Meeting of the Waters: A Novel [Paperback]

Kim Mclarin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 26, 2002

Porter Stockman, a determined white reporter, is covering the riots in the streets of South Central Los Angeles for the Philadelphia Record on the day that four Los Angeles police officers are acquitted of assaulting Rodney King. When Lenora Page, a black woman, risks her own safety to come to his aid and then disappears into the chaos, Porter fears he'll never see her again. But weeks later their paths intersect once more when Lenora -- a prominent reporter for the Baltimore Sun -- accepts a job offer from his newspaper.

During the course of the next year, Porter fights to win the trust and love of the suspicious and deeply conflicted Lenora. As they become a couple, they are forced to reexamine their assumptions about race . . . as well as their own insecurities, assumptions, and deeply hidden -- but nevertheless powerful -- fears about their union.

Probing divided allegiances, split loyalties, and the pain of confronting one's own prejudice, this poignant novel presents an impassioned and bittersweet look at interracial love in America today.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The issues of biracial marriage and racial bigotry are explored with potent insight and literary skill in McLarin's second novel (after Taming It Down). During the explosive aftermath of Rodney King's police assailants' trial in L.A., veteran reporter Porter Stockman was attacked and almost beaten to death by rioters. Now back home in Philadelphia, Porter is elated to reencounter Lenora "Lee" Page, a black woman who saved his life. Coincidentally, Lee, also a seasoned journalist, has just accepted a job on the Record, Porter's paper. Though they are both well aware of the cultural prejudices against biracial relationships, Porter passionately woos Lee while she struggles with a lifelong determination to fraternize solely with members of her own race. Eventually, she overcomes her misgivings, and joyously (but at Lee's insistence, secretly) they become lovers. When Lee's best friend pays her a surprise visit and meets Porter, however, Lee must try to justify her shift. And Porter, made uneasy by Lee's preoccupation with race, questions his own vaunted belief in equality. McLarin pulls no punches in her candid portrayal of the conflicts that often occur when conscientious adults examine assumptions each race makes about the other, and when they acknowledge, even against their will, the existence of solid barriers separating racial groups. Strong characterization lifts the narrative far above stereotype. Porter and Lee are a pair of personable and tortured lovers who reflect their unique pasts in psychologically nuanced portrayals. Their story may be a cautionary tale for those who would pit individuality against group identity. Primarily, though, this is a gripping novel about love and the obstacles it encounters even in so-called enlightened society.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Porter Stockman, a white journalist, finds his life in jeopardy when he gets caught in a race riot following the acquittal of the four Los Angeles policemen who assaulted black motorist Rodney King in 1992. In the commotion appears Lenora Page, a black reporter, who rescues him and then disappears. Later, upon returning home to the Philadelphia Record, Porter is surprised and delighted to find his savior has taken a position at his paper. He wonders why she risked her own life to save a white guy stupid enough to get caught up in a race riot. And what is she doing at the Record? A turbulent relationship begins in which Lenora suspects Porter's attraction to her is driven by ulterior motives having to do with race, and he, in turn, is constantly on the defensive, guarding his resentment against her pessimism. McLarin (Taming It Down), a former reporter, illuminates the roadblocks that society and endemic distrust place in the path of biracial couples. At the same time, she treats readers to a surprisingly complex love story laced with the kind of breezy humor we expect from writers like Bebe Moore Campbell and Terry McMillan. Recommended for all public libraries. Jennifer Baker, Seattle P.L.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (November 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060505877
• ISBN-13: 978-0060505875
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,063,962 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive."
-- James Baldwin

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of its kind, highly recommended, March 6, 2002

By 

Cydney Rax "rmn1994" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meeting of the Waters: A Novel (Hardcover)

This exquisite and richly drawn story provides a realistic and moving account of the challenges that a black woman and white man face when they try to forge a romantic relationship: one that isn't always accepted by society, one that is even sometimes questioned in their own minds.

Lee is an African-American journalist from Baltimore. Intelligent, independent, and attractive, she witnesses the thrashing that Porter, a white reporter, gets from revelers while he's trying to cover the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. Lee steps in, rescuing him from further harm. Porter never forgets her, wants to see her again. When Lee applies for and gets offered another job in Philadelphia, at the same newspaper in which Porter is employed, he is elated to again cross paths with a woman who not only rescued him, but who subsequently amazes and charms him. With persistence he becomes a friend, then a lover. And with time, Porter examines his motivations for loving a black woman like Lee, a love that he justifies, a love that torments him.

Meeting of the Waters is a pure joy to read. At times funny and reflective, it is the consummate novel, one that provides a balanced viewpoint from both white and black perspectives. The characters are living, breathing, fascinating and passionate. Lee's love for Porter and vice versa is believable, and no matter how hard you might be tempted to frown upon their relationship, just because, you cannot. The author's style is conventional yet has a certain rhythm, a hard softness that gives the reader a delicious journey they'll want to savor. And the conclusion? Perfect, not fairy tale, not predictable, but a satisfactory conclusion to a superb and commendable story.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars way to go, kim, November 14, 2001

By 

Erren Geraud Kelly - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meeting of the Waters: A Novel (Hardcover)

probably the truest book i've ever read about interracial relationships. mcclarin, through her characters, expresses her thoughts on the subject with honesty and clarity. Porter and Lee meet during the l.a. riots when lee saves his life. porter rediscovers her at a newspaper in philadelphia. he can't seem to get this woman out of his head, so he goes after her. lee is the tough, independent, intelligent black woman who has kept men at arm's length in her relationships. she has never even thought of dating a white man until....

both characters are dynamic and the prose is sterling. we see them come together, fall in love, discover their insecurities, hangups and prejudices. lee was honest; it bothered her to see black men dating white women, but she lowered her defenses to let porter into her life. i would have to disagree with mcclarin: i don't think black women and white men catch as much hell for being together as white women and black men

of course, porter and lee get the usual opposition, " the guess who's coming to dinner type scenes." I like porter because he didn't come off as some white liberal saint; he had issues, he wasn't perfect, but he worked through them. love doesn't conquer everything, but it brought porter and lee togethe

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good read overall! Be prepeared to be slightly annoyed!, March 12, 2005

By 

Eve M. Grimes (Living in Louisiana but my hearts still in California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Meeting of the Waters: A Novel (Paperback)

I purchased this book after reading the reviews from other customers. It was not a slow read as some customers felt, in fact quite the oppposite. I liked the character Porter. He knew what he wanted, (which was the character Lee) and pursued it. Nothing wrong with being wooed. However, the character Lee in my opinion, came off as a narrow-minded, but educated black woman. Her constant tests throughout the book that she makes Porter go through would drive any man insane. To be honest, most black men would have kicked her to the curb from the get go. As a black woman myself, I know what it feels like to date another member outside of my race and think about the repercussions that are going to follow. But, if you let the differences consume you, allowing it be a constant reminder that your heritage is different, amongst other things, you end up making yourself and your partner miserable, not allowing yourself to enjoy the relationship and the great feeling it is to have a partner. This is exactly what happened with Porter and Lee. But the fact that one character is obsessed with their racial differences, and how her close friends and family would feel, is in fact a big problem that mixed couples face in real life. The book is realistic, and at the reasonable price that Amazon is selling it for, you really can't go wrong. I would like to read Ms McLarin's other book, "Taming It Down".