On a gloomy day, what could be better than “a book of quotes, words of wisdom, memes & jokes” to boost your mood? Author Howard Lee Cole Jr. offers such things in A Cup of Motivation: Unconventional Wisdom, an oversized (8.5 x 11”) book of inspiration and advice.
Cole’s book is attractive, with quotes and memes centered on the page. Quotes are often insightful, as in: “Don’t go bankrupt attempting to validate you’re not broke to people who are already broke.” And: “Relax! You just had a bad day, not a horrible life!” In between such thoughts, readers will find questions for reflection, such as “What was important to you as a child?”
Cole attributes many quotes to himself, as often as four times per page. No sources are listed for other items, however, making readers wonder if they’ve perhaps come from the Internet.
Some may be put off by the language, which includes words like “fuck” and “shit,” and some coarse comments, as with the one accompanied by a picture of a man sleeping on the couch: “My wife caught me blow drying my penis this evening and asked me what I was doing. Obviously warming up your dinner wasn’t the correct response.”
The book’s biggest issue, however, is Cole’s intended audience. In the introduction and on the back cover, he expresses hope that the book “makes you feel all warm inside.” But he includes posts calling women “bitch” and “hoe,” and children who have had an easy childhood “pussies.” So, is he aiming mostly for very masculine men? There are also memes about “white people” and racism that aren’t likely to make those readers happy. So, is the audience solely black men?
As is, a general audience looking for warm fuzzies is likely to feel misled by this volume. Revision to credit all sources of material and to refine the description of Cole’s intended audience would enhance the book’s appeal.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
