The Color of Water by James McBride
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.
Format: Paperback | 320 pages
Dimensions (cm): 20.4 x 13 x 2.3 | 348g
Publication Date: 01 Aug 1997
Publisher: Hodder Headline Australia
Imprint: Sceptre
Publication City/Country: Rydalmere, SYD, Australia
Language: English
Edition Statement: reprint
ISBN10: 0733605753
ISBN13: 9780733605758
Condition: Good
A vintage book that has been read but is in good condition. Very minimal damage to the cover including minor scuff marks along the edges, but no holes or tears. The majority of pages are undamaged with very minimal creasing, but no tearing. There are faint blotches of discolouring along the fore-edge of most pages, which is mostly only visible on the book's block when book is shut. No pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text and no writing in margins. No missing pages.