Black, White & Jewish: Autobiography of a Shifting Self

Rebecca grows up being the daughter of a black mother and a white, Jewish father. She has a wonderful family and experiences love all around her. One day her world comes crashing down as she is told by both her parents that they are getting a divorce. Rebecca and her mom move out of their wonderful home and into an apartment. Her life now changes drastically as she begins to notice that she is different from other kids. She doesn't fit into the white world and she doesn't fit into the black world so she decides that she is a child of the movement. Her mother lives in San Francisco and her father lives in New York. They decide that she will spend 2 years with one parent and 2 years with the other one. Her life changes drastically and she finds herself alone and lonely. Where does she belong? Is she black? Is she white? Her father marries a white lady and they have a white child. Her mother dates a black man. Rebecca ends up having white friends, black friends, hispanic friends and also finds herself being sexually active at a very young age because she seeks comfort. Her mother leaves her alone at home and she has to fend for herself. Her father ends up being disconnected to Rebecca and so that leaves her not knowing where she belongs. She experiments with drugs and finds herself pregnant at fourteen. When she tells her mother, they both agree that an abortion is the best thing to do. Her struggles to find who she is and where she belongs prevail throughout the book but in the end she says, "I exist somewhere between black and white, family and friend. I am flesh and blood, yes, but I am also either."This book is worthwhile reading material. It allows the reader to go back and forth between cultures and races. We identify with Rebecca no matter what our race is. We feel what she feels and we understand what it is like to not know where you belong. Rebecca takes us on a journey to look inside of herself, her life, her love and her soul.

As a black, Jewish woman married to a Jewish man and trying to still find my own way as I attempt to maneuver through the Jewish community, contemplating starting a family with the constant worry about how my child(ren) will come to be expected, I purchased this book in hopes of getting insight.While yes, her father was Jewish and there are some mention of how the union of her parents affected his life and hers (more towards the end of the book), really, this was just a book of a very leftist couple, who happened to be interracial, at a time when it was still quite taboo. Many of the experiences make sense, given the time period; however, I was hoping to see more interplay with her Jewish side of the family and its affect on her view of herself and the Jewish community - the book didn't really address that too much. Other than attending Jewish camps and living in Riverdale, dealing with her stepmother (the Jewish woman her father probably should have married and, the union that his family probably gladly accepted and welcomed), some reflections on how her mother wasn't ever at early gatherings held by her father's family, I didn't get any true sense of how her "Jewish" side affected her, or how that side of the family really viewed her (Black, part-Black, etc.) and the relationship as a result. The focus was more of being part white.The book was interesting; I certainly found myself wondering whether either of her parents should have had a child because child rearing didn't seem like a major focus. I was also blown away by how quickly sexuality came into play and lack of parental knowledge or care.In the end, this was just a glimpse into the early life of a person, which I found fascinating, but there was so much left unsaid, untouched, and that's why the book falls short for me. I'd love to see a follow-up and her experiences in college, how she (if she ever) resolves or comes to terms with her parents, etc.

I bought this book expecting some insight into what it is to be black, white, and Jewish. Though Ms. Walker's memoir is well written and a quick read, it becomes apparent that her problems stem in majority not from being black, white, and jewish, but from being the child of two divorced parents who do not seem to be particularly good or interested parents. Ms. Walker acts out from a very young age to parents who appear to be disinterested both in her behavior, but also in her education. It appears that Ms. Walker's largest problem is having two parents who expect her to raise herself, rather than being seemingly responsible parents. Then that problem is complicated by being black, white, and Jewish. But, it leaves very uncertain what it would be like to be black, white, and Jewish with two parents who apparently were interested and were good, involved parents with a better custody sharing scheme than passing Ms. Walker back and forth every 2 years.

AMAZING BOOK! Such an enlightening book and wonderfully candid.

Incredible book. I have read it over 5 times. Rebecca Walker is one of the best and clearest writers I’ve ever come across. Especially if you are a child of interracial parents, you should read this book.

Walker has an astonishing grasp of lived experience, which is complex, yet she writes with utter simplicity. She displays a grasp of childhood I envy, of the complexity of identity understood so simply that she communicates the true beauty of complex identity.

Appears to be somewhat resentful, but interesting read.

Excellent read!! Kept my attention. Rebecca Walker shares intimate details of her life between the white and black worlds she navigates. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, but always captivating.

As someone who is also 'black, white and Jewish' I was instantly drawn to someone else's experiences of life from a similar background.The book is written in a very matter-of-fact, funny and at times sad way and you really do feel what Rebecca was feeling at certain times in her life.What I got from it was that she was well aware and accepted her background it was just sometimes those around her did not.It was particularly interesting to read what she did when facing prejudice.Reading the book also highlighted how America really is focused on race, heritageand putting people into boxes. More so than we do in the UK.What was really heartbreaking was the deterioration of the mother-daughter relationship. I won't say anymore on this as you should find out for yourself.But in short, this was an easy to read, thought-provoking book which really has spirit.

The book is in very good condition.