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"Identity development of a young adult who is "leaving the nest" is crucial when it comes to their social development and self-efficacy. To me, "The Color of Water" is about identity formation and development on multiple scales. The alternating and intertwining stories of the author and his mother show that the role of religious, cultural, and ethnic identity does not always have to be finite. The first time I read "The Color of Water" was when I was a first-year student at a military academy. During a time when I was trying to develop my own individual identity while having that of the military being developed into me, the two were in dissonance. James McBride's novel helped me determine which identity I wanted to continue to cultivate as a 19-year old young man. It was a tool in helping me decide how I was going to remain true to myself. Regardless of race, religion, or the many other categories of self-definition, any college student who takes time to read this book will relate in some manner."
- Andrew Smith, Director, Alcohol and Health Education
"The Color of Water is at the same time a deeply personal story and a story about many things that affect all of us - about growing up, about mothers and children, about race and ethnicity and how these abstract things deeply influence our sense of self, about how the past shapes our present. I found it compelling, absorbing, and a real pleasure to read. For me it passed the test of a truly good book, in that I gobbled it up quickly and greedily, but kept thinking about issues it raised well after I'd finished it."
- Phil Harling, faculty and Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
"I loved The Color Water by James McBride. I loved how this book made me think about racial issues (Black / White). I loved how it made me think about similarities and differences among religions (Christians / Jews). I loved how it provided an intriguing story about gender differences (Mother / Son). I loved how it showed how much things change over generations (Parent / Child). I loved how it highlighted the differences in geographic areas (Big City / Small Town). I loved how it made me think about the power of choices (School? Drugs? Love? Family?). There is a reason this book has been on the best seller list for years… You are going to love it too!"
- Jared Tippets, Director, New Student and Parent Programs
"As young adults enroll in college, they enter a time of inquiry not only into their field of study, but also into their personal development. Question after question consumes the minds of these new students - Who am I? How do I fit in here? Who do I want to be? What do I want to do with my life? Finding an identity is often a complex issue for these students. The Color of Water is a portrayal of that complexity. Never have I read a book which so accurately portrayed how so many issues, characteristics, and experiences can affect and alter the life of a singular man, James McBride, and his family, making them relatable to virtually any audience. McBride's quest to find his identity and to understand his mother's will undoubtedly both challenge and comfort UK students as they strive to define themselves and find their place on this campus, in the Lexington community, and throughout the greater world."
- Michelle Ashcraft, Assistant Director, New Student and Parent Programs
"For many people, the idea of questioning selfhood and identity begins when we encounter major change in our lives; how fitting, then, that James McBride's moving autobiography will be the work new students will read as they set out on the life-changing experience of college. With great love and often-entertaining candor, McBride explores issues of race, religion, and class as they relate to family and self-identity - reading The Color of Water will be a meaningful way for students to begin looking at the world - and themselves - with a valuable spirit of exploration."
- Meg Marquis, Senior Academic Coordinator, Honors Program