November 21, 2007
A memoir
The Color of water
By James McBride
Published January 1996
The color of water has been called “a black mans tribute to his white mother,” and it certainly is. This is an overwhelming true story of how a young boy finds himself through finding out about his mothers past.
The color of water is written in a way that most books normally are not. Each chapter flip flops between himself and his mother Ruth and their point of view. They both start with their childhood and continue up to their present day. This type of writing is effective for this story because you get to learn about each person separately as well as a family. Ruth adds insight into the book that I think if James had never asked his mother that you would never have been able to read. She was not an open person till he got tired of James pestering her.
James had is fair share of ups and downs in his life. He lost his father and step father, did drugs, drank, dropped out of high school, and finally his life was changed around by a stranger/future friend named chicken Man. Even through extreme poverty and lots of moving James came out on top of his life. Ruth on the other hand had a very hard life and changed it into a fulfilling life. She lost both her husbands but sent all twelve children to college and some even to graduate school. In the end of the book James, from what James has learn he says, “She married two extraordinary men, and raised twelve very creative and talented children.” It’s not about the ups and downs your family goes through; it’s what you learn from them.
This book is not only well written it is extremely rewarding tale of turning any life around as long as you have a little hope. In the beginning of the book James says I wrote this book for my mother, and her mother, and mothers everywhere; I don’t think this book is just for mothers, I think anyone older than 16 will appreciate what this family went through and in turn can better their own lives somehow.
A memoir
The Color of water
By James McBride
Published January 1996
The color of water has been called “a black mans tribute to his white mother,” and it certainly is. This is an overwhelming true story of how a young boy finds himself through finding out about his mothers past.
The color of water is written in a way that most books normally are not. Each chapter flip flops between himself and his mother Ruth and their point of view. They both start with their childhood and continue up to their present day. This type of writing is effective for this story because you get to learn about each person separately as well as a family. Ruth adds insight into the book that I think if James had never asked his mother that you would never have been able to read. She was not an open person till he got tired of James pestering her.
James had is fair share of ups and downs in his life. He lost his father and step father, did drugs, drank, dropped out of high school, and finally his life was changed around by a stranger/future friend named chicken Man. Even through extreme poverty and lots of moving James came out on top of his life. Ruth on the other hand had a very hard life and changed it into a fulfilling life. She lost both her husbands but sent all twelve children to college and some even to graduate school. In the end of the book James, from what James has learn he says, “She married two extraordinary men, and raised twelve very creative and talented children.” It’s not about the ups and downs your family goes through; it’s what you learn from them.
This book is not only well written it is extremely rewarding tale of turning any life around as long as you have a little hope. In the beginning of the book James says I wrote this book for my mother, and her mother, and mothers everywhere; I don’t think this book is just for mothers, I think anyone older than 16 will appreciate what this family went through and in turn can better their own lives somehow.
