Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby

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The Cosby Show, Bill Cosby photo date: 1990
Photo by Alan Singer - All Rights Reserved, MPTV

Bill Cosby was born William H. Cosby Jr on July 12, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He married Camille Hanks on January 25, 1964. Mr and Mrs Cosby have four daughters. Their only son, Ennis William Cosby, was murdered on January 16, 1997. All of his children have names that begin with the letter "E" (Erika, Erinn, Ennis, Ensa & Evin) According to Cosby, the "E" stands for "Excellence."

Bill Cosby earned a Bachelor in Arts Degree from Temple University and a Master Degree in Education (M. Ed.) in 1972 and his Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) in 1977 from the University of Massachusetts. His doctoral thesis was titled "The Integration of Visual Media Via Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Into the Elementary Schools Culminating as a Teacher Aid to Achieve Increased Learning." (excerpted from http://www.billcosby.com/)

Come On People: On the Path from Victims to Victors
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Bill Cosby, Alvin F. Poussaint

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson; 1 edition (October 9, 2007)
ISBN-10: 1595550925

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Bill Cosby and Alvin F. Poussaint have a powerful message for families and communities as they lay out their visions for strengthening America, or for that matter the world. They address the crises of people who are stuck because of feelings of low self-esteem, abandonment, anger, fearfulness, sadness, and feelings of being used, undefended and unprotected. These feelings often impede their ability to move forward. The authors aim to help empower people make the daunting transition from victims to victors. Come On, People! is always engaging, and loaded with heart-piercing stories of the problems facing many communities.

Cosbyology: Essays and Observations from the Doctor of Comedy
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by Bill Cosby with original illustrations by George Booth.

Format: Hardcover, 192pp.
ISBN: 0786868104
Publisher: Hyperion Press
Pub. Date: October 2001
Edition Desc: 1 ED

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In his long and illustrious career, Bill Cosby has been many things: award-winning actor, bestselling author, doctor of education, media icon, and role model. But first and foremost, he is a comedian, and here he returns to that role in this wonderfully funny collection of stand-up material that touches on everything from childhood and marriage to school, sports, and work. Fusing his classic jazzy timing and edgy humor with the intelligence and perception that have made him a huge star, Bill Cosby draws from his own life to tell these laugh-out-loud stories. With a dry wit and uncanny insight, Cosby writes about his first experiences skiing, lying to his mother, and fretting about ingrown hairs. Fans young and old will be eager to add this volume to their collection, while new fans everywhere will delight in this sampling of great comic genius.

All titles below are

The Best Way to Play
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Varnette P. Honeywood (Illustrator)

Publisher: Scholastic Publication Date: Sept 1997

From beloved comedian and storyteller Bill Cosby comes THE BEST WAY TO PLAY, a Little Bill Book for Beginning Readers that teaches kids that the best toys they've got aren't the ones they buy, but the ones they have inside them: their creativity and imagination. Little Bill and his friends love the Space Explorers. They watch the Space Explorers TV show on Saturday mornings, they play Space Explorers in the big lot next to Uncle Al's house, and now they want the new Space Explorers video game. But when the kids' parents won't buy the game, Little Bill, Andrew, Fuchsia, and Kiku are forced to find their own way to have fun and save the planet from evil aliens.

billtreas.bmp (15978 bytes) The Treasure Hunt
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Varnette P. Honeywood (Illustrator)

Publisher: Scholastic Publication Date: July 1997

Bill Cosby's THE TREASURE HUNT is a joy to read, teaching kids the value of family while encouraging them to look within themselves to find what makes them special. Little Bill has the day off from school and, wouldn't you know it, it's rainy and windy outside. As Little Bill wanders through the house looking for entertainment, it seems everyone has something they love to do -- everyone except Little Bill. His father sorts through his old jazz records, his mother polishes her prized silver platter, and his brother, Bobby, is engrossed in his baseball cards. It isn't until his great-grandmother, Alice the Great, asks Little Bill to tell her a story that he realizes he has his own favorite hobby.

billmean.bmp (16078 bytes) The Meanest Thing to Say
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Varnette P. Honeywood (Illustrator)

Publisher: Scholastic Publication Date: July 1997

With typical humor and insight, Bill Cosby teaches beginning readers the value of friendship and kindness in THE MEANEST THING TO SAY, a Little Bill Book. There's a new boy in Little Bill's class, and he's got a different game for the gang to play. Michael Reilly doesn't want to play basketball like the kids usually do; he prefers "Playing the Dozens." "You get twelve chances to say something mean to a person," Michael explains. "The meanest thing wins." The insults go back and forth ("Jose hops with the frogs in the sixth grade lab," "Andrew is a lousy basketball player"), but Little Bill is uncomfortable with Playing the Dozens. Can he find a way to win the game but still be nice?

Related Links

http://www.billcosby.com/