On Monday, April 5, James McBride, acclaimed author of "The Color of Water," will speak at at 7 p.m. in Albright Auditorium.

"The Color of Water" details the life of McBride's mother, Ruth, and her remarkable story. Born to failed Orthodox rabbi who fled Poland and settled in Suffolk, Virginia, a small town filled with racial tensions, Ruth left her home and her sexually-abusive father for New York City, where she married a black minister and founded the all-black New Brown Memorial Baptist Church in her living room. She preached the belief that "God is the color of water" to her 12 children, telling them that life's blessings and values rise above race. Ruth's determination ensured that her children got through college and most through graduate school before she herself received a degree in social work at the age of 65. Throughout the book, McBride reflects on his experiences as a mixed-race child of poverty and his eventual self-realization.

"The Color of Water" was the selection for Geneva Read's inaugural "Community Reads Month." Copies of the book will be available for sale at the College Store and at Wegman's.

Please visit www.genevareads.org to learn more about Geneva Reads and events leading up to the McBride's visit.