How to Tell the Right From Wrong in Everyday Situations
February 18, 2002
Cohen, author of the popular New York Times Magazine
column "The Ethicist," has collected some of his favorite columns, along with guest commentaries, quizzes for readers and revisions of some of his own advice. Not unlike Miss Manners, Cohen tries to focus on problems that everyday people actually face: e-mail privacy at work, "telling" on a philandering spouse, cheating at school, filching motel soaps, ticket scalping and the like. After outlining the basic ethical issues involved, he offers clear—if sometimes painful—recommendations for what to do, often leavened with a little Dave Barry-ish humor. Unlike Dear Abby or Judge Judy, Cohen allows for more than one right answer; he includes dissenting opinions from Dan Savage, Katha Pollitt and even his own mom. The concluding section, "I Demand a Recant," rounds up columns that Cohen himself has changed his mind about. Still, rethinking positions hasn't made Cohen a relativist; his basic ethical principles remain clear. "The small civilities of ordinary life" are
important. Incompetence should not
be confused with unethical behavior. And beware "perilous" associations; working as "Attila the Hun's Gardener" may land you in unintended trouble. Agent, David McCormick. (On sale Mar. 19)Forecast:Cohen's weekly fans will want this for their reference shelves; word of mouth should take it much further. It's the perfect gift for anyone who doesn't read a lot, but feels strongly about "how things ought to be done."
November 1, 2001
He knows if you've been bad or good: a collection of Cohen's columns in the New York Times Magazine.
Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2002
Adult/High School-Cohen is "The Ethicist" for the New York Times Magazine, and in this book he includes his answers to some of his favorite ethical questions that "ordinary citizens" face. The chapters are arranged around various aspects of life, including work, community, family, school, etc. Each one begins with an ethics pop quiz that readers are invited to reply to on the Web, questions and answers from the column, a guest ethicist who comes to a different conclusion about one of the questions, and readers' responses to his questions. A former writer for David Letterman, Cohen ends many of his answers with zany one-liners, quirky asides, or political potshots. His style is clear and breezy, yet lucid. Teens won't have faced many of the issues yet, but they are sure to have grappled with some of them. The author addresses questions on drugs, sex, homosexuality, and other "hot-button" issues. He forthrightly admits that he operates "without reference to a formal system of ethics" and he takes issue with various ethical systems, including those of the Mafia, William Bennett, and the Ten Commandments. His book will give teens plenty to think about, and it's sure to generate heated discussions.-Jane S. Drabkin, Chinn Park Regional Library, Woodbridge, VA
Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
February 15, 2002
From former "Late Night with David Letterman" writer Cohen comes this collection of columns that first appeared in the "New York Times Magazine"'s "Ethicist" column. In question-and-answer format, Cohen addresses some pressing (and a few not-so-pressing) ethical issues: Do I join a class-action lawsuit to make some bucks even though I have no complaint? Should I tell a friend that his expensive watch is a fake? Although some of the columns touch on weighty moral issues (a prison inmate, convicted of a crime he says he did not commit, asks if it's OK to lie to the parole board if it gets him out of jail), most deal with everyday ethics. If you receive an extra paycheck, are you obligated to notify your employer of the mistake? If somebody takes your umbrella, is it permissible to take one belonging to someone else? Cohen, who has won three Emmy Awards for his comedy writing, answers these ethical questions with intelligence, sensibility, and a healthy dose of wit. A very handy guide to some tricky everyday problems. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)