The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother
by James McBride
My latest read.
This has made it onto one of my favorite book list. It's both a biography and an autobiography. It filled my history buff side, my cultural curiosity side, my spiritual side, and my psychology side. The story is about a man and his mother (duh) and his journey of trying to find himself and how he fits into the world from childhood to adulthood, with the chapters going back and forth between his story and hers. Life was not an easy one, but it was rich and full, and one to build foundations. I loved it from beginning to end, but my favorite parts of the book were the last few chapters, most especially chapter 25. I began to understand how much finding himself was rooted in understanding his mother and her life by about the middle of the book, which made each chapter all the more fascinating for me. I loved the way he addressed race, culture, religion, family complexity, learning to love yourself even while you are discovering yourself, growth, family dynamics, forgiveness, and more. He was real and she was real, holding nothing back. I was grateful for this story. I was able to see a perspective that isn't my own, that was important to see. It has made me a better person.
I am a big family history fan. Rooted in me is the belief that your family's history is a part of yourself, some of it in your DNA. To know ourselves best, our personal history is enriched when we know more about our parents, grandparents, our ancestors. I loved how reaching peace with himself came from knowing his mother's (and family's history).
Comments
Post a Comment