5 comments about The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.

1. I decided the best way to know a candidate is through his own words. This has cleared up some questions and I feel that I know this man much better.



2. In this book, Obama comes across as Mondale or Dukakis with a funny name- a nice, cautious man, but not particularly innovative or imaginative. He is probably a bit more liberal than Clinton, but much less radical than a Kucinich or McGovern or Jesse Jackson. He reflexively favors a generous government - and this attitude extends to foreign policy; he endorses an increased defense budget to "restore readiness and replace equipment" after the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
   
   As a literary work, this book is not as interesting as Obama's first book: there's too much campaign rhetoric that could have just as easily have been written by any of his Democratic rivals. But every hundred pages or so, this book says something that is just a little bit more reflective than I would have expected. A few examples:
   
   *He describes how politicians are pulled towards the positions of their allies and campaign contributors: "You ask yourself, just what does good conscience dictate exactly: that you avoid capture by `special interests' or that you avoid dumping on your friends? The answer is not obvious. So you start voting as you would answer a questionnaire. You don't ponder your positions too deeply."
   
   *A fairly accurate, I think, description of racial prejudice: though whites still hold "the stereotypes our culture continues to feed us ... such prejudices are far more loosely held than they once were - and hence are subject to refutation ... A black man may have trouble catching a cab late at night, but if he is a capable software engineer Microsoft will have no qualms about hiring him."
   
   *His description of the liberal elitism that he himself has been accused of: "academics, journalists and purveyors of popular culture simply failed to appreciate the continuing role that all manner of religious expression played in communities across the country."



3. With hope and dreams, change is possible. Inspiring words, by an inspiring man. Love the book!



4. I recently walked the way to and from my car, to and from work while listening to the audio book version of "The Audacity of Hope." Obama proved to offer hope and inspiration to get through things, the kind of hope and inspiration the United States is in need of these days. Hearing his voice throughout the chapters offered the comfort that aggressive talk lacks, the kind that the political campaign sometimes misses.
   
   In "The Audacity of Hope," Barack Obama makes me want to be the voter that I still am not (I am not yet a U.S. citizen). He helps me dream of a better United States, one that is not an impossibility but a very plausible country where leadership is in contact with the priorities and hopes of the people and the world.



5. first of all .. my thoughts on Bush:
   once Bush came over and we played some WII. It was fun because he was the one person I could beat without ever having played.
   we then had a nice conversation.. I talked about growing up in indonesia and he responded: "yeah, Dell has a bunch of their phone call centers over there in 'PUNE-JAB' i hear"
   .. then there was the awkward silence where i wasnt sure if i should correct him or let it slide.
   
   obama is much more fun though....
   he came over once too. I talked about growing up in indonesia and he says: "so.. you're on our side! great!"
   ... then we did the secret handshake and parted ways.
   
   oh.. as for the book... dont bother.. wait for the movie.
   In the movie John McCain will play the part of Colonel Tigh & Obama is Baltar. If you dont see Obama as Baltar.. you may be a cylon.

5 comments about Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.

1. This has been a wonderful insight into one of our democratic candidates for the presidential election. Sen. Obama's writing style is wonderful and I have a much greater awareness of him. This is an excellent book for every one to read.



2. Gives an insight into the life and family of one of the most gifted politicians of our times.



3. 
   "I ceased to advertise my mothers race at the age of 12 or 13."-Obama writes, "Our rage at the white world needed no object...no independant confirmation; it could be switched on and off at our pleasure."
   
   OBAMA sounds like A RACIST to me!
   
   its a good thing for obama that "typical white people" dont read books; or this would of killed his chances long ago!
   
   Is this the kind of stuff that MLK Jr would have said or did? No...he had every reason to be hateful towards "other races" that "oppressed" him; but he wasnt...he simply went out and created the change he wanted to see; he didnt blame anybody or go to a church that talked about hate and blame...what kind of god would that be that tought such things?
   
   
   How come oprah left rev wrights church in less than two years....but obama has been there for over 20 yrs?



4. Obama's book is a must-read for those who want to know the Barack Obama, the man, his character and principles before he becomes our president!



5. enjoyed reading this first book by Obama. Moving story. Well written and gives further insight on an inspirational leader.

5 comments about Same Kind of Different As Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together.

1. Second only to the Bible, Same Kind of Different As Me is the most outstanding book I have ever read. Thanks to Ron Hall and Denver Moore for sharing their beautiful story about the activity of God in all of our lives. Gentlemen, you are to be commended for putting on the printed page the mighty works of the great I AM. Proverbs 2:1-5 speaks to our search for understanding and that when we search for it as for treasure, we find it. You, gentlemen, have found it! Your book testifies to that fact. May God richly bless you and your families as you continue to follow Him.



2. I read this book in just a few days. It was unpredictable, inspiring an a great read.



3. Recommended by a friend, this book actually surprised me. I initially wondered whether the story would get "sappy" or "preachy," but my fears were unfounded. Instead, I found it to be a rather straighforward, personal chronicle of how authentic Christianity impacted the lives of an unlikely trio - a homeless black man who deeply distrusts Christian "charity," a Christian woman who persuades her reticent husband to volunteer with her at a homeless shelter, and her husband, a man who finds in the experiences that ensue much more than he ever expected. The writing is heartfelt and candid, and the story is compelling without being pontifical. The lives of all three are forever changed, and as a result, the lives of countless homeless persons continue to be changed as well. Buy it, read it, and I think you'll recommend it to your friends, too.



4. This is a great book! Probably in my all time top three favorites. I read this on a trip back from England then purchased this through Amazon for my father-in-law as a birthday gift. I couldn't put it down. I finished all but 12 pages on my trip. The order from Amazon was great. I put in an order and got it just a few days later. I've ordered several things through Amazon before and they are just so easy to work with.



5. Enlightening, entertaining and inspirational. The performers on the audio version are excellent. The story is unique and meaningful.

5 comments about Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, & Priorities of a Winning Life.

1. I'm writing this on behalf of my husband. He LOVED this book. He is not a church-going man, but Tony's sentiments really moved my husband, and he found it a very interesting read. He couldn't put this book down (which is amazing since the remote control usually takes up that space, ha ha)



2. I am a young person trying to break into the field coaching. I currently work for a division one program and some times I get discouraged. Coaching is a difficult profession to break into and some times my life gets discouraging. My father got me this book and told me to read it. It was after a particularly bad week that I decided to read this book and it lifted my spirits. Coach Dungy has the right idea in a profession full of wrong ones. Knowing people like him have made it gives me strength to keep going.



3. Tony has a great testimony! Makes a great gift or a great read, football fan or not!



4. Whether you are a parent, a coach or both this book is absolutely captivating. I have been reading it with our 12 year old son and found myself reading ahead after he went to bed. Tony Dungy is an inspiring man of God and his wisdom and experience will certainly give adults and young readers a new perspective on life.
   
   I am in the process of purchasing other copies of the book to give to clients and friends. It is a great story and is the best book I have read in years!
   
   Brett Morey
   Brentwood, CA



5. Tony Dungy's autobiography, "Quiet Strength" is a terrific book that contains a message that should appeal to any reader (not just football fans). Dungy speaks of leadership without intimidation, confidence through religious conviction and success through perseverance. The book has a religious tone, but Dungy gets his point across without being preachy. He draws from a stable upbringing by his parents and shares his thoughts about life, football, parenting, dealing with adversity, and being a man.
   
   There's a lot of football references so football fans and those who have followed Dungy's playing and coaching career will certainly enjoy "Quiet Strength". The book should play well in Pittsburgh, Tampa, and Indy because so much of the book deals with Dungy's career as an NFL football coach.
   
   The book is a testament about doing things "right" and treating people with respect in order to gain the same in return. And...as evidenced by the 2007 Super Bowl, nice guys CAN finish first!

5 comments about Gang Leader for a Day: A Rogue Sociologist Takes to the Streets.

1. "Rogue sociologist" and author Sudhir Venkatesh is aptly described in GLFAD's foreword as "born with two abnormalities: an overdeveloped curiosity and an underdeveloped sense of fear." Both are evident in this impressive narrative of his extensive, nearly decade long doctorate research in sociology, conducted while embedded in the Chicago projects. Venkatesh unwittingly set the bar high: his home away from home, which he more or less stumbled upon while naively (yet purposely) straying far away from his University of Chicago on an ethnographer's quest, was Robert Taylor Homes, one of the nation's largest and most violent ghettoes. Not to mention the late 80s and early 90s marked a period especially tarnished by an epidemic of ruthless and widespread gang activity, not the least of which was due to the pervasive sale and abuse of the too-affordable crack cocaine. This story is as much about the projects and their interplay with the drug trade as it is about Chicago's street gangs.
   
   Venkatesh penetrated the inner circles and high ranks of the vicious, drug-dealing street gang the Black Kings by more or less going to places that he shouldn't have, and fraternizing with people he should have run from. Venkatesh seemed to avoid the gang's wrath through a combination of childlike naiveté and flattery; his access to main character and Black Kings leader J.T., for instance, was engendered by the latter's mistaking Venkatesh for his biographer. The gang also attempted to use "The Professor" to spread its propaganda, emphasizing how its money and security made the projects safer, and making sure Venkatesh took ample notes at events like community outreach programs, voter registration drives, and life-skills workshops. Fortunately for the GLFAD's readers, Venkatesh's curiosity extended to the gang's seedier side, and his descriptions of digging beneath the surface to witness beatings, shootings, and extortion make the story a page turner.
   
   That's not to say that Venkatesh didn't possess common sense and his wits about him, at least as he got older and wiser. He had a knack for knowing when to stop asking questions, and when not to get involved in the brutal mayhem around him (being an admitted coward works wonders that way, although Venkatesh second guessed a lot of his decisions not to at least try to involve the police). He made a great many alliances with gang leaders, community activists, squatters, cops, prostitutes, and garden variety hustlers, while never pitting them against one another- a balancing act that got more delicate the longer he stayed, especially as events like FBI raids and the planned demolition of the projects increased paranoia among Robert Taylor's residents.
   
   Venkatesh's relationship with J.T. is the best chronicled and most powerful of GLFAD. The gang leader is no clichéd thug with a heart of gold, and yet his positive contributions to his community are more evident than the often subtle influence of drugs. He was college educated, loved his extended family, was more honest than most about his role in the community, and worked hard at his illicit "profession." [GLFAD gets its title from J.T.'s handing over his responsibilities to Venkatesh for a day, after the latter questions how difficult his "work" really is.] J.T. craved legitimacy and waxed about how a drug economy was "useful for the community," by redistributing undesirable drug addicts' money into the hands of ordinary citizens through the gangs' philanthropic efforts. His relationship with Venkatesh was both intimate and instructional, and daresay, sweet at times (particularly at the story's end).
   
   Sadly, the uplifting messages are few, and a big theme of the book is how conventional sociology tools are ill-fitting to Robert Taylor Homes' hardships, and how Venkatesh's colleagues were (understandably) out of touch with the inner-city. The outlook on the projects' side wasn't any rosier: take home messages from the projects included (i) everyone is a hustler when you're facing extreme impoverished circumstances, with few exceptions; and (ii) a thirst for power trumps- although can coexist with- helping your fellow man. The sense of community was never as powerful in Robert Taylor as when in lockstep with lining the pockets of those extending a helping hand. No birthday party was assembled without drug money funding, soda kickbacks from local markets, and hired hot dog grilling duty; well-connected (and self-appointed) housing authorities assisted tenants for "consulting fees"; neighborhood meetings couldn't assemble without specious security detail and room fees. Ventakesh himself realized his complicity when it was pointed out to him that his research was a hustle, too: he exercised kindness and showed compassion to those in the ghetto, but his research and data were the ends justifying much of his means.



2. I really enjoyed this book a lot. It's not a ton of climactic, over the top stuff, but it kept me interested throughout. I'm not a reader (more of a tv person unfortunately for my weakening brain) but I read this book in a couple of days, and I can't even remember the last time it took me less than 2 weeks to finish a book. It almost made me want to go to a ghetto (there are plenty near where I live) and hang out to see what the people are like, but I don't think it would be as easy for a woman to do as it was for a man (few things are, I guess). Anyway, I enjoyed this book a lot because it really gives you some insight into why rich people get richer and poor people get poorer. Sad but so obviously true.



3. This is a fascinating book about a sociology student doing research in a low-income project in Chicago to find out how it feels to be black and poor and how they survive. He started with a questionnaire, but after getting laughed at and challenged to hang out with the people and see how things are, he abandons his questionnaires and hangs out with a gang for several years. This is non-fiction, based on actual experiences of the author who also talked to others in the community to find out their view of the gang and how they live. The funniest part was when J.T., the gang leader let the author be the gang leader for a day so he would find it wasn't at all as easy as he thought and his respect and admiration for J.T. increased. It was surprising to see that the gang was actually a well-run drug business. It's primary purpose was selling cocaine and keeping "peace" in the neighborhood, not fighting with other gangs or stirring up trouble. Whenever there was a fight or someone would get hurt, no one ever called the cops. They'd call on the gang members for help instead. No ambulance would go to the projects.
   
   It gives insight into the role gangs play in the neighborhood, how community leaders cooperate with the gangs, how hopeless some peoples' lives can be and the ineffectiveness of the police and government agencies. I recommend it to anyone who wants to see how life in the low-income projects is, at least in some places. Very educational and a good read!



4. Under the pretense that he was writing the gang leaders biography, the author was able to get firsthand research about the gang itself. It was very fascinating to see how organized gangs can be, and how "important" they can be to their communities. But I felt disgust at the authors admiration and respect for the gang and its leader. As I read the book I quickly came to realize how naive the author is...



5. If you are interested in Gangs, Chicago, or Sociology this is a must have book! Great Book!

4 comments about Hiding in Hip Hop: On the Down Low in the Entertainment Industry--from Music to Hollywood.

1. An incredibly accurate portrayal of the industry. Those who make a living in hip hop know that it may only be surpassed by the closeted gay men in the entertainment industry of the Black churches. The book is truly an eye-opener to those who thought their "macho ganstas" were all that.



2. Like most people, I went into this book more excited about celebrity dirt. As you'll quickly discover, this is a book about a man's life, a true memoir. Yes, there's a little bit of sex here and there, and some celebrity references, but at the end of the day, this is a memoir about a man's search for identity and salvation.
   
   Terrance Dean receives an A+ for his brutally honest portrait of his real life insecurities, confusion and loneliness, making this book so worth reading. So much more than which celebrities are doing what, this book really brings to light the fight or flight mentality so many black gay men endure every day in every part of this country, just to survive.
   
   How I wish this book had existed 20 years ago.



3. This is a good look at some of the stars young people choose to look up to through this man's life.
   We choose who we want to be, whether we are the star or the fan.Ho-9
   Also check out the TRANSGENDER HIT
   
   GLITTER GUNS -N- BUTTER by DuReese Evers



4. 
   Yes, yes, yes, I know. This is supposed to be a serious book about a gay man's struggle to accept his sexuality, and love himself for who he is.
   
   And it is that.
   
   But I'm not going to lie, I bought it to find out which ones of these so-called gangsta hip hop stars is really homo. Be honest! Isn't that why you want to read it?
   
   There are a few names mentioned in the book, but it's mostly descriptions of the stars -- so thinly veiled you can guess who the author is talking about. I'm not a real for real hip-hop fan, but even I was able to guess four or five. And let me say (are you ready for this?), if I'm guessing correctly, one of the people mentioned played a large part in Karrin Steffans' book, Confessions of a Video Vixen!
   
   Can you believe it?
   
   I do!
   
   I'm not going to spoil it by posting my guesses, because 90 percent of the enjoyment of the book is figuring it out for yourselves. But another rapper mentioned is tatooed, and always rags on homos in his raps. Yep, yep, yep!
   
   I heard that the author is supposed to be on the Wendy Williams show on May 13th, and I can't wait!

5 comments about My Grandfather's Son: A Memoir.

1. Wow! An excellent book, and now we can all see where the mysterious neo-conservative black Supreme came from.
   
   As a lefty who loathes His Honor's politics and view of the law, I was taken by the writing and the story, but the real take away for me is that this is one angry, messed-up man, filled with bile and loathing for all things not in line with his viewpoint. Irony abounds. I expect that writing this book was LIKE therapy for Judge Thomas, but really he should be IN therapy, not sitting on the Supreme Court, inflicting his vile, angry, contemptuous view of America on the rest of us, via the law.
   
   Left, right, center - a great book. I'm left, and am left with a great personal respect for Judge Thomas, while maintaining little to no respect for his view of the law.



2. A truly dreadful book, in my opinion. Thomas writes a self-serving, whiney tale that draws a constant stream of drivel to his plight of being Black. His life would have to be hellish to endure all the perceived slights, insults and bigotry that apparently happen to him 24/7/365. Given how far he has come, it is very hard to imagine the kind of difficulties he describes, were a handicap The book was boring, tedious and ultimately insulting. He seemingly turns to God, but it felt like a sham to me. His writing is horrible and his tale, long-winded and I am more convinced than ever that Anita Hill was badly used.



3. My Grandfather's Son, has been out for several months now. I passed on my purchasing it many times, this was a mistake. Judge Thomas' autobiography is an easy, but interesting read.
   
   In the telling of his story, Judge Thomas, is candid about his excessive drinking, his difficult, if loving relationship he had with the grandfather who raised him, his strict upbringing, his almost constant lack of money, and the pain of his divorce. His personal experiences with racism and his views on racial issues in general are weaved nicely into his personal story.
   
   Not surpringsly, Judge Thomas doesn't have anything favorable to say about Anita Hill. However, to his credit, he mentions that she passed a polygraph. He also admits that is lack of judicial experience (just 15 months) was a legitmate argument to oppose his appointment to the Supreme Court.
   
   Where this autobiography breaks down, is at the end. He compares the Senate judiciary committee to a modern-day lynching. Yes, the process was extremely political, but to call it a "lynching" is beyond excessive. Doing so cheapens the meaning of the word. Comparing senators -- the same senators who write laws that a Supreme court justice may later rule on -- to a lynch mob should itself have disqualified him for appointment to the Supreme court.
   
   Still, while Judge Thomas overplayed the "lynch" metaphor, his book is a worthy read. My Grandfather's Son is not your everyday I'm-so-great autobiogrpahy. Don't keep passing this one up.



4. Even if you don't agree with his politics, you can't help but to admire this man for his fight and determination. His book does a great job of making his story to the top very personable as the reader share very intimate thoughts and decisions from the beginning til now. This book is filled with life lession he learned that was taught by his father, Aunt Tina, brother, and a host of other family and friends along the way. Interesting from the beginnin go the end, this book was hard to put down and I recommend it to those who are skeptcal of Thomas's views.



5. What an excellent autobiography. It provides great insite into the mind, life and thoughts of such a great man. For a man of such great stature and of such quiet reverence, this was a treat to hear about Clarence Thomas' life and trials. Very inspirational, very much worth reading!

5 comments about The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club).

1. I grew up in the South and, when I was in high school in the early sixties, Mr. Poitier's two blockbusters, "Raison in the Sun" and "Lilies of the Field" came out. There was something about him, even then, that caught my attention. Who WAS this man? It always seemed he was a "thinker" - a "seeker" - a bit restless with himself.
   
   I recently picked up The Measure of a Man and my curiosity made me read it. Who IS this man - I wanted at last to find out.
   
   The book begins in Cat Island, the Bahamas where he was born and lived during his early years. As Mr. Poitier describes his youth, it is reflective and feels like an intimate fireside conversation with a friend talking about a loved one departed. There is gratitude and respect - a certain remorse for doing some "kid things" that are so hurtful to those you truly love - and a reexamination of some of the "truths" he was taught.
   
   Then the autobiography goes from there onto other stages in his life where he interacts with the realities and the illusions of life and comes to a sense of who he is and what is important. I guess I expected more of a "success story" about someone who is obviously very accomplished. What I got instead was a very touching and poignant sharing of a personal journey of a man making his way through life - no better and no worse than anyone else - immune from neither happiness nor disappointment - but glad to be alive.
   
   Because so much of Mr. Poitier's autobiography had to do with things both good and challenging that just showed up in his life, it reminded me of another book by Ariel & Shya Kane called Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment. In Being Here, the Kanes talk about things that have happened in their lives in a very light way that demonstrates how they and we can experience life more fully and more deeply - by just "being there" for what's happening when it's happening.
   
   I really enjoyed reading both of these books and recommend them



2. My husband(age 71)took this book with us to Hawaii. He couldn't put it down, which says a lot because he doesn't read very much. Reading usually puts him to sleep. But not this book! He found it totally engaging.



3. This is an awesome book, after you start you can't put it down. It is easy to follow. It a book of a man's life experiences and the lessons learnt from them. From trying as hard as possible to be an excellent actor, and survive as a human being. Also the book explains the meaning of the measure of man. I really appreciate this book.



4. He has lead such a fascinating life. I've always admired him, but now respect him even more for the great choices he has made in his life. He has taken the higher road. Good reading!



5. One of the most striking things about Poitier's life was his strong sense of self and how he followed his instincts and truth. I was surprised and impressed to discover that Poitier fell into his acting career out of need to make money (and a growing distaste for his initial job in New York as a dishwasher), rather than a desire to become an artist of some sort. He was not living his life to prove himself to anyone, make a mark, set a grand precedent for those who followed. Rather, he graciously and courageously followed the paths that opened up to him and subsequently became a significant figure in our culture. His ability to say "yes" to his life and the circumstances that presented themselves seemed to have produced one 'lucky' break after another for him. His story and who he is as a person is inspiring and compelling.
   
   This book got me looking at the choices I make in my own life and how so much is possible when I am honest and have the courage to follow my truth. Ariel & Shya Kane are two other authors who never cease to shed new light on the gems that can be found by living life moment-to-moment. They offer practical examples and support for living your life to the fullest and being truly present for it. I feel that each of us has the ability to be as great as those icons and heroes in our society like Poitier and when I read their book Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: A Book About Instantaneous Transformation, I have no doubt that it is possible.

No comments about Step by Step: A Memoir of Hope, Friendship, Perseverance, and Living the American Dream.

5 comments about The Color of Water 10th Anniversary Edition.

1. This was the second copy of this book I purchased after the first disappeared into circulation among my friends. A timeless story interstingly structured and skillfully told. A worthwhile read.



2. Some reviews here say it all. This is indeed a remarkable biography/autobiography, so I would only add my praise for such a loving, touching homage to a very special lady and her remarkable family. I loved the forthright descriptions of this numerous mixed-race family and was touched by Mrs. McBride Jordan's personal tale, kept inside for so long. Her buried past and the author's own reminiscences entwine flawlessly, making this an emotion-stirring book. By writing it, James McBride is finally able to piece together his own past and that of his mother, thus quenching his desire to learn more about his origins.
   
   The difference with the original edition is an interesting Afterword, summarizing the 10 years since its first publication (1996) and the impact its success had on the author himself, his family and, above all, his mother. I shall not disclose anything here, but it is worth to look into.
   
   I truly think this is a standout among the various memoirs I have read so far, an inspiring and remarkable contribution to race-related literature.



3. I feel almost silly adding another review when others have said so much already. So, I'll keep it brief. This is an extremely well written book. It flows seamlessly back and forth between time periods and generations until, before you know it, it's over. And, contrary to what some others have written, it is not obsessed with race. Race, as McBride presents his struggles, can be seen as a metaphor for exclusion. McBride's experience brings to life the consequences of the unfortunate human tendency to separate people into in-groups and out-groups, and to denigrate those who belong to any out-group. Most of all, this is a heartwarming story about the power of love to overcome trauma. I recommend it to everyone, and most especially to anyone who has ever felt that they didn't fit into someone else's dichotomous box.



4. There are many people today who live their lives completely oblivious to different parts of the world and the unique histories that have brought us to where we are today. I'll be the first to admit to this naivety. I have lived my whole life in Arizona. It was quite shocking, as a result, to read James McBride's memoir. McBride attributes this memoir to his mother and opens the reader's eyes to the hardships and struggles of both religious and racial discrimination in the twentieth century.
   James McBride was born in 1957 to an African-American father and a mother who was not only a Polish, Jewish immigrant, but white. McBride delves into what life was like growing up, and also reveals the many struggles that his mother overcame. Throughout the memoir, McBride describes the unique character of his mother and triumphs when he finally is able to uncover the past that she tried all her life to hide from. It wasn't until James was in college that he finally learned the truth of his mother's past and how hard it was for her as a Jewish immigrant living in Virginia in the 1920's and 1930's. Her childhood was hard enough growing up with an abusive father and discrimination against her Jewish family, but she eventually ran away to Harlem, New York to marry an African-American. She survived the death of two husbands and was left to care for a total of twelve children all on her own. And yet, she sent every one of them to college where they each got degrees and grew up to lead very successful lives.
   James also relates what it was like growing up in a chaotic household of twelve children with a single mother. He reveals the racial discriminations promulgated toward his black siblings and white mother. He also opens the reader's eyes to what it was like to live in hunger and poverty. But if there was one thing James' mother instilled in her children, it was a belief in Christianity and the importance of an education; and even though they were constantly scraping by for food, they all made it through college with the value of education and with divine help. It is a true story of fulfilling the "American Dream."
   One of the very unique aspects of McBride's writing is his original organization. The entire memoir is a puzzle. With each chapter, the point of view shifts back and forth between his own personal story and his mother's in her own words. This creates a fascinating effect as the reader seems to inch along through the discovery of James' mother's past just as he inched along throughout his whole life. It's almost like reading two separate memoirs; and yet they intertwine so skillfully that they aid each other.
   McBride's style of writing also adds to the memoir and reveals what he has gone through and how far he has come. He has a great balance of comical facts and intense judgments of life. Before I was even through the first chapter I compared McBride's style to that of The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger. Even though this novel is not a memoir, it takes the reader through the life of sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield who is also trying to find out who he is. Both of these works relate to each other and have a similar style. They are both very blunt and the honesty shows through as they just "tell it like it is." Both works also follow characters through their lives and their different struggles and trials that they had to overcome. They both deal with issues of education, personal morality, values, and self understanding. However, McBride adds racial and religious discriminations, poverty, and death to the list of issues.
   The Color of Water is not only educational in describing life in the north and south during the early years of America, but it is an inspiring book. There are many instances where McBride will step back and give his views and beliefs on different issues. "Given my black face and upbringing it was easy for me to flee into the anonymity of blackness, yet I felt frustrated to live in a world that considers the color of your face an immediate political statement whether you like it or not. It took years before I began to accept the fact that the nebulous "white man's world" wasn't as free as it looked; that class, luck, religion all factored in as well...Yet the color boundary in my mind was and still is the greatest hurdle." The unique racial insight that James McBride exposes is something every human being should be aware of. It is also good to know the different kinds of hardships that many people face in our country's history and how they can pull through hard times and still succeed. As a whole, The Color of Water wasn't the most thrilling or romantic memoir. It is honest and tells things as they are. But it also draws out deep emotions from the reader as you sympathize with those who have to live through struggles yet conquer them in the end.



5. This may be my favorite book. It's a beautiful, engaging story. Several friends and I read the book around the same time and all agreed that we hated to reach the end. If you just want to enjoy a great story, read this book.