If I Stop, I'll Die; The Comedy and Tragedy of Richard Pryor

In the 1960s, when many black performers were gently trying to pry open the color barrier, comedian Richard Pryor was slamming into it with a vengeance. Employing the language & attitude of the black ghetto, he assaulted racism in outrageous & screamingly funny comic routines. If I Stop I'll Die is an incisive examination of the comedian's life & humor by the renowned African-American writer John A. Williams & the novelist & former Newsweek editor Dennis A Williams. This biography not only reveals details of Pryor's troubled but brilliant career, but also places these events within the context that shaped Pryor's outlook, personality, & opportunities. It also captures the irony that pervaded his life & career: how could the powers of Hollywood force him to portray on film the very racial caricatures that he lampooned on stage; how could he publicly flaunt his private exploits, with embellished comedic versions of his drug use, sexual adventures, & bursts of violence, while fiercely protecting the real facts behind such episodes. For fans of this enormously gifted comic, actor, & writer, & for everyone interested in comedy & contemporary culture, this is an essential retrospective of one of America's most enigmatic artists.Williams, John A. is the author of 'If I Stop, I'll Die; The Comedy and Tragedy of Richard Pryor' with ISBN 9781560250081 and ISBN 1560250089.