The Color of Water 1

When I got the book, I was hoping it would be better than On Writing. I was pleased. This book being a black man's tribute to his white mother had me thinking I might not get that into it. But I was wrong. I find myself wanting to read more and more. Although many stories are sad, they're also moving and inspirational. As we read about how much this son loved and looked up to his mother, we might learn a little ourselves on how we should be more grateful for the lives that we have.

The connection between the man and his mother is like no other. We read about many moments and memories they spent together, but mostly hard times and discrimination. Being in the time of the Civil Rights Movement, discrimination and hatred was at its worst.

Some moments you love to read about. For instance, he explains how everyday, as a child, he would get off the bus and his mom would be waiting for him everytime. She would walk him back home and share their day's events and have mother son time. He mentions how with having 12 children in the house, it's hard to have one on one time with mom, especially since she's a single mom who works all the time. We dive into how these instances make their reltionship closer than that of the other children in the family. We also see how he would stay up at night to wait for her and have deep conversations that consisted of his repeated "Where?" or "Why?". The mother would always be happy to answer but never fail to ask "Why so many questions?"

Yes, many moments were sweet and treasured, but those of harshness and troubles outweighed those of kindness. We learn from him that being a black child with a white mother definitely meant he was unlike all other children. He talks about how she walks around, although she is the only white woman of many, many blacks. He states that he is worried about her safety and that she doesn't think too much about it. The fact that he cares this much about his mother gives me an idea on how their relationship affects him. He loves her and thinks she is some kind of woman to live in an all black community and deal with being called a "nigger lover" or "look at that white b****". He had a great respect and love for his mother and it is obvious through his experiences and memories.