Comedian, actor, and writer Bill Cosby is one of the most successful and respected entertainers in America. Yet the Cosby we know today came from a much different place and time than the ideal featured in his 1980s hit series "The Cosby Show," where the main character was a loveable, responsible doctor and family man.
Cosby: The Life of a Comedy Legend by Ronald L. Smith, a recognized writer on comedy and comedians, tracks the humble upbringing of the Cos in the Philadelphia projects; explores the inspiration he drew from his family, his teachers, the strong female figures in his life, and the books he read; discusses the hardships he experienced while working several jobs to help support his sisters and brothers after his father deserted the family; and reveals his lean years as a budding comic, his early successes, and the big break that brought him to television.
As the only biography of Bill Cosby for the adult market, this book explores his feelings and thoughts in great detail, while masterfully documenting Cosby's trailblazing work as a pioneering black performer who was one of the first to co-star in a drama series, "I Spy." Also discussed is Cosby's dedication to education and his efforts on behalf of children.
Included are exclusive interviews with family, friends, Cosby's college coach, his first manager, technical advisors from "The Cosby Show" and other big stars. Smith also includes a complete and up-to-date checklist of Cosby's writings, records, films, and television credits.

Matrix positivity is a central topic in matrix theory: properties that generalize the notion of positivity to matrices arose from a large variety of applications, and many have also taken on notable theoretical significance, either because they are natural or unifying. This is the first book to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date reference of important material on matrix positivity classes, their properties, and their relations. The matrix classes emphasized in this book include the classes of semipositive matrices, P-matrices, inverse M-matrices, and copositive matrices. This self-contained reference will be useful to a large variety of mathematicians, engineers, and social scientists, as well as graduate students. The generalizations of positivity and the connections observed provide a unique perspective, along with theoretical insight into applications and future challenges. Direct applications can be found in data analysis, differential equations, mathematical programming, computational complexity, models of the economy, population biology, dynamical systems and control theory.

A delightfully creepy novel from a Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award winner imbued with magic and seafaring mythology. Lemony Snicket and Jessica Townsend meet Greenglass House, with a hint of Edward Gorey thrown in. \When twelve-year-old Rory applies for a job at a spooky old mansion in his gloomy seaside town, he finds the owner, Lord Foxglove, odd and unpleasant. But he and his mom need the money, so he takes the job anyway. Rory soon finds out that his new boss is not just strange, he's not even human--and he's trying to steal the townspeople's shadows. Together, Rory and his friend Isabella set out to uncover exactly what Foxglove and his otherworldly accomplices are planning and devise a strategy to defeat them. But can two kids defeat a group of ancient evil beings who are determined to take over the world? Another delightfully creepy tale from Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award-winning author Ronald L. Smith.

In the second installment of the Young Prince series, follow T'Challa in an action-packed adventure as he tries to unravel a sinister plot

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

Soon she is plunged into the dark world of Victorian London's supernatural underbelly and learns that the city is under attack by ghouls, monsters, and spirit summoners. Can Jess fight these powerful forces? And will the group of strange children with mysterious powers she befriends be able to help? As shy, proper Jess transforms into a brave warrior, she uncovers terrifying truths about the hidden battle between good and evil, about her family, and about herself.