The Color of Water

A Black Man's Tribute To His White Mother, by James McBride.

Quickie recap: As a child, James only knows that his mother is different from the other mothers. She admits only to being "pale skinned" but as he grows older and watches the world react to his family, he realizes the truth: that his mother is of a different color.

Quickie review: It's about race, but it's not just about race. It's about the strength of family, growing up, self-identity, and love. Emphasis on love, because it's palpable from the first page to the last, and while it is clear that his mother has much to be proud of, it is equally so the other way around. The words glow, they make you want to jump right in for milk and cookies, to be a part of something special, even when times are tough, because it's during those that the family really comes together. McBride has quite a success with this memoir, but I'm still not sure if it even begins to rival the success his mother has had with her family.

Quickie recommendation: For the awww in all of us.