Come On People: The Review

When I got an email from the nice folks at Team Cosby asking if I’d like to review “Come On People”, Bill Cosby’s latest book, I jumped at the chance. Only a few days before I had been watching Bill Cosby and Alvin Poussaint on NBC’s Meet The Press, and was intrigued by what was said. A few days after responding to the email, a little package came in the mail. I unwrapped it, and promptly put it in the “really must absolutely do” pile. It gathered some dust. Then it gathered some more dust. Then Thanksgiving came, and I read it. Henceforth commences my review.

In the introduction of the book, Cosby says “The trials of black people are at the core of Come On, People. But the problems they face are similar to those of all poor and alienated groups, regardless of race.”

He’s right. This book is a starting point for discussions of a variety of topics that is not exclusive to any group of people in the United States today. Any individual of any race can read this book and come away with a greater understanding of the issues and forces that are charting the paths of untold numbers of young men and women throughout America.

Central to the book are the inclusion of the voices of many people who attended Cosby’s community call-outs held in the years prior to writing the book. They are at times inspirational, often thought-provoking and always pointed. The disparate voices allow for another perspective of the topic that is being addressed, thus adding to the richness of the book.

This book is a starting point—where will people go from here as a result of what is written?