Cosby: His Life and Times

by Mark Whitaker

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, His Life and Times is an essential read.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Humor, Biography Memoir

544 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2014

About the author

Mark Whitaker is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir, My Long Trip Home. The former managing editor of CNN Worldwide, he was previously the Washington bureau chief for NBC News and a reporter and editor at Newsweek, where he rose to become the first African-American leader of a national newsweekly.

Reviews

[WB1 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whitaker is a hack. He totally ignores the rape charges and all the stories about Cosby. This is beyond puffery. It's a dishonest book that belongs in the trash pile.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple months ago I watched the documentary series We Need to Talk About Cosby, which is a 4 episode series that explores the very controversial life and career of Bill Cosby. W. Kamau Bell decided to make this series to explore his own conflicted feelings about Cosby. The series takes you through Cosby's career and the good things he did inner cut with the crimes he was committing. While watching this I realized that I didn't really know anything about Bill Cosby...other than the crimes. It was weird because Cosby has literally been famous for my whole life and my parents lives too. So I decided to read "The Definitive Biography on Bill Cosby".

This book has 1 BIG problem...well 2 technically but 1 bleeds into the other thing. The biggest problem was that this book is an authorized biography, meaning Cosby worked with the author to write this book. With leads to the second problem...no mention is made of any rape accusations. This book came out in 2014 a short time later Hannibal Buress' joke about Cosby being a rapist went viral but 2014 was not the first time Cosby had been linked to rape. Back in 2005 Andrea Constand filed a lawsuit against Cosby claiming he sexually assaulted her. This was covered in the news a little bit but mostly the media covered it up.

So while I thought this book was interesting and I did learn alot about Cosby, the fact that no mention is made of that lawsuit cast a shadow over the rest of the book. It's clear that Cosby dictated how he would be talked about....image is very important to Cosby. His prolific cheating is barely touched on, this man has been married for 60 years and he spent 45 of those years nonstop cheating(according to his deposition in the Andrea Constand case) but little to any cheating is mentioned.

It's clear Mark Whitaker was told to paint Cosby in a positive light but still Cosby's true nature bleeds through. Cosby comes off as a super angry man. He's angry, arrogant and mean...and this is a nice book about him. I don't know what to rate this book, I did learn alot about the positive things he did to give Black people jobs in Hollywood. His promotion of HBCU's can't be discounted and I got a deeper understanding of his upbringing. I was genuinely saddened reading about the murder of his son Ennis.

But....a major part of his story was never mentioned so do I discount all the good things. I'm currently learning towards a 3 star rating but 2 stars or 4 stars are also valid ratings. I can't really recommend this book unless you're fine with it being authorized( I knew it was authorized going in) but I'd suggest you watch We Need to Talk About Cosby instead.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been a fan of Bill Cosby. I remember listening to the record albums he made in the 1960s with my family. watched the Cosby Show in the 80s. I usually prefer memoirs because i like to "hear" the voice of the person. this is a pretty good biography. I got the impression that Mark Whitaker has great respect for Bill Cosby. this biography goes from the birth of bill Cosby up to the year 2014. the author spent a lot of time with interviews with Cosby himself and about 60 of Cosby's friends and associates. I felt that this was a fair biography. it did not paint Bill cosby as perfect. he could be a task master with his writers on the Cosby show.{some writers quit in frustration} I liked reading about Cosby working on I Spy and his friendship with Robert Culp. I especially liked reading the parts about the years on The Cosby Show. How funny Cosby can be. Yet he can be serious too when it comes to certain causes. I enjoyed reading this book about the talented Bill Cosby. If anyone is a fan of Cosby they may like reading this well done biography. I should also mention that there is nothing written in this book about the allegations against Mr.Cosby that is in the news right now. I wrote this review in September.I mention this because of all the news going on about Bill Cosby right now.

[Jnagle4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

I really wanted to give this book five stars. My first exposure to Bill Cosby was at eight years old, when my dad passed down his comedy records to me. I fell in love with his warm, conversational style. Listening to Why Is There Air? recently, his art remains flawless. Unfortunately, Bill Cosby the human being is less than flawless, with numerous allegations of rape, extramarital affairs, a gambling addiction and illegitimate children to his name. Whitaker mentions some of these things (the child, the gambling, the affairs), and completely ignores the rape allegations. The Bill Cosby in this book is a saint, which discredits an otherwise superlative biography. Whitaker's prose never lags, and he has a gift for painting pictures with his words, especially when describing Cosby's upbringing in the projects of Philadelphia and his life as a young comedian in Greenwich Village.

Cosby: His Life and Times was written with the permission and cooperation of Cosby, so the cursory paragraphs about the unsavory bits of his character are somewhat understandable, but it is possible to write about someone's dark side without turning the book into an Albert Goldman hit piece. I'm thinking of Peter Ames Carlin's biography of Bruce Springsteen, where he praises his work ethic, songwriting and sincerety, but also had the balls to admit that he could be a complete prick sometimes. Granted, rape is a much more serious allegation than firing a backing band over the phone, but that is why I read biographies. I love to hear about the legend, but when the legend becomes a person, the art often carries more weight.

I loved parts of this book. I love Cosby's comedy, but I wish Mark Whitaker had enough balls to confront his hero. It would have been the best biography of the year.

[Donna Davis]

In the latter years of the twentieth century, Americans trusted “God, Walter Cronkite, and Bill Cosby". Cosby is an icon, and Mark Whitaker is his biographer, author of the first comprehensive biography of the great comedian, actor, author and humanist. I have admired Bill Cosby my entire life, and it was an honor to be able to advance-read this well written, thoroughly documented biography. Kudos to Whitaker for a job well done, and thank you to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for the DRC. I felt I had hit the jackpot when I got to read this galley!

Cosby grew up really poor, the child of a man his friends later described as a “wino” and a hard-working, ambitious mother who valued education. His teachers could tell he was very bright, but he had no interest in school work during his formative years, enjoying sports, friends, and jazz music more than academia. He would later change his mind. His college degree and graduate work were done legitimately; he respected education too much to ever accept an honorary degree anywhere. He was ready to show up to class after having become famous, but he was swarmed when he turned up on campus, and so an alternate method was devised. A string of children’s television shows shown on Public Broadcasting including Sesame Street and The Electric Company were created as a part of his doctoral program, and his studies determined that they made a difference in the educational success of the children for whom they were created.
Race is in the news more than ever as I write this; earlier this week Times Square was filled with people demanding an end to police violence as yet another unarmed African-American man was gunned down by police. It is a telling indictment of the US government and its police—and this is my own take, not Cosby’s—that Camille Cosby told their son Ennis not to drive her green Mercedes when he was visiting Los Angeles partly because she feared police would see a Black man driving an expensive vehicle and pull him over on account of it. From the day he was killed till this moment, nothing has changed. I’m telling you, it needs to stop.
But back to Bill Cosby. For those who don’t know, Cosby started out trying to break into the music business, but he was very funny, and made extra money here and there by sitting on a bar stool and making people laugh for a few minutes. Of course it grew. His early inspirations were the stories his mother read to him by Mark Twain; comedians Dick Gregory and Jonathan Winters; and his grandfather, who read to him from the Bible, creating the voices of Noah, God, and various others.
Ultimately, it was a combination of comedic talent, a sterling work ethic, and unusually strong social skills that created a successful career. Cosby made a point, once he was in a position to do so, of hiring as many talented African-American professionals as he was able. His generosity in the form of scholarships, endowments to his alma maters and well as the nation’s historic Black universities is legendary. Less well known is the world-class art collection he and his wife have collected. They have quietly accumulated art work by the finest Black artists, sending other representatives to bid for them at Sotheby’s and other auctions where items of interest were available.
Bill Cosby is known for shining his light upon the common humanity between races, enabling Caucasians who had been afraid of Black folks to understand that every one of us is a person. His goal, though, in creating the Cosby family on television in the late 1980’s (which was so closely modeled after his own that he occasionally stumbled during script discussions, referring to “Cliff Huxtable” as “Bill”) was to show African-Americans a positive example of their own culture. It is telling that while white journalists constantly asked whether the Huxtable family, which featured a doctor and a lawyer as parents, was ‘realistic’, African-Americans surveyed found it entirely believable. Cosby’s wife, Camille, deserves credit for encouraging him to avoid the stereotype of the Black working man, and Cosby created a whole new art form in creating a sitcom based around family stories, rather than one-line jokes and put-down humor.
Long a champion of the solid Black family, Cosby wants young men of color to help raise their children. His remarks at the ceremony where he received the National Medal of Freedom were taken out of context and upset some folks who thought he was making fun of Black youth. He says this wasn’t his intention, and I believe it. The book that followed, Come On, People, addresses the issue. I have a copy on my shelves; it’s a wonderful book. I got it partially because of its author and partially because my family is racially blended and it is relevant to me; consider acquiring it after you get Cosby’s biography, which will be released mid-September.
I have seen enough tragedy that I no longer tear up easily, but reading of the loss of Ennis, something I already had known about but which Whitaker made whole and present to me, made my eyes well up. The horror of losing a child is not something anyone gets over readily, and the casual way the robber disposed of “a n*****r” was appalling. When Cosby performs stand up now, he always has a sweatshirt that says, “Hello, friend!” because that was Ennis’s greeting, for which he was known in his New England community. After the loss of their son, the Cosbys found refuge in South Africa with Nelson Mandela, who gave them some time and private space in which to recover. This, too, was moving.
Perhaps you believe this review was so long that you no longer need the book. Trust me; I have barely scratched the surface. I made 157 notations in my e-reader, edited it down to 125, and still, this is a mere outline. This book is destined to become a classic, a story of success gained against the odds, success gained with talent, a work ethic that still hasn’t stopped, and a tremendous amount of heart.
Sometimes I tell readers that a book is worth reading if they can get it at the library or get it cheaply; not so for this one. If you can’t afford it, request it as a Christmas or birthday gift. You won’t be sorry. It’s one in a million!

[Robin Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both fiction and non-fiction have their own set of “rules” which needs to be followed in order to make the final product successful.

While fiction can be anything/everything an author creates through the use of mere words; non-fiction can be not only rather dull to write, it can be quite boring to read; just recall the textbooks you needed to read in high school and college, containing one boring fact after another. And of all the various non-fiction subject matters an author can write about, biographies tend be the most daunting, especially if you want to do it well and not lose your audience’s interest in the process.

A person’s life is merely a collection of minutia of personal data; and this is where almost all biographers, in my opinion, fail in presenting this data to their readers in a manner which is not only informative but also entertaining.

Mark Whitaker, on the other, has succeeded in presenting an extensively researched biography of one of America’s best beloved entertainers, Bill Cosby. Mr. Whitaker, it becomes quite apparent as one reads this biography, uses his years of experience of being a reporter and editor at Newsweek, as well that of being the managing editor at CNN to create the work he has produced here.

The episodic approach used in writing this biography makes it read more like a novel than a biography, as each chapter of this book takes us through another phase in the life of Bill Cosby.

Mark Whitaker’s use of the reminiscences of Mr. Cosby and his friends and family, coupled with countless hours of research, followed by the apparent arduous task of gleaning all the information he’s collected into this book, makes each chapter come alive. Each chapter could have been viewed as an item on CNN.

In reviewing this book I feel it is more notable to concentrate on the attributes of the book itself rather than to dwell on any particular portion of the extraordinary life of Bill Crosby.

“COSBY – His Life and Times” by Mark Whitaker is a definite MUST READ for all those who have admired and appreciated any of the work Mr. Crosby has done, as not only as an entertainer or author, but as an educator and humanitarian as well.

I’m therefore not hesitating in giving this book the 5 STARS it so richly deserves.

Please note I had received an early release copy of the final hardcover book through a giveaway drawing on GoodReads; and that the above has been my honest opinion of the book.

Robin Leigh Morgan is the self-published author of “I Kissed a Ghost,” a MG/YA Paranormal romance novel.

[Dani Shuping · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley

This is one of those books that is difficult to review, because real life events showed up and broke the facade that many readers have of Bill Cosby. While Whitaker does an excellent job of discussing Cosby’s role and influence on modern comedy and his upbringing and early life, he neglects or writes off many of the allegations such as rape, affairs, gambling problems, and illegitimate children. While the last three are mentioned, briefly, Cosby still comes off looking like a saint and a hero that he was once viewed as.

It is never an easy thing to write a book about someone that has had a prominent voice and an almost fatherly figure for so many, that has faltered and fallen from the pedestal. And Whitaker fails to capture Cosby as a real person, outside of his comedy, and thus doesn’t really give us a full picture of him. As such this is only half of a biography and the rest will have to be written at a later date, by someone that never had him on that pedestal. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

[Paul Pessolano · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Cosby, His Life and Times” by Mark Whitaker, published by Simon & Schuster.

Category – Biography/Media Publication Date – September 16, 2014

For over 50 years Bill Cosby has been entertaining people in nightclubs, auditoriums, and TV. There may be no other entertainer that has attained the status and notoriety of Cosby.

Bill Cosby was the son of a father who was an alcoholic and one who spent very little time with his family. His mother brought up he children in a Philadelphia project and cared for them as best she could while working to keep food on the table and clothes on their bodies.

Bill was not a good student but found that he had a knack for entertaining people. He fought his way to getting enrolled in Temple University and was heading for a degree when he was sidelined with a need for money and his true calling as an entertainer. His first big break came when he became the co-star of “I Spy”. He used this to catapult himself into a first rate stand up comedian and an icon on the new invention, television.

Cosby was now very affluent with houses, a plane, and cars. He always put his trust in people but found out, the hard way, that this could be devastating. He lost his entire fortune, except for fifty thousand dollars due to this trustworthiness. It is after this time that he turned over control of his monies to his wife, Camille. The other tragedies in his life include a wayward daughter and the untimely murder of his only son.

Cosby has very strong feelings about the conditions that now exist in the black community and continues to speak out in the hope that things will change for the better.

An absolute must read for those interested in biographies and especially those interested in the lives of media personalities.

[David V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received as an ARC from the publisher. Started on 8-14-14. Finished 8-24-14(would've finished sooner but was on vacation visiting relatives for 5 days.) Wonderful and fascinating story behind one of the funniest men on the planet. His early life,his lackluster efforts in school, his style of comedy, his hit TV shows and misses, good business deals and disasters, his efforts to help others, his books, his health, family tragedies, and his adult philosophy are all described in this biography. Some stories will make you laugh out loud, some will make you cry, and others will make you want to kick him in the butt when his actions are foolish or petty. But you will end up with a greater understanding of this great comedian. You will also want to know Why Is There Air all over again.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads!!

I don't normally read Biographies, so this was something new for me. I think any time an author can make you feel angry, funny, sad, overwhelmed and joyful in one book that is a testament to his/her talent.

When I started reading this book I just wanted to "get to the good stuff", but when I finished this book I realized that from the first chapter to the very last page, it was all "the good stuff". I learned things about Bill Cosby that I would have never imagined. I cried for his family in their struggle and rejoiced in their triumph. I would definitely recommend this book to all of my friends.

[Jewel Star · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought that Mark did a good job of including the many details of Cosby's work life, and some of his personal life as well. He also mentions my niece in the book, and that was when I started thinking maybe it is time to publish a book I wrote about my niece Autumn Jackson 18 years ago. She was never given a voice and my book does show that she was as much a victim if not more to all that transpired and let her to be sitting in front of Cosby in one of the most infamous trials of 1997. COSBY'S LOVE CHILD, is now available on Amazon in print and eBook format.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

An in depth biography of Bill Cosby and his life. It covers his childhood, military service, education, and over fifty years as an entertainer. His philosophy of life is discussed in detail. The work is a delightful read about a wholesome entertainer. This was a free review copy that was hard to put down.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a really great bio of his life and times...fascinating life and super talented person. Except, you know, for various reasons,apparently, the author didn't cover the sex crimes. So that isn't excuseable.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. Wanted to read this especially with his sentencing happening this week.

[J Tea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally found time to finish this wonderful(ness) book. Thanks to Goodreads and Simon & Schuster for the giveaways copy.
As I was finishing this book I thought of what it must have meant to Mark Whitaker to write about a man who had such an effect on him throughout his life. As a white middle class boy growing up in the sixties, Cosby was a very important figure in my life and my schoolmates lives as well. With only one or two black kids around us, but in the far northwest where racism was subtle and not acknowledged very much, Cosby played a critical role in my generations view of blacks in America. It was hard for my somewhat bigoted family (which of course they would deny) to be as open with their bad black jokes after watching The Cos, as we kids liked to refer to him in the late 60's and early seventies, portraying not just an educated and powerful role in I Spy, but one with such dignity and class. Reading this book reminded me of the importance of what Cosby did and opened my eyes to a great deal I didn't know about him as well.
I try to do these reviews mostly about the quality of writing the author accomplishes but it was harder on this one because of the role of the subject in my own life, AS WELL AS the depth of humanity the author reveals about the subject.
The writing itself was of the highest caliber and paced extremely well. If not for personal circumstances it is a book I would not have put down once I started. There are so many interesting portrayals of the people and events it reads like an historic novel at times. It is candid and revealing through the highs and the lows of Cosby's life.
AS to the criticism I have read from published reviewers that it does not go far enough into the sexual indiscretions of his life I respectfully disagree. It is acknowledged quite candidly throughout. I do not believe that by not dwelling more on this area that it is "a glossed-over take on Cosby's roving eye" as one reviewer writes. For me it acknowledges that part of his personality without ranging far afield into unsubstantiated rumors and accusations. I am not one who believes that as a persons wealth and fame increase that somehow decreases ones right to privacy AND increases the rest of the populations right to strip that privacy away. I am not being naïve, just trying to keep my eye on what is of most importance in this story.
Whitaker portrays what is important about this man and I believe it is his portrait of a flawed man, from tough circumstances in his youth who works hard all his life and goes on to use the benefits from his success to improve the situation for very many people. From his impact on a national and international scale, down to a personal level with many I am sure we will never know about, this "Pudding Salesman" from an impoverished childhood in Philly gives us a tremendous amount of inspiration. Be it in race relations or business acumen, and for myself at least, in how to carry yourself with dignity no matter your circumstances. So my thanks to Mark Whitaker for providing a very personal story about a man I can continue to admire, warts and all.
***a note about my rating: often times I find myself explaining why I gave a book a 5 star rating when in fact it would be a 4 plus. I see it as my only option when I can't put a 4.6 or higher, so I round it up rather than give it something below what it should deserve. FOR THIS BOOK I gave it a 5 star rating because I believe that is exactly what it deserves! With the exception of a fair number of typos this is an example of how to write a book of quality that has great interest for a lot of people and records the great impact of one amazing human being. Thanks again to Goodreads, Simon & Schuster, and most importantly to Mark Whitaker.

[Sketchbook · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cosby Gripes Again ! Black comic of modest talent sez his jokes abt racial integration had nothing to do w his "comedy." He best tell that to the White Powers that created him....in early 60s...Author Mark Whitaker, not the brightest lite bulb, omits any discussion of Cos's randy-raping sex life. Pathetic...

[Michael Kelleher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raised by white baby-boomers, there were only five things playing in our house; classical music, talk radio, the local pop radio station (due to two older sisters), The Smothers Brothers records, and Bill Cosby. I grew up with a fascination of his simple, straight-forward comedy and storytelling. My sister and I were allowed to wrestle control of the television away from our father to watch The Cosby Show when it was on. My father loved to find a copy of an album he thought he had lost and talk to me about it while it played (usually twice) and my mother told us about the model of family we should be able to take away from his work.

Cosby: His Life and Times gives readers who are a fan of Bill Cosby's work a great insight into where it all came from. Most casual fans of my generation were probably not aware of the lack of stability in the Cosby household when he grew up. The amount of time and detail Mark Whitaker puts into describing Cosby's slow rise through childhood and the comedy scene gives the reader a feeling for what life must have been like for a struggling artist to become the person we all feel we know today.

What I find most refreshing about this biography is the impartial voice Mr. Whitaker uses as he tells the story of a beloved everyman who some idolize and others demonize. Whatever place you find yourself in in regards to Mr. Cosby it would be difficult to debunk any of the material put forth in the biography.

Whitaker acknowledges that there were parts of the Cosby story left out due to his (Whitaker's) inability to find credible sources regarding them. Within less than a week of beginning my reading of this book the news broke about another comedian's verbal assault on Bill Cosby followed by a slew of old and new accusations from people accusing Cosby of various forms of assault. I believe it is safe to assume that Mr. Whitaker's referral to parts left out due to lack of credible sources refers to earlier cases of allegations. I would give credit to the author for this move. If a person reads this book hoping it helps them to prove that Bill Cosby is a bad person, they're reading the wrong book and have probably already made up their mind anyway. If a fan reads this book for the reason I did, their love of and fascination with Bill Cosby, they are in for a wonderful time. Cosby: His Life and Times gives us the story of a man complete with his darker moments, successes, failures, achievements, and shortcomings. This book is an honest and fair look at one of the world's most famous and loved entertainers.

[Kati · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography seemed to be incredibly well researched, and was very well written. The author's writing style was easily read and conveyed the humor that Bill Cosby's built his world around, while also expressing the incredible intelligence and hard-work ethic of Mr. Cosby. We get a chance, as readers, to see inside the personal triumphs and tragedies that have left their mark on Bill Cosby's life.

All that being said, I have very mixed feelings about Bill Cosby at this point, having read this book during a recent outpour of rape accusations leveled against the subject of this biography. On one hand, through this book there is no secret made of B.C.'s womanizing ways even while married to his wife of 50+ years. The author discusses quite candidly the false accusations made by a past sexual partner of parenthood, and the subsequent blackmailing by that woman and her daughter that ended in jail time for the daughter because of an embezzlement scheme she'd tried to trap Cosby in. We do get to see that Cosby admits that during his younger years, he was not the family man that he became known as during his years on The Cosby Show. We also see his strong desire to protect his family from the mistakes he's made. I'm not sure how to reconcile the accusations of rape against the acceptance of responsibility for his actions that Bill Cosby makes through his cooperation in this biography.

This book left me feeling conflicted about Cosby. Yes, he did make some mistakes early on in his marriage that resulted in some hardships for his marriage, but he resolved to do better and certainly seems to have done so, in recommitting to his marriage and doing his best to raise all 5 of his children to be strong, educated, constructive members of society. He and his wife have, according to this book, made some incredible contributions - both time and monetary - to furthering the education options for Black Americans. He's also made a concentrated effort to elevate the status of Black Americans to the same status that's long been afforded to Caucasian Americans. He's been a proponent not only for education in Black communities, but also for recognition of Black Artists, Musicians, Actors and contributors of positive role models in any way.

I think I take away from this book that while Cosby's made an impact on society in how Black families are regarded, and how Black Artists are appreciated, he's human, first and foremost, and no less prone to mistakes than any of us.

[Kim Hollstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book. So well written, I sailed thru the 450 some odd pages. I enjoyed how the author wove social events into the narrative of Cosby's life, showing their impact while reflecting Cosby's impact on society as well. Facts about his personal history, Hollywood inside info and fascinating vignettes about his many shows kept me reading well past my normal attention span. I know Cosby is getting so much attention right now because of his sexual conduct, but this review isn't about that...it's about the book. This book is quite frank about Cosby's "roving eye" and indiscretions (which I think soft pedals his cheating...call it what it is...he cheated on his wife and broke his marriage vows), which illuminated an aspect of Cosby's life I was unaware of. It also addresses the fact that his wife is aware of it and chose to forgive him and move on with their marriage. I was appreciative of that information. I have a deeper comprehension of the many stands he took on racial issues and why he insisted on presenting the shows he starred in the way he did. This resulted in many confrontations with writers (who he has a fraught history with) and network execs, but he seems to have kept good relations with most of his numerous costars, especially all the kids he worked with. He went thru so many financial setbacks, but learned from them and rebuilt his fortune thru hard work and discipline. I really admire that. There are so many stories showing how generous, wise and kind he is to his family and friends, his deep respect and efforts to further education for challenged individuals...another admirable trait. He and Camille have given millions to HBCUs and individuals seeking to better their lives, I respect that too. No one is perfect, we all make mistakes, and I like to think that because his amazing wife is still with him and his children seem to support him, that it is an indication that he has repented his horribly despicable behavior and cleaned up his act. But he's the one who has to look at himself in the mirror every day and deal with the pain he has brought to so many because he couldn't control himself. I said I wasn't going to talk about that, but I guess it is too heavy on my feminist heart to ignore. I've admired the man for decades. That's hard to let go of. This book has brilliantly illuminated the complex, talented man I've laughed at for so long. I'm grateful for the chance to get to know him better. I wish him and his numerous victims peace.

[Joe Hempel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I consider it an honor to be able to take a look at this book before it’s release date of September 16th, 2014, the 30th anniversary of The Cosby Show. Bill Cosby is one of the comedians I grew up with. I didn’t discover him until I heard my mom watching an act that was filmed, the famous, Bill Cosby: Himself. I watched his Cosby Show TV show and his Fat Albert show, but it wasn’t until seeing that particular show that I knew he was someone so much more than the shows he was a part of.

Mark Whitaker starts this biography off with a great story of one of his most recent acts. It’s one that can almost bring a tear to the eye showing you just how connected he is to his fans, colleagues, and even promoters. It is the perfect set up to the story of his life.

Each chapter is almost like a story within itself, and through all the interviews and research that was done, those stories come to life through their words. From humble and heart wrenching beginnings through his time in the military, up through the TV deals, the death of his son, and who he is today, Mark Whitaker allows you to live Cosby’s life vicariously through the intricate details on the page.

One of the most important things to know about this biography is that this isn’t written like an encyclopedia of facts. Each chapter is constructed in such an organic way that it sometimes feels like you’re reading a work of fiction. To me that was important because the book never became boring, and, the further I got into it, the more and more I became engaged with Bill Cosby.

The Bottom Line: After reading this I have a whole new appreciation for Cosby. If you are a fan of Bill Cosby, at all, then I implore you to check this book out. I really feel like I know him as a friend even though I’ve never met him. That’s a wonderful testament to how this book was constructed. An easy 5 stars for this reviewer.

[WriteKnight · Rating 2 out of 5]

4.0 of 5 stars – Interesting Story of the Good, the Bad and the … Impact.
(I'm excited to have won this as a Goodreads First Read – so thanks, Simon & Schuster!)

Cosby: His Life and Times was an enlightening biography of a very talented and influential man in our entertainment industry, and beyond.

Up front, I’ll say that I'm a fan of Cosby – grew up with The Cosby Show and have admired his work both on and off screen. That said, I was also already aware of some of his failings as well, and it’s a credit to Mark Whitaker that he presented a balanced view of this man and didn’t shy from some of the more sensitive areas.

I liked that Whitaker’s style was straightforward, easy-to-read, and well-researched. There was maybe a little too much of the latter, because that may have led to there being too much info, which made the book a bit too long for me. I think any hard-core fan or historian on the subject will appreciate the details, but less avid readers may find it slow and long at points. Given the book’s strength of detail and balance, I did find it described more what happened and what was achieved and less of an explanation of the motivations underlying these things. That’s a hard thing to capture, and to be sure, I did get a pretty good understanding and picture of the man, just not as complete a one as I would have liked.

Several things I appreciated the most were the storytelling, learning more of the obstacles Cosby had to overcome, the cultural context of the people and times throughout his life, and the impact he has made far beyond just the entertainment world. With that, I still came away appreciating him and his achievements, maybe all the more so because of his humanity.

[Deborah Replogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Basically, I was THOROUGHLY caught up in this book. It's a long read, over 500 pages but completely worth it. The author based this book mostly on information he retrieved from articles, previous interviews from Cosby, and interviews from many people who know him. He only spent about 5 hours talking to Cosby, in bits and pieces, mostly over the phone. And Cosby read the final draft. Not only chronicling Cosby's life, he also places that life in the context of the times, including types of comedians, show business and the television industry, and racism. He talks about Cosby's style of comedic delivery, and that he never used a "canned" routine. Whitaker compares Cosby's comedy to Jazz, that Cosby would just riff on a theme in his laid back easy style and just seemed to enchant people of all races..I found it fascinating that there was so much back story of he and his wife's family, his friendship with Robert Culp, and other media stars and how the movie and tv industry worked. The author talks about Cosby's continuing philanthropy of historic black colleges and education standards for the poor. Also, of interest is knowing those comedic stars that he influenced, among them Jerry Seinfield and Ray Romano. The author notes that Chris Rock says that he was turned on to Cosby by Eddie Murphy who told him that if he ever wanted to be a comedian he needed to listen to Cosby's album "To Russell my brother, whom I slept with." The author does not ignore Cosby's human faults, and even Cosby doesn't want to dwell on them, but they are noted. This has become one of my favorite all time books, ....and now I'm going to find all my old Cosby recordings and play them again. I encourage you to do the same.

[Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must start by writing that I am not a fan of biographies. Many times they are long and dry and just an homage to their ego. But I was thoroughly surprised by this book. I won this copy in a giveaway on Goodreads. I actually couldn't wait to read more of it. It was a definite page turner. It went from his humble beginnings to his mediocre start and follows him on his meteoric rise to stardom. The glimpses into his personal life as a father, friend and husband was thoroughly engrossing. It was hard to believe that the author only spent 15 hours with Cosby during the writing of this biography and used interviews as well as other researched material to put together one of the best biographies I have ever read. Many times we look at celebrities and think that they live this charmed life but we forget that, just like us, after we leave our careers, we lead normal lives. The chapter about the murder of his son was particularly poignant. Reading this made me gain respect for Mr. Cosby but it also made me think about how important it is to nurture the relationships we form as well as to make sure that as humans, we look out for those who may need to be lifted up. I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks biographies are boring as well as to those who are followers of this comedian. I couldn't give it 5 stars because it was not really a "biography" because of the subject's reluctance to get on board initially and the scant real time spent with Cosby himself. But overall, I was glad I took the time to read it.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received Cosby: His Life and Times as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

Bill Cosby has been a groundbreaking comedian and entertainer for over 50 years. This biography tells of his upbringing in Philadelphia, his first forays into comedy in the 1960s, his children's programming in the 1970s, and his role in creating and developing the juggernaut Cosby Show, which crossed color lines with its appeal in the mid-to-late 1980s and early 1990s. Also detailed is his personal life: his marriage to wife Camille and the birth of his five children, four daughters and a son.

I was a little young for The Cosby Show when it initially aired, so Cosby wasn't necessarily on my radar growing up. Still, I was aware of him as a giant in the entertainment industry, and while I'm not normally huge on biographies, I was interested in picking this one up. I wasn't disappointed. The narrative style is fantastic, engaging and well-paced, and Cosby's life is fascinating, from his early life in the projects of Philadelphia, meeting and marrying Camille and starting a family (one not without its own problems), to his early career in comedy (of which I knew very little), his emphasis on education an strong family bonds, especially within the African-American community, and his rise to become one of America's biggest stars and most beloved entertainers. Cosby's success in (and passion for) so many areas makes for a fascinating and impressive read.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing this a month later, now that all of these terrible accusations have been made. I just want to say that I respect what the author of the book has stated: that he didn't want to put anything in his book that wasn't verifiable. There are so many 'biographies' out there that are really more gossip and slander than fact. Apart from the fact that the allegations have not been addressed, this is a well-written book and shouldn't be rated badly solely because certain issues were not presented at the time (I just read an article which stated that the author will revise the book for future editions as needed.)


I also just want to say I feel very conflicted about what's been going on, all of these things that have come out. They are allegations, nothing that can be proved in a court of law. However... there wouldn't be this much smoke without fire somewhere, right? Which is heartbreaking to me, because I've been a fan of Mr. Cosby's work for most of my life - I grew up watching The Cosby Show and I've enjoyed listening to his old stand-up routines.

So much talent, bringing happiness to so many people... and doing such terrible things behind closed doors. There's a part of me that doesn't want to believe it. And yet... human nature is what it is. That's just my two pennies on the subject.

[Donald Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I read a biography I hope to glean information that I did not know. Having been a fan of Bill Cosby since his debut album was released in 1963 and an avid watcher of I Spy, I looked forward to reading this book.

I was not disappointed. Whitaker does an excellent job of capturing Cosby’s background, thoughts, and accomplishments. The behind the scenes stories of his life lend an even better understanding of the man’s humor. The accounts of the people in his life that helped him become the famous comedian we all know, are told with a narrative that keeps you reading and surprises you. An example is the recognition by Robert Culp as to just how talented Cosby was that led him to push for Cosby as his acting partner on I Spy.

One of the things I did not know is how much Cosby is responsible for the success of Ray Romano’s series Everybody Loves Raymond. Whitaker gives us insight as to the influence Cosby has had on not only the entertainment industry but also how much he has contributed to black colleges and people not in the spotlight.

As with any human there are flaws and weaknesses, of which Bill Cosby has his share. This biography does a good job of discussing these without getting into tabloid details.

Whether you are a fan or not, this book is well worth the read.

[Dennis Kurowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before I review the book, I want to comment that what is currently in the news as of this writing i.e., November 23, 2014. That is the topic of Mr. Cosby and the allegations by several women that they were drugged and raped. It is NOT covered in this book. The author has expressed in other forums and in the acknowledgement section of the book as to why that is. If you are going to read this book in the hope of reading salacious stories of Mr. Cosby’s womanizing, forget it.

As to what the book does deliver is a reasonable accounting of the facts of Mr. Cosby’s life. In my view, there are several kinds of biographies, ranging from the unauthorized, gossip-laden ones to the accurate presentation of the subjects life to a kiss-up, puff-piece in which the subject can do no wrong. My thinking is that this book comes off as somewhere between a truthful retelling of his life with the flaws and foibles of the subject mentioned and a piece that emphasizes the all the good he has done. Let’s put it this way, there are more positive things mentioned about Mr. Cosby then there are negative ones.

It is because of this seeming and somewhat condescending tone that makes me give this book three stars.

[lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to give this a higher rating. Although the first half of this book dragged on and on, and I almost tore my hair out with boredom, the second half really picks up. I tore through the last 250 pages in two days. However, I was somewhat bothered by the glaring omissions, and glossed over faults of Cosby's character. Yes, there was some brief mentions of his animosity and temper, and some even briefer mentions of his "roving eye", but on the whole there was no real story about his flaws. I didn't want any tabloid dirt, but I did want to feel that Mark Whitaker had made a reasonable effort to portray an honest image of Cosby. I know it must be hard to write a really honest biography of someone who is still alive, and whose heirs are still alive, and who really want to maintain good images. But skimming over crucial details (like marital problems) means that I don't completely trust the rest of the book, and I couldn't recommend this to someone who wants to know about Bill Cosby.

[Latisha Bramlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book free of charge from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I grew up watching Fat Albert & The Cosby Show. I still watch reruns of Cosby to this day. I always wanted to meet & hang out with the Huxtables. They always had something amazing going on at home. Mr. Cosby is an icon & it was an honor to review this book.

We get to take a trip down memory lane with Mr. Cosby. We start with his childhood, then go to his turn in the navy, through his prolific career as a stand up comic, & through his ups & downs on TV. We even get a glimpse at some of the more personal aspects of who Bill Cosby is.

This book was both funny & sad. In the end, Mr. Cosby came across like any other person. He is extremely talented, intelligent, funny, selfish, demanding, loyal, etc. After reading this book, I came away with a greater understanding & respect for Bill Cosby.

[Angela Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this on a Firstreads giveaway. This was an interesting read to gain insight on the background of a funny, brilliant and sometimes controversial figure who remains such a stalwart and advocate for education. I didn't know that Cosby had dropped out of both high school and Temple University, for instance -- or of the huge impact of his hit show, his stupendous wealth and his art collecting. I also didn't realize he and his wife had been estranged from their daughter. Or how Seinfeld idolizes him. I like that he is unafraid to speak his mind. The only thing that bothered me a bit was that I felt as a reader I was being "set up" for the big tragedy in the book by the portrayal of Cosby's son Ennis as so, so good and redeemed. In any case that whole story and those reverberations remain terribly tragic.
Like many brilliant minds, Cosby seems as though he can be really domineering...but he is also extremely hard working. This book did keep me turning the pages --