The Envy of the World On Being a Black Man in America

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.

Ellis Cose is a columnist and contributing editor for Newsweek, and is the national bestselling author of Color-Blind: Seeing Beyond Race in a Race-Obsessed World, The Rage of a Privileged Class, and The Darden Dilemma: 12 Black Writers on Justice, Race, and Conflicting Loyalties. He has appeared on Nightline, Good Morning America, PBS's NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and other national television and radio programs.