The Envy of the World: On Being a Black Man in America [Paperback]

Ellis Cose (Author)

Book Description

Release date: December 31, 2002

With a compassionate eloquence reminiscent of James Baldwin's Letter to My Nephew, Ellis Cose presents a realistic examination of the challenges facing black men in modern America.

Black men have never had more opportunity for success than today -- yet, as bestselling author Cose puts it, "We are watching the largest group of black males in history stumbling through life with a ball and chain." Add to that the ravages of AIDS, murder, poverty, illiteracy, and the widening gap separating the black "elite" from the "underclass," and the result is a paralyzing pessimism. But even as Cose acknowledges the obstacles that confront black men, he refuses to accept them as reasons for giving up; instead he rails against the destructive attitude that has made academic achievement a source of shame instead of pride in many black communities -- and outlines steps black males can take to enhance their odds for success.

With insightful anecdotes about a broad range of black men from all walks of life, Cose delivers a warning of the vast tragedy that is wasted black potential, and a call to arms that can enable black men to reclaim their destiny in America.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Cose, a contributing editor and columnist at Newsweek and author of the critically acclaimed The Rage of the Privileged Class, was ordered out of a San Francisco restaurant because the ma?tre d' claimed he was a "troublemaker." Drawing from his own experience (much of it, thankfully, much less hateful), as well as that of men he interviewed, Cose in nice prose details the myriad experiences of black men, among them Henry Louis Gates at Harvard University; Antwan Allen, a Harlem teenager who rejects what "being black" means on the street; Useni Eugene Perkins, poet and author of Home is a Dirty Secret; and Loquillo, who died of a heroin overdose at the age of 45. Spinning these stories, Cose begins to map the complex social, emotional and political fabric in which African-American men such as Tiger Woods and Colin Powell are lionized or like Willie Horton, scorned and feared. He presents an impressive array of statistics "twenty-eight percent of all black males... eventually will end up in jail"; a Harvard study that showed "black students were nearly three times as likely as whites to be labeled 'retarded' " which are used not simply to prove racism but to explore the underlying cultural and racial contradictions that produce it. Examining a wide range of cultural artifacts, from William Foote Whyte's classic 1943 Street Corner Society to the 2001 movie Whiteboys, and never avoiding hard questions such as black-on-black crime or interracial sex, Cose charts both an urgently argued history of black masculinity and a moving and nuanced snapshot of where it is now. A six-city author tour should draw Cose's regular Newsweek readers and move copies of the book. Agent, Michael Congdon. (Jan.)
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

More probing commentary from Newsweek contributing editor Cose (The Rage of the Privileged Class).

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Washington Square Press (December 31, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 074342817X
• ISBN-13: 978-0743428170
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.4 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #754,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ellis Cose has been a longtime columnist and contributing editor for Newsweek magazine, and is the former chairman of the editorial board of the New York Daily News. He began his journalism career as a weekly columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and has been a contributor and press critic for Time magazine, president and chief executive officer of the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, and chief writer on management and workplace issues for USA Today. Cose has appeared on the Today show, Nightline, Dateline, ABC World News, Good Morning America, the PBS "Time to Choose" election special, Charlie Rose, CNN's Talk Back Live, and a variety of other nationally televised and local programs. He has received fellowships or individual grants from the Ford Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, among others, and has won numerous journalism awards including four National Association of Black Journalists first-place awards. Cose is the author of Bone to Pick, The Envy of the World, the bestselling The Rage of a Privileged Class, and several other books.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Kudos! May 2, 2002

By Maurice Williams VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

"The Envy of the World" is perhaps the most powerful material I've read this year. In these pages is a wealth of knowledge that validates the struggle of African-American men and describe what it is to be a Black man in America. Hard-hitting, with a soft glove, the book details factual, insightful and hopeful accounts of the challenges and triumphs of African American men. Cose provides a critical analysis of the role that racism, stereotypes and failed government and penal institutions play in the daily lives and experiences of American Black men. How the acceptance of those stereotypes has lead to self-destructive and extreme behavior in men of color in general and Black men in particular. This is a book that should be read by the masses but is certainly required for African-American men. Cose has articulated the commonalties of the Black male's (rich or poor, young or old) experience in America with language that is concise, accessible and fully loaded. Empowering in tone and spirit, "The Envy of the World" is not always an ideal position to be in; that which is envied ought to be free. In a move to liberate the mind and souls of Black men, Cose wraps up his report with twelve rules that are invaluable to our daily lives and ongoing growth. This is certainly the best purchase I've made this year and I will be distributing gift copies for some time to come.

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A SEARING PERSPECTIVE ! March 10, 2002

By Dorothy Weiss

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Ellis Cose has written a searing perspective on what it feels like to be a black man in America. His list of the twelve things you must know to survive and thrive in America is profound. Though written to alter the tide of young black men succumbing to racism, rhetoric and defeatism, the words are beneficial for anyone. For example, "Complain all you like about the raw deal you have gotten in life, but don't expect those complaints to get you anywhere," - and - "Even if you have to fake it, show some faith in yourself," - or- "Don't expect competence and hard work alone to get you the recognition or rewards you deserve.. for any organization, government, private business, educational or other, is essentially a social body that rewards those fully engaged in the game. To the extent we try to hold ourselves above that process, we end up losing."- and "Recognize that being true to yourself is not the same as being true to a stupid sterotype." Candid, insightful, loaded with wisdom gleaned from interviews with men in prison trying to save other human beings from repeating the same mistakes. "The Envy of The World" is worth reading, sharing and discussing with friends. I did. Author Cose offers one more hard truth- " Don't be too proud to ask for help, particularly from those who are wiser and older."Five stars is not enough! Is anyone out there listening?

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Provocative and Necessary February 22, 2002

By M.C. Beamon

Format:Hardcover

The Envy of the World... On Being a Black Man in America by Ellis Cose
Like It Is
By M.C. Beamon

"Black men are pearls in beauteous ladies' eyes."
Two Gentlemen of Verona, act v. sc. 2
Shakespeare

Even Shakespeare realized the unique draw and power of the black man. The black man has the ability to sway women, but moreover, in recently history, he can change the landscape of American business. And, yet Black men, on a whole, are failing to take the reigns and dominate in this society. So, I, like Ellis Cose, wondered, do black men know their power and potential?

"The Envy of the World...On Being a Black Man in America" by Ellis Cose is a book that bestows both praise and criticism on black men. Reading much like an encyclopedia and then advice text, the book blends concrete examples with practical advice to remind and then guide black men towards a positive future. Quite often within the pages, Cose takes time provide a historical framework from which the modern black man has evolved: "We are freer than ever to shake off society's invisible chains and to go place our parents would not even imagine."

The most startling portion of the book is when the raw statistics are introduced, which indicate that black men are not living up to this potential. Rather, they are at a devastatingly high risk of failure by both their own hands and the reaction of society to them:

52 % of black males, according to a Washington Post poll, feel they have been stopped unfairly.
11% of all black American males in their 20's and 30's are in prison.
Between 1980-1996, suicide rate among black males 15-19 has doubled.

Quite obviously, I am not a black man, so the raw numbers indicating their demise, imprisonment (both real and imagined), impacts me indirectly. But, as a black woman, their lack of self-awareness and attainment affects me in my role as a sister, an aunt, and a future wife and mother.

As a society, we reaffirm the worth of women by taking time out, even if it is for one brief month to remind them of their contribution to society. Should not the same or greater effort be put forth for African-American males who are flailing in a climate that is now more receptive to them than ever before? So, why are they faltering? According to Ellis Cose, one of the reasons is that the street quite often seduces black men.

Cose notes they are also bombarded with negative images of themselves on a constant basis. "The very idea that there are black trait and white traits, that there is a black way of behaving that is different from the white way of behaving, always seems to leave us on the losing side of the divide."

What makes "The Envy of the World...On Being a Black Man in America," a must have for African-American households is the list of hard truths at the end of the book, which delves further into what causes the shortcomings of black men:

Complain all you like about the new deal you've gotten in life, but don't expect those complaints to get you anywhere.
Expect to do better than the world expects of you, expect to live in a bigger world than the one you see.
Complain all you like about the raw deal you've gotten in life, but don't expect those complaints to get you anywhere.
Play the race card carefully at your own risk.

As a people, we need to face these hard truths and lead our black men to a higher plain. Cose attempts to do so in a way, I have not read prior. The "truths" are not only applicable to black men, but after reading about the self-destructive tendencies, it certainly is necessary for black men to take heed now.

Despite all of the adversity facing black men, Cose's book, "The Envy of the World...On Being a Black Man in America," begins with a quote, which should inspire all black men to look towards the future with hope, pride, and a resolve to advance their race:

"I mean I don't know what the fuss is about. I mean everything in the world loves you... It looks to me like you the envy of the world."
Toni Morrison
"Sula"

For more information on this book and others, please read my columns and commentaries on the following websites: doenetwork.com; netnoir.com; theblackmarket.com; seeingblack.com; northwesturbanperspectives.com; newbookreviews.com; and weekly on premyier.com.