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Do you like to read?? I do! Well, at least I did a lot more of it before having kids.
It’s funny how your personal life often spills over into your hobbies and interests. When my husband and I first started dating, I suddenly became more interested in interracial love stories and memoirs about race and culture.
One of the missions of my blog has been to share resources for multiracial families–specifically for parents and their children.
But you know, I think it’s time to share something just for parents.
I love reading because it allows you to transport in time, space and around the world. If you haven’t had the opportunity to do a lot of traveling, reading will allow you to explore different cultures from the comfort of your own home.
Here are three books about race and culture that I just could not put down.
Kinky Gazpacho
Kinky Gazpacho caught my eye while my husband and I were honeymooning in St. Lucia. I’m not sure if it was the black girl on the cover or the reference to a kinky kind of gazpacho, but I was intrigued enough to pick it up!
He went snorkling and I wanted a relaxing day at the beach. This book did not disappoint! I finished it in a couple of days. I read it on the beach and finished it on the plane ride home. Lori Tharps tells her story about studying abroad in Spain and her experiences with her own race while experiencing another culture.
The details she provides about Spain (sights, sounds, colors), make you feel like you stepped off the plane and into Spain with her. She documents her experiences as a black woman in Spain. She is pointed at in public and is constantly reminded of her blackness. What makes this book more exciting is the love she finds abroad.
If you like travel stories with a twist, then you’ll love this book!
Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute To His White Mother
The Color of Water was a requirement for a literature class in college. It was refreshing to find a book that I actually didn’t have to get cliff notes to understand! It immedietly intrigued me because it was such an engaging tale of race and culture in various environments.
What makes this book unique is that it contains a narrative from the author’s mother, a Jewish woman disowned because she fell in love with a black man, as well as his own experiences as a mixed-race child living in poverty.
The author switches voices flawlessly and the story he tells from both perspectives leaves you wanting more.
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother
Whether you were raised in Western or Eastern culture, you will enjoy this book.
When it first came out, there was a lot of controversy about the parenting that was described in the book. Whether you agree or disagree with the parenting style described, this book is sure to keep you engaged. It opens the door to discussion about parenting styles and culture.
It chronicles the story of the author’s determination to raise her children the Chinese way regardless of what it took to get there.
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