Before I read "The Color of Water," by James McBride, I saw his appearance on 20/20, discussing his quest to discover the background of his mysterious, marvelous mother. McBride said he didn't even know his mother's maiden name, much less about her Orthodox Jewish background, until he prodded it from her because he needed it for school records. "Shilsky," she told him, impatiently, offering no further details. McBride, who is now about 42 years old, said he …showed first 75 words of 540 total…

…showed last 75 words of 540 total…and acceptance in New York City's black population, and at a time when it took great courage to do so. Feisty Ruth considered herself "born" again when she moved to New York. She eventually received her own college degree, with all of her successful children attending. Readers can be grateful for McBride's curiosity and persistence in getting his intensely private, mysterious mother to finally share her remarkable story with both her children, and the world.