We are highlighting the winner of the 2020 Midwest Book Award in Autobiography/Memoir, The Color of Love by Marra B. Gad. A beloved book club pick, this memoir explores the idea of yerusha, or inheritance. Marra, the child of a black father and a white Jewish mother, is adopted by a white Jewish family in Chicago. As Marra navigates her life’s different spheres—sometimes labeled not black enough, other times labeled not Jewish enough—she grapples with racism in her own extended family. When her illustrious Great Aunt Nette falls ill with Alzheimer’s, Marra reaches across the chasm of a fifteen-year estrangement to connect with her. An apt read for the holiday season, The Color of Love deeply considers the meaning of heritage and the nature of family. Take a look below at what some trusted voices in the media have had to say about this touching memoir.
“In beautiful, fearless prose, Gad tells a story. . . . that is alternatively heart-wrenching and heartwarming.”
“Gad’s message about resisting hate is solid. . . .[An] honest memoir about looking beyond hate to find some semblance of peace on the other side.”
“Through her one-of-a-king perspective, Gad provides insight into the ways believers and survivors transcend brokenness, trauma and prejudice through love.”
“[T]hose presently in control of our community and institutions have much to learn from reading The Color of Love. . . .”