Has anyone read "The Color of Water?"...

[Tami]

In celebration of Black History Month, I am looking for a book dealing with racial issues from a Christian perspective. This one was recommended to me. Anyone read it?

 

Any other recomendations?

[Susan in KY]

Yes, I read it some years ago and remembered I liked it, especially the idea that God is for all races, not just one.

[Carol in Cal.]

Another great one is "Grace Matters." It is very deep, practical and candid, and it goes farther into the issues than most books about the subject. It is also a very well-written, enjoyable memoir.

[Harriet Vane]

I found this book to be profound. It presents a lot of positives about African-American culture, as well as the struggle for identity. It's one I own and actively recommend to others.

 

Some other good ones are:

 

There Are No Children Here by Kotlowitz. This one represents that segment of the population that live in urban government housing.

 

Not modern, but still wonderful: Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neal Hurston. This is hands-down, my *favorite* African-American book, ever. It does a wonderful job of portraying positives and negatives of the culture, and telling a great story in the meantime.

[BizyPenguin]

it's on my list of books to read. I've heard great things about it. I just plucked a few books off of my shelf today to read again for Black History month. Among them is one I remember really enjoying called 'Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years'. The sisters, who are over 100 years old, recount their lives growing up in turn-of-the century North Carolina. Their father was born into slavery and later became the first Black Episcopal Bishop. Their mother could have passed for white but chose not to. They were confronted with racism, but rose above it to become successful career women who never married. Jim Crow laws. Segregation. The Civil Rights Movement. They lived it and tell about it in the book. Here's a quote from page 4 "The Delany creed centered on self-improvement through education, civic-mindedness, and ethical living, along with a strong belief in God. " And from page xiii "Their story, as the Delany sisters like to say, is not meant as "black" or "women's" history, but American history. It belongs to all of us." Go to Amazon to read more about this book and the reviews. A few people who reviewed it didn't like it, but the majority did. It's been so long since I've read it that I'm really looking forward to reading it again. Let me know if you read it.

[Tami]

My library had Color of Water in, so it looks like it's a wiinner! I will look into the other recommendations as well.

 

I really appreciate your thoughts!

[Colleen]

I heard the author on NPR and was very eager to read the book, but truth be told I didn't get that far. The message was worthwhile, the children inspiring, but the mother got in the way. I didn't want to be around her (e.g. read about her). In fact, I found her downright disturbing.

 

I recently read The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. and enjoyed reading about his life in his own words (more or less).