Cosby: His Life and Times (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781451697971)

The first major biography of an American icon, comedian Bill Cosby. Based on extensive research and in-depth interviews with Cosby and more than sixty of his closest friends and associates, it is a frank, fun and fascinating account of his life and historic legacy.

Far from the gentle worlds of his routines or TV shows, Cosby grew up in a Philadelphia housing project, the son of an alcoholic, largely absent father and a loving but overworked mother. With novelistic detail, award winning journalist Mark Whitaker tells the story of how, after dropping out of high school, Cosby turned his life around by joining the Navy, talking his way into college, and seizing his first breaks as a stand-up comedian.

Published on the 30th anniversary of The Cosby Show, the book reveals the behind-the-scenes story of that groundbreaking sitcom as well as Cosby's bestselling albums, breakout role on I Spy, and pioneering place in children's TV. But it also deals with professional setbacks and personal dramas, from an affair that sparked public scandal to the murder of his only son, and the private influence of his wife of fifty years, Camille Cosby.

Whitaker explores the roots of Cosby's controversial stands on race, as well as "the Cosby effect" that helped pave the way for a black president. For any fan of Bill Cosby's work, and any student of American television, comedy, or social history, Cosby: His Life and Times is an essential read.

Author: Mark Whitaker
ISBN-10: 145169797X
ISBN-13: 9781451697971
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Language: English
Published: 09/16/2014
Pages: 544
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.92lbs
Size: 9.76h x 6.60w x 1.55d

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 07/28/2014
Essence 09/01/2014 pg. 78
Kirkus Reviews 08/15/2014
Ebony 09/01/2014 pg. 30
Kirkus Reviews Fall Preview 08/15/2014 pg. 41
Booklist 09/01/2014 pg. 24
People Weekly 09/22/2014 pg. 52
New York Times Book Review 09/21/2014 pg. 10
Shelf Awareness 09/19/2014
New York Times Book Review 09/28/2014 pg. 30
Library Journal 11/01/2014 pg. 101
Entertainment Weekly 12/12/2014 pg. 72
Choice 04/01/2015 pg. 1318