Book Review: "From Rage to Reason: My Life in Two Americas" by Janet Langhart Cohen

I was about to go on vacation and I always like to take a good book with me to read. And yes, I still prefer a real book to an eReader. To me, there's nothing like being curled up and comfortable with a book in my hands, turning the pages and getting lost in the written word.

I was in one of those one dollar stores right before my trip, checking out the book section (yes, most dollar stores have a book section) and I picked up "From Rage to Reason: My Life in Two Americas" by Janet Langhart Cohen (with Alexander Kopelman) for a buck. Honestly, I vaguely knew who she was and I am ashamed to say that, but it's true. I'm not sure why this book was on the shelf in a dollar store, but I hope that it is also on the shelves of every library and school in the United States.

"From Rage to Reason: My Life in Two Americas" is a profound historical statement on black America from the inside out. It is also a tale of one woman's journey to understand who she is and recognizing her full potential as well as the potential of humanity.

Janet Langhart Cohen's book showed her to be an inspired, strong and inquisitive black woman, more curious than angry and more of a solution-seeker than a wild rebel. I've learned myself in life that you learn more when silent and listening than you do when screaming and blinded by your obstacles.

Janet Langhart Cohen is a former fashion model, Emmy-nominated television journalist and author. She is also the president and CEO of her own company, the spouse of a former United States Defense Secretary and she also wrote a play called "Anne and Emmett" about Anne Frank and Emmett Till.

Her book contains amazing personal struggles. She was a black woman who grew up in the projects with a single mother, poor and trying to understand racism while trying to find her place in the world. She speaks of the struggles that she experienced being a light-skinned black women, which is a separate prejudice and struggle in itself at times. She speaks of the pure focus, open-mindedness and relentless determination that it took to pull herself up to where she wanted to be in life while never ever losing sight of who she is and where she wanted to go.

Through her work and career, she met many famous people and provides some wonderful insights history and into these individuals at pivotal moments in their lives, such as Muhammed Ali, Mahalia Jackson, Dr. Martin Luther King and others.

This book is a great read that will leave you walking away with a deeper knowledge of yourself, racism and co-existing in a world of many kinds of people.

Click here to view an Inteview with Janet Langhart Cohen and her Husband, William Cohen, discussing a book that they co-wrote together called "Race and Reconciliation in America".

This book is great read that will leave you walking with away with something learned about yourself and the world.