Books With Intriguing Covers

Food For Thought

I am sure that you are familiar with the old saying, "You can't judge a book by its cover." This expression is used in a figurative sense so often that it's literally "worn out". As children, we were urged to try new foods that didn't look appetizing, but found that little trees (broccoli) were delicious. In the teen years, we learned that the shortest player on a basketball team could possibly be named MVP of the year. Now, as adults we encourage the youth to not exclude others from clubs, teams, and dates just because they don't wear designer clothing or shoes. Within the last decade, how often have you seen public schools adopt uniforms as a dress code to decrease the amount of judgment and bullying? In the workplace, we find that the most attractive person isn't always the manager, because productivity keeps the company in business not beauty. The value comes from within.

The Challenge

This year, Koa Publishing Company released the book, Racism Doesn't Matter by Dr. Steve Parson. The feedback we've received about this book has been an even split of positive and negative responses. The positive responses were based upon the content of the book which was read by those who either read the book or an excerpt of it. Our negative responses were comments made by people who read the title and immediately said, "No! Racism does matter! Look at what's happening in the world!" My challenge to you as an author and publisher is to visit Koa Publishing Company's Home page and read a description of the book.

Racism Doesn't Matter was purposely named that way to intrigue the reader, provoke him or her to think deeper and ask questions. The first question should have been, "What does the author mean by that?" The photo on the cover of the book is of the author. Seriously, do you think a black man raised up during the end of the Jim Crow Laws would say that racism doesn't matter and mean it LITERALLY???

The book is packed with history and positive messages of how people have lived in racists conditions, stayed focused on their goals and became very successful. Here is some insight: Did racism stop Thurgood Marshall from becoming the first African American justice in the U.S. Supreme Court or Barack Obama from becoming the first African American President of the United States?

So, I close this article with two wise old sayings:

DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER

and

IT'S WHAT'S INSIDE THAT COUNTS