Congratulations! Now What? A Book for Graduates [Hardcover]

Bill Cosby (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 5, 1999

Just as a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, so a spoonful of humor helps the wisdom go down. In Congratulations! Now What America's funnyman Bill Cosby gently ribs college graduates about their time spent--or lost--in the hallowed halls of the university and postulates what four years of higher education have suited them for: "[If no job offer] ever turns up with a four-day week, a three-hour lunch, and a holiday for Count Basie's birthday, you still might be able to make a few dollars on Jeopardy." But he also assures graduates that their studies were not in vain and bestows advice to job seekers. Those who acquired several piercings while in school are cautioned to make sure the studs and hoops are shined before going to an interview. Those who are buffing their first professional r+sum+ are advised to strike a tone somewhere between "lyrical lying and fanciful fraud." Cosby, whose successful career as a humorist has always turned on his affection for kids, is a regular speaker at college commencements--in the chapter "As I Look Out at Your Foggy Faces," he says it's a hobby of his--and this 130-page book collects bons mots and sage advice from speeches given because he has "a feeling for anesthesiology."Graduates--and their now-broke parents--will find a reason to smile on every page. --Brenda Pittsley

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Just as a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, so a spoonful of humor helps the wisdom go down. In Congratulations! Now What? America's funnyman Bill Cosby gently ribs college graduates about their time spent--or lost--in the hallowed halls of the university and postulates what four years of higher education have suited them for: "[If no job offer] ever turns up with a four-day week, a three-hour lunch, and a holiday for Count Basie's birthday, you still might be able to make a few dollars on Jeopardy." But he also assures graduates that their studies were not in vain and bestows advice to job seekers. Those who acquired several piercings while in school are cautioned to make sure the studs and hoops are shined before going to an interview. Those who are buffing their first professional résumé are advised to strike a tone somewhere between "lyrical lying and fanciful fraud."

Cosby, whose successful career as a humorist has always turned on his affection for kids, is a regular speaker at college commencements--in the chapter "As I Look Out at Your Foggy Faces," he says it's a hobby of his--and this 130-page book collects bons mots and sage advice from speeches given because he has "a feeling for anesthesiology." Graduates--and their now-broke parents--will find a reason to smile on every page. --Brenda Pittsley

From Publishers Weekly

Cosby (Time Flies, etc.) is a frequent college commencement speaker. This slim yet padded book aims to reach those graduates and their families who haven't gotten an in-person visit. For someone who has a doctorate degree, however, Cosby exhibits a relentlessly dismissive view of higher education, offering a series of riffs, asides and dialogues about the futility of college and about graduates' incapacity to face the real world. Many of the jokes are plain dumb: "For these four years, you've been asking the Big Questions: Why doesn't this campus have HBO?" Then there are the comedian's projection of worthless future college courses: "An Introduction to Crazy Eights" or "Communications 101: Use of the Telephone." Sometimes Cosby's advice is helpful, as when he describes how urban studies classes don't teach about how much a landlord requires from a new renter ("security deposit, a credit check, a Sam's Club card, a urine sample... "). And there are a few inspired lines, as in how a student can work his way through college, "but only if he has the Viagra concession in the faculty lounge." Cosby has done better, in more personal books like Fatherhood. Still, the inevitable audio version of this book may be charming. Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club selection.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st ISBN#786865725 edition (May 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786865725
• ISBN-13: 978-0786865727
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #526,813 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The legendary comedian, author, and activist Bill Cosby continues to be as prolific and relevant as ever, reaching every generation and every audience since he began his career in stand-up four decades ago. He is one of the most influential performers of the second half of the 20th century. He has had an unparalleled career in television; has sold more record albums than any other comedian; his blockbuster books have sold millions of copies; and his generous support of numerous charities, particularly in the field of education, have endowed many Americans with the gift of hope and learning. Through his groundbreaking appearances on television, particularly in two landmark series each of which defined an American decade, Bill Cosby has touched the lives of millions of Americans. In the 1960s, "I Spy" broke the racial barrier in television by featuring Cosby as the first-ever black lead of a weekly dramatic series. In the 1980s, Cosby returned to television with a show that Coretta Scott King described as "the most positive portrayal of black family life that has ever been broadcast." "The Cosby Show" enjoyed years of number-one ratings and nearly unanimous critical praise.

Cosby's success on television has been matched in other areas. In 1986 he broke Radio City Music Hall's 53-year-old attendance record for his concert appearance. Cosby's also a giant in the publishing world. Fatherhood (1986) became one of the fastest-selling hardcover book of all time, remaining for more than half of its fifty-four weeks on The New York Times Best Seller List as Number 1. It has sold 2.6 million hardcover copies and 1.5 million paperbacks. Time Flies had the largest single first printing in publishing history--1.75 million. Now, I Am What I Ate,and I'm Frightened. A crusader throughout his career for a better world, his great success in the world of entertainment is complemented by his involvement with a host of charity organizations, making substantial gifts in support of education, most notably to predominantly black colleges and to various social service and civil rights organizations. On the evolution of his own style of comedy, Bill Cosby states that he was drawn at an early age to the masters of jazz, learning to emulate in comedy their ability to take an idea and continually find new and innovative ways of expressing the same theme. The legacy of Bill Cosby's comedic genius is as sweet, meaningful and universal as any piece of music ever played.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Funny Enigma -- A Book For... Whom?, June 18, 2003

By 

P. Kingsriter "R.N. Guy" (Lakeville, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Congratulations! Now What? A Book for Graduates (Hardcover)

A quick perusal of the widely varied reviews on Amazon.com shows this book has polarized those who read it into two groups: those who laughed and those who didn't. Both points of view are, in this case, quite valid.

One of the major "problems" with this book might be the title. This is, in fact, NOT a book FOR graduates. It IS a book ABOUT graduates from a parent's point of view. The point of view is very important, because it has everything to do with the prism through which the humor is presented. A been-there-done-that parent sees the world very differently from their green-as-grass new grads. A new grad who has yet to pay a rent check to Attilla The Hun can't possibly know what that's like, therefore the reference will be unfunny, maybe even a little scary. Therefore, I wonder if the title choice wasn't made by a publisher marketing suit who hadn't read the book...

Nonetheless, the book still isn't one of Mr. Cosby's strongest efforts. Doubtless, this book would be far funnier in audio format with Mr. Cosby as the reader, as his vocal inflections can paint word pictures worth 1,000 additional words. Unfortuneately, I was left with my own, quite unfunny internal voice that had me smiling alot but never laughing aloud.

I would not recommend giving this as a graduation present to your 22-year-old grad fresh out of the dorms, but their parents might enjoy it.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely great book, November 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Congratulations! Now What? A Book for Graduates (Hardcover)

First for all those people who bashed this book...it's supposed to be funny. I just recently graduated college and I thought this book was very funny. Learn to laugh at yourself. If you were buying this book to learn about college life in a factual non-humourous way you bought the wrong book. Mr. Cosby isn't making college kids out to be morons. In all of his books he picks out a class of people and makes fun of them. Laugh people! As for the book it was what it was meant to be, funny! The jokes are great as they always are!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book by an inspirational person, May 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Congratulations! Now What? A Book for Graduates (Hardcover)

Mr. Cosby has done it again! Last year I graduated from the University of Southern California and he was our guest Commencement speaker. His speech was very entertaining yet inspirational. I was afraid I would not remember much of his speech but after reading this book I was able to recall his kind words of advice. This is a man who is very experienced in life and I think any college graduate or to be graduate should read and appreciate what he has to say.