written by James McBride
This book caught my eye right away when I saw it at the library because its subtitle is A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother. Now doesn't that just make you want to know all about this guy's story? It truly is an amazing memoir — the moving story of McBride's own life but also a beautiful portrayal of the tough-as-nails woman who raises 12 incredible children, McBride among them, under the worst of circumstances.
The story alternates between McBride's recollections and his mother's, and it is as much her story as it is his. While providing a rich history of his mom's own upbringing in an abusive home under the rule of a very crooked white Jewish rabbi (she fled her abusive family home in the south and became "a black woman in white skin" by moving to Harlem and marrying a black man), he also explores his lifelong struggle with his own racial identity. Is he Jewish? White? Black? Or the color of water? While tackling these questions, he provides a sometimes-humorous, sometimes-poignant chronology of his own growing-up years, including lots of colorful stories about his siblings and extended family.
It's a cool book that sends the powerful message that true love and dignity can overcome a world of hardship.
Posts
