The Color of Water

“The Color of Water”

“The Color of Water” by James McBride is followed by “A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother” on the cover. Instantly I was intrigued towards the story. I flipped the book over for a closer examination. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t sure of the difference between a memoir and an autobiography. When asked to read a memoir, I was unsure of what to invest in. This book came through tremendously.
McBride opens the story with the line, “I’m Dead”. McBride alternates the story between chapters, telling two tales through two different voices; his own and his mother’s. Not noticeable at first until you get to the next chapter where the font then becomes un-italicized. A rather clever writing technique. Along with the change in appearance comes a great change of voice. McBride effortlessly conveys his mother’s emotions without any intervention of his own personal thought. Even a topic such as his grandfather sexually abusing his mother at the beach is told with a different mood and tone than that of the other story.
McBride’s childhood pertains mostly to a rough life at home and at school. Being number 8 of 12 children must come with an overshadowed feeling attached right along with the title. Naturally, James falls to the vice of drugs and alcohol during this time. He eventually straightens out and goes to college like the rest of his siblings before him. He says his mother’s greatest achivement was watching her children achieve their own successes.
“The Color of Water” is definitely a novel which makes you take a look at the human race. It’s easy to comprehend the prejudices and injustices brought forth. Spanning as far back as Old Man Shilsky scamming a shvartse to two white nurses snickering in front of Ruth about her husband being black. They’re laughing while the man that built a church is dying from a stroke. Prejudice is ignorance. There was a love between them that she could never have dreamed of growing up. It only goes to show that everyone has a story to tell. Some are just better than others; this one particularly.