Color+or+Water



Amazon.com Review Order this book ... and please don't be put off by its pallid subtitle, //A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother//, which doesn't begin to do justice to the utterly unique and moving story contained within. //The Color of Water// tells the remarkable story of Ruth McBride Jordan, the two good men she married, and the 12 good children she raised. Jordan, born Rachel Shilsky, a Polish Jew, immigrated to America soon after birth; as an adult she moved to New York City, leaving her family and faith behind in Virginia. Jordan met and married a black man, making her isolation even more profound. The book is a success story, a testament to one woman's true heart, solid values, and indomitable will. Ruth Jordan battled not only racism but also poverty to raise her children and, despite being sorely tested, never wavered. In telling her story--along with her son's--//The Color of Water// addresses racial identity with compassion, insight, and realism. It is, in a word, inspiring, and you will finish it with unalloyed admiration for a flawed but remarkable individual. And, perhaps, a little more faith in us all.
 * Color of Water**

How many children did his mother have with her two husbands? She had 12 racially mixed children.

When was the first time he was ever alone with his mother? She walked him to the bustop on the first day of kindergarten.

Why did his mother always keep a legal document stating when she arrived to America in 1923? Her father was always threatening to send her back to Europe.

What does it mean to eat Kosher? No types of food are mixed. For instance, one does not mix dairy with meat.

His mother insisted on what three things growing up? She insisted on absolute privacy, excellent grades, and no outsiders.

What relationship did she have with her father? He didn't care about his family, he only married her mother to get into America.He molosted her and threatened her.

Why did her father open a grocery store in Virginia? He was a failed Jewish preacher and decided to stay in one place.

Why was he always fearful for his mother? His mother was the only white person in the black community in the time of Black Power.

What was wrong with her mother (Hudis) that didn't allow her to use one hand and paralyzed her left side? She had polio.