What readers think of The Color of Water, plus links to write your own review.

If you're a James McBride fan, this is a must-read book. If you haven't yet treated yourself to this award-winning author's novels, don't read this memoir of his life and his mother's life quite yet. I've only read two of his novels—"Deacon King Kong" and "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store"—but it's fascinating to see how the seed of some of his story ideas came from his mother's storied and remarkable past. Read a novel or two or three first and then treat yourself to this masterful memoir.

James McBride is the eighth of 12 children born to a White woman and a Black father. His father, Andrew Dennis McBride, died before James's birth. His mother, Ruth McBride Jordan, remarried several years later to another Black man named Hunter Jordan; the couple had four children, but most importantly, Mr. Jordan treated the McBride kids as his own. Lots of love to go around. McBride loved Hunter Jordan dearly and thought of him as his father.

Ruth was not only a White woman living in a Black world in a time when society mightily disapproved of this, but also she was the daughter of an Orthodox Jewish rabbi. In addition to regularly sexually abusing her, her father was cruel and vindictive. Ruth ran away from her Suffolk, Virginia home on day after her high school graduation, and when she married a Black man, her family declared her dead to them. They sat shiva for her. She found solace in the Christian church, something that held her up after the tragic loss of her two husbands.

Discerning his mother's life story was a difficult, years-long project for James McBride. Ruth was a very private person and saw no need to dredge up the past. But James was insistent. As he says, "It took many years to find out who she was, partly because I never knew who I was."

This memoir switches chapter-by-chapter between Ruth's life story and James's life story when he grew up poor in Brooklyn and Queens with little money, little food, and sleeping four to a bed. Some of the stories—especially Ruth's—are so astonishing as to feel made-up, but it's all true. James truly did come from two worlds—one White, one Black—and this has greatly informed and influenced his writing. Even though he was brought up a Christian, he says he has a Jewish soul inherited from his mother.

McBride's thoughts and ruminations on race and the struggles he had with his racial identity are candid, but also heartbreaking, and form the backbone of this brilliant memoir. His mother truly was an extraordinary woman, raising 12 children in poverty. She enforced strict rules and focused on their education. It paid off. Two became medical doctors, one a psychologist, one an Ivy League college professor, one a registered nurse and midwife, one a chemistry researcher, one a medical practice office manager, one a computer consultant, and two teachers. And James McBride himself is not only an accomplished musician, but also the 2013 winner of the National Book Award for "The Good Lord Bird."

This is a fascinating, almost mesmerizing book that reads more like a novel than nonfiction. It is filled with sincere, forthright, and brutally honest revelations that truly capture their lives—the good, the bad, and the ugly. It takes a lot of courage to be this truthful.

The meaning of the book's title? When he was little, James asked his mother the color of God's spirit. "Oh boy…God's not black. He's not white. He's a spirit," his mother told him. "What color is God's spirit?" asked James. "It doesn't have a color," she said. "God is the color of water. Water doesn't have a color."

Hello, I am a 17 years old high school senior who was assigned this book as my summer reading. Now, I read the book from cover to cover and and i thought it was a well written and detailed Memoir about a man (The author) who was on a journey to find himself. I also feel that there were many topics touch upon but not explained. Everything in the book was personal history and not written off of others/general public. Now this is where my classmates come in. One of them made a comment saying the book was "depressing and racist" (they also were only half way through the book) I know that opinions are never true or false but i actually disagreed and i thought that by giving some insight on what this man's intent was it may help them understand the book more. Unfortunately it turned into a heated debate about what the book was about. I gave them detail and back up why the book is not racist. I told them it was a topic used to perpetuate the continuation of the story.
Now am I wrong for giving my honest opinion about the book (seeing that we will be tested on it and asked questions anyway) and do you think that it is a "racist" book or are they not reading enough into the actual story?

This was one of the most memorable books I've ever read. It's been many years since I read it and was so impressed with it that I passed it on. The title says it all.

In my opinion this is a good story because people were all brought up in a different way & this story may help you change your perspective on some things in your life or others.

I like this story because it reminder me from the past and the present and future with my families. And this story based on the real life of histories with family.

This is a highly recommended read. It's 2011 and I am a coloured lady married into a family of Jews - I am being ostracized at every turn - and holding my head up high is at times extremely difficult. All I try and remember daily is what my father taught - LET NO ONE DESTROY YOUR DIGNITY. It's the word's that keep me going on a daily basis. Ruth had dignity beyond compare. I wish I had met her. James you are a wonderful son to have honored your mother in this way. She stood by you children though the heavens fell.

This is my favorite book because I admire how Ruth dealt with all the racism which is something I deal with yet today. To me racism should be against the law. There is nothing good with being racist.

This book epitomizes the power of faith and education. Ruth McBride demonstrates this as she struggled against race, religion, and poverty. Her determination to help her children overcome these obstacles during a time of discrimination is amazing. Knowledge is power and Ruth definitely demonstrates this in this book. I would recommended this book to anyone struggling through life obstacles; in search of accomplishing their dreams.