The Color of Water by James McBride

This book is a memoir that gives tribute to the author's mother, Ruth McBride Jordan.  Ruth was born Rachel Deobrah Shilsky to a Jewish family that migrated to America when she was two.  Her family settled in Suffolk.  However, her father was tough, and she left Suffolk for New York City after high school.  Rachel abandoned her Jewish heritage, changed her name to Ruth, and married Andrew McBride.

Ruth subsequently raised twelve children with two husbands, among them the author James McBride.  However, Ruth was white wbile her husbands were black.  She raised twelve mixed children in a time where that was less accepted, having married Andrew McBride in 1942.  Ruth refused to talk about her childhood or Jewish past, having changed to Christianity.  In writing this memoir, James McBride gets his mother to discuss her past.  The book alternates between narrations from the author about his life and accounts directly from Ruth about her life.  In so doing, the author understands his mother better and discovers who he is and where he came from.  He learns how remarkable his mother is. All twelve children have grown to become educated and successful.