What is Cool?

Marlene Kim Connor's anatomy of cool reveals it as a vital code of behaviors and attitudes that plays an often disregarded role in shaping the conception of manhood among young black boys: "Cool, at its most basic, is a way of living and surviving in an inhospitable environment, a rational reaction to an irrational situation, a way of fitting in while standing out, of gaining respect while instilling fear." In this thoughtful, impassioned, and provocative book, Connor uncovers cool's history, explores its essence, and explains why, even though it deserves praise, cool often becomes an insidious force affecting black American life today.