James McBride (writer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James McBride
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McBride at the 2013 Texas Book Festival
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| Born | September 11, 1957 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Journalist, musician |
| Education | Oberlin College (BA) Columbia University (MA) |
| Genre | Memoir, screenplay |
| Notable works | The Color of Water The Good Lord Bird (National Book Award, 2013) The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store |
| Notable awards | Anisfield-Wolf Book Award |
| Children | 3 |
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James McBride, born on September 11, 1957, is a talented American writer and musician. He won the important National Book Award in 2013 for his novel The Good Lord Bird.
Contents
About James McBride's Early Life
James McBride's father, Andrew D. McBride, was African-American. He passed away when James was very young. His mother, Ruth McBride Jordan, was a Jewish immigrant from Poland. James was the eighth of 12 children in his family. He grew up in the Red Hook housing projects in Brooklyn, New York, until he was seven years old.
McBride has shared that he is proud of his Jewish background. He said, "I'm proud of my Jewish history....Technically I guess you could say I'm Jewish since my mother was Jewish...but she converted (to Christianity). So the question is for theologians to answer. ... I just get up in the morning happy to be living."
His famous book, The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother (1995), tells the story of his family. It also shares his special relationship with his mother.
James McBride went to Oberlin College and earned his degree in 1979. He then studied journalism at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, graduating in 1980.
James McBride's Career as a Writer
Popular Books and Screenplays
McBride is widely known for his 1995 memoir, The Color of Water. This bestselling book describes his life growing up in a large, loving African-American family. His mother, who was ethnically Jewish, raised them strictly. She had converted to Christianity and was a very religious Christian.
This memoir won an Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. It stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for over two years. The book is now considered an American classic. Many high schools and universities across America read it. It has been translated into 16 languages and sold more than 2.1 million copies.
In 2002, McBride published a novel called Miracle at St. Anna. This book was inspired by the history of the mostly African-American 92nd Infantry Division. This group fought in Italy during World War II. The book was later made into a movie in 2008, also called Miracle at St. Anna, directed by Spike Lee.
His 2008 novel, Song Yet Sung, tells the story of an enslaved woman. She has dreams about the future. The book shows how the lives of freed black people, enslaved people, and white people come together. This happens during the last weeks of the woman's life. Harriet Tubman was an inspiration for this book. It shows a fictional way enslaved people used to communicate to help others escape to freedom. The story is based on real events that happened in Maryland.
In 2012, McBride worked with Spike Lee again. They co-wrote and co-produced the movie Red Hook Summer.
In 2013, his novel The Good Lord Bird was released. This book tells about the life of the famous abolitionist John Brown. It won the 2013 National Book Award for fiction, which is a very important award.
On September 22, 2016, President Barack Obama gave McBride the 2015 National Humanities Medal. This award recognized McBride for "humanizing the complexities of discussing race in America." It also honored his "moving stories of love" that show "the character of the American family."
In 2020, his novel Deacon King Kong was named one of the best books of the year by many lists. In 2021, it won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. Deacon King Kong also received the 2021 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for fiction. It was even chosen for Oprah's Book Club.
In 2023, he released The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. This novel is about the lives of African American, Jewish, immigrant, and white people. Their lives connect in a town called Pottstown, Pennsylvania, mostly in the 1920s and 1930s. This book was named the 2023 Book of the Year by Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It also won the Kirkus Prize for Fiction and the 2024 Jewish Fiction Award.
James McBride as a Musician
McBride is a talented tenor saxophonist. He played with the Rock Bottom Remainders, a band made up of famous authors who are also musicians. He has also toured with jazz legend Little Jimmy Scott. McBride also has his own band that plays many different types of music.
He has written songs for well-known artists like Anita Baker and Grover Washington Jr.. McBride also composed music for films and musicals.
He has received several awards for his music compositions. These include the American Music Theater Festival's Stephen Sondheim Award in 1993. He also won the American Arts and Letters Richard Rodgers Award in 1996.
James McBride's Personal Life
James McBride is a special writer-in-residence at New York University. He has three children with his ex-wife. He lives in New York City and Lambertville, New Jersey.
Movies and TV Shows
- Miracle at St. Anna (2008)
- Red Hook Summer (2012)
- The Good Lord Bird (2020)
Images for kids
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James McBride's signature
See also
In Spanish: James McBride para niños
