"The Color of Water" is a memoir by James McBride that explores his life as a biracial child raised in a predominantly white community. The book also delves into the life of his mother, Ruth McBride Jordan, a Jewish immigrant from Poland who married a Black man and converted to Christianity. Through alternating narratives, the memoir highlights themes of identity, race, and family. Ruth shares her struggles and triumphs, while James reflects on his experiences growing up in a mixed-race household, ultimately seeking to understand his mother's complex past and their shared heritage.