Praised as “a beautifully written account of the troubled life of a manic genius” (Booklist) and “a book worth savoring” (Colum McCann), Furious Cool: Richard Pryor and the World That Made Him brilliantly brings to life the exceptionally high (and low) times of the groundbreaking and controversial comedian that helped define a turbulent time in American history. In this cultural and personal biography, brothers David and Joe Henry offer readers a sense of the strange, violent, and colorful landscape from which Pryor emerged and provide an in-depth appreciation of his talent and lasting influence.
Pryor persevered through a tough childhood growing up in his grandmother’s brothel in Peoria, Ill., and went on to become one of the greatest stand-up comedians of all time, as pivotal and essential a figure as Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, or Muhammad Ali. Both a brilliant comedian and a very astute judge of what he could get away with, Pryor was always pushing the envelope, combing anger and pathos, outrage and humor, into an art form, laying the groundwork for the generations of comedians who followed, including such outstanding performers as Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, and Louis C.K.
The culture into which Richard Pryor was born and lived helped shaped him into one of the most iconic performers of our time. In this wonderfully entertaining look at the man and his world, David and Joe Henry have succeeded in giving new insight into both.