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  • BEN PHILIPPE
    AUTHOR. TV WRITER. UNUSED NOTEBOOK ACCUMULATOR.

    “  Black French-Canadian writer. Basically, the guy across the hall if your life was a sitcom.”

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    Sure, I’ll Be Your Black Friend
    by Ben Philippe

    IN AN ERA IN WHICH “I HAVE MANY BLACK FRIENDS” IS OFTEN A MEDAL OF WOKENESS, Ben hilariously chronicles the experience of being on the receiving end of those fist bumps. He takes us through his immigrant childhood, from wanting nothing more than friends to sit with at lunch, to his awkward teenage years, to college in the age of Obama, and adulthood in the Trump administration—two sides of the same American coin.

    Ben takes his role as your new black friend seriously, providing original and borrowed wisdom on stereotypes, slurs, the whole “swimming thing,” how much Beyoncé is too much Beyoncé, Black Girl Magic, the rise of the Karens, affirmative action, the Black Lives Matter movement, and other conversations you might want to have with your new BBFF.

    SURE, I’LL BE YOUR BLACK FRIEND is available for order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and HarperCollins now!

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    Charming As A Verb
    by Ben Philippe

    HENRI ‘HALTI’ HALTIWANGER CAN CHARM JUST ABOUT ANYONE. He is a star debater and popular student at the prestigious FATE academy, the dutiful first-generation Haitian son, and the trusted dog walker for his wealthy neighbors. But his easy smiles mask a burning ambition to attend his dream school, Columbia University… and a willingness to cut corners to get there. The only person who seems immune to Henri’s charms is his “intense” classmate and neighbor Corinne Troy.

    When she uncovers Henri’s less-than-honest dog-walking scheme, she blackmails him into helping her change her image at school. Henri agrees, seeing a potential upside for himself. Soon, what started as a mutual hustle turns into something more surprising than either of them ever bargained for. . . .

    CHARMING AS A VERB is available for order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and HarperCollins now!

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    The Field Guide to the North American Teenager
    by Ben Philippe

    MEET NORRIS KAPLAN, a clever and rather cynical black French Canadian who moves to Austin, Texas where he is dropped into a new and very American high school. There, he quickly finds himself cataloging everyone he meets from ‘Cheerleaders’ to ‘Jocks’ to his fellow Loners. That is until he meets Aarti, a girl he can’t quite categorize. ‘Manic Pixie’ or ‘Love Interest’? ‘Date’ or ‘Hang’? ‘FWB’ or ‘GF’?

    And are the people he’s meeting along the way ‘Friends’ or simply ‘Fellow Basket Cases’? By prom night, Norris will have to stop hiding behind his snarky labels and start living his life — alongside the people who have somehow found their way into his heart… muscle… thingy.

    THE FIELD GUIDE TO THE NORTH AMERICAN TEENAGER is available for order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and HarperCollins now!

Audio posts Link posts News

SURE, I’LL BE YOUR BLACK FRIEND Summer 2021 Interviews

Ben Philippe / August 18, 2021
Image posts

Happy Holidays from the Haltiwangers!

Ben Philippe / December 24, 2020
Uncategorized

CHARMING AS A VERB is out today!

Ben Philippe / October 13, 2020
News

SURE, I’LL BE YOUR BLACK FRIEND Cover Release

Ben Philippe / September 23, 2020

NONSENSE NAVIGATION

art Audio Charming As A Verb cover interview news nonfiction Podcasts SIBYBF The Field Guide to the North American Teenager

© 2025 Ben Philippe