The Color of Water

This book has yet to be read and reviewed by Wuthering Bites. Should we choose it, or lose it?

What You Said

Mary Dawson, 3/11/2010    Absolutely THE BEST
This was the BEST book I've EVER read. I read it in one day. I DON'T like fiction; to me it's a waste of time. I sometimes wonder what the sense is of buying a book...after all, how many times does a person want to re-read a book? But THIS book will be re-read by me from time to time as long as I live. And I'm going to encourage my son...who is also biracial...to read it. (He's a reader, like me.)
Inspired food accompaniment:   more books by this author! (figuratively speaking, of course!)
Other suggested books/authors:   

Add Your Review

About James McBride

James McBride is a writer, composer, and saxophonist. A former staff writer for the Wilmington (Del.) New Journal, The Boston Globe, People, and The Washington Post (Style Section), he has also written for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Rolling Stone, US, and Essence. James is the 1993 recipient of the American Music Theater Festival's Stephen Sondheim Award for his work in musical theater composition, including the highly acclaimed jazz/pop musical "Bobos." A graduate of Oberlin College, he holds a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University. He is married with two children and lives in South Nyack, New York.

Selected Works by James McBride

• The Color of Water, 1996
• Miracle at St. Anna, 2002

From the Publisher

This "fascinating...superbly written" memoir Boston Globe tells the story of James McBride and his mother-a rabbi's daughter, born in Poland and raised in the South, who fled to Harlem, married a black man, founded a church, and put twelve children through college. Lavishly praised by critics, and embraced by millions of readers, this tribute to a remarkable woman is an eloquent exploration of what family really means.

Reading Group Guide

These questions and discussion topics are offered to enhance your discussion of this book.

• Discuss Ruth McBride's refusal to reveal her past and how that influenced her children's sense of themselves and their place in the world. How has your knowledge—or lack thereof—about your family background shaped your own self-image?
• The McBride children's struggle with their identities led each to his or her own "revolution." Is it also possible that that same struggle led them to define themselves through professional achievement?
• Several of the McBride children became involved in the civil rights movement. Do you think that this was a result of the times in which they lived, their need to belong to a group that lent them a solid identity, or a combination of these factors?
• "Our house was a combination three-ring circus and zoo, complete with ongoing action, daring feats, music, and animals." Does Helen leave to escape her chaotic homelife or to escape the mother whose very appearance confuses her about who she is?
• "It was in her sense of education, more than any other, that Mommy conveyed her Jewishness to us." Do you agree with this statement? Is it possible that Ruth McBride Jordan's unshakable devotion to her faith, even though she converted to Christianity from Judaism, stems from her Orthodox Jewish upbringing?
• "Mommy's contradictions crashed and slammed against one another like bumper cars at Coney Island. White folks, she felt, were implicitly evil toward blacks, yet she forced us to go to white schools to get the best education. Blacks could be trusted more, but anything involving blacks was probably substandard... She was against welfare and never applied for it despite our need, but championed those who availed themselves of it." Do you think these contradictions served to confuse Ruth's children further, or did they somehow contribute to the balanced view of humanity that James McBride possesses?
• While reading the descriptions of the children's hunger, did you wonder why Ruth did not seek out some kind of assistance?
• Do you think it was naïve of Ruth McBride Jordan to think that her love for her family and her faith in God would overcome all potential obstacles or did you find her faith in God's love and guidance inspiring?
• How do you feel about Ruth McBride Jordan's use of a belt to discipline her children?
• While reading the book, were you curious about how Ruth McBride Jordan's remarkable faith had translated into the adult lives of her children? Do you think that faith is something that can be passed on from one generation to the next or do you think that faith that is instilled too strongly in children eventually causes them to turn away from it?
• Do you think it would be possible to achieve what Ruth McBride has achieved in today's society?