The color of water: a Black man's tribute to his white mother
1996, Riverhead Books
in English
1573220221 9781573220224
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Book Details
First Sentence
""When I was fourteen, my mother took up two new hobbies: riding a bicycle and playing piano.""
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- Created April 30, 2008
- 8 revisions
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December 17, 2022 | Edited by ImportBot | import existing book |
April 29, 2011 | Edited by OCLC Bot | Added OCLC numbers. |
August 12, 2010 | Edited by IdentifierBot | added LibraryThing ID |
April 24, 2010 | Edited by Open Library Bot | Fixed duplicate goodreads IDs. |
April 30, 2008 | Created by an anonymous user | Imported from amazon.com record |