Rating: 
Summary: A Tremendously Courageous Personal Gift
Review: Courageous, admirable, heartfelt, heart warming, emotional. All of these adjectives I would use to describe the memoirs of E. Lynn Harris. Mr. Harris has taken a great step in life, writing down his life for the entire world to see and make comment on and that takes tremendous courage. I can only hope for him, that this is a liberating experience and some of the demons that have fought him have finally turned him loose. Usually not an avid fan of his fictional writing, this chronological autobiography has allowed me to understand more of his fiction and the need that he has for its writing. Totally inspirational, I've garnered a new respect for this caring, spirited man.The title alone compelled me to read. To think, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted really is captivating. So many people walk around life with a seemingly perfect outer shell, inside is totally in a shambles. Without an outlet to express oneself, we can easily become brokenhearted and disillusioned. Harris experienced this many times during his life starting with an abusive step father, continuing with a short reunion with his father, his seemingly inability to fit in at school, attempted suicide and general unhappiness with his life. It seems that he spent over half of his life looking for someone to love him and seeking ways in which to love himself, while those of us who would look at him would see IBM Executive, a workingman driving around in the latest greatest car, always on top of his game. Many times this search proved tearful for both author and reader. I found this memoir to be elegantly written and riveting. I applaud Mr. Harris. He's shared a part of his soul with the world and I appreciate his efforts. I hope he has found the writing to be therapeutic and those of us who read, take away valuable lessons of understanding, tolerance and hope that people can overcome obstacles and achieve what they themselves find appropriate. There is a great and uplifting lesson to be learned within the pages of What Becomes of the Brokenhearted. You can overcome adversity and arrive at achievement. You Go Boy!
Rating: 
Summary: Humble beginnings
Review: E. Lynn Harris gives the reader a thorough background understanding of where he was born, to whom, and his struggles to overcome feelings of inferiority & insecurity. What's missing is how he became a writer and what drove him to write. Most of his adult career was as an IBM and computer sales rep, which was a surprise, but it's not until near the end that he discusses writing and publishing. The first half of the book is very engrossing, as he talks about his two fathers and his mother. But the second half does not divulge much about the man. He discusses going to college, dating, and successes as a school office holder. His homosexuality is widely known. He recounts chance encounters, pickups, lovers, heartbreaks, it's almost like reading a romance novel. Surprisingly, he glazes over the AIDS epidemic and how it effected he and his friends. Only 1 page is devoted to AIDS. The second part could have been more poetic and in-depth.
Rating:
Summary: Humble beginnings
Review: E. Lynn Harris gives the reader a thorough background understanding of where he was born, to whom, and his struggles to overcome feelings of inferiority & insecurity. What's missing is how he became a writer and what drove him to write. Most of his adult career was as an IBM and computer sales rep, which was a surprise, but it's not until near the end that he discusses writing and publishing. The first half of the book is very engrossing, as he talks about his two fathers and his mother. But the second half does not divulge much about the man. He discusses going to college, dating, and successes as a school office holder. His homosexuality is widely known. He recounts chance encounters, pickups, lovers, heartbreaks, it's almost like reading a romance novel. Surprisingly, he glazes over the AIDS epidemic and how it effected he and his friends. Only 1 page is devoted to AIDS. The second part could have been more poetic and in-depth.
Rating: 
Summary: A Page-Turner Destined to Be a Book Club Hit
Review: E. Lynn Harris's novels about black middle class homosexual and heterosexual life have captured the fancy of thousands of readers. His success is remarkable because his honesty about gay, bisexual and "confused" African American men hasn't turned off women readers and has sparked discussion about male secrecy, sex and lies. Many of his readers, myself among them, have wondered about the relationship between Harris and Raymond Tyler, the protagonist of his first novel and some of his subsequent work. Because the novels are written in such a straightforward, conversational tone, it's easy to imagine that the author is telling his own thinly-veiled story. With his new memoir, WHAT BECOMES OF THE BROKENHEARTED, Harris both dispels and confirms the questions about whether or not Raymond is really his doppelganger. As Harris tells it, Raymond's perfect middle class upbringing with loving parents is a far cry from his humbler and, often, more cruel beginnings. But the character's life experiences closely mirror those of the author's adult life, including their search for love, sex, and a path out of depression. Like his popular novels, Harris's memoir is a page-turner that feels more like a long, confessional letter or an all-night conversation. Its principle merits are as a record of the modern gay black man's experience and an insider text for his legions of fans. Having read all of Harris's novels, I was very curious about the who's who aspect of his memoir and pleased to meet some of the real-life people who inspired his fictional characters. However, his conversational style was sometimes disappointing because the memoir occasionally fails to fully explore various experiences. And while it seems he wrote some of the last pages earlier this year, Harris chooses to keep some secrets to himself. Unfortunately for the reader, he only hints at the happiness he has found in the last decade and keeps those tales undercover. His honesty about battling depression and "lying Lynn" are also important aspects of his story. As his novels forced women to face facts about male sexuality and gave gay black men their own serial, his memoir will help raise the veil from the issue of depression. Harris's first nonfiction work will likely be another book club and talkabout hit. Hopefully, it will also open hearts and minds as his novels have for the last decade. --- Reviewed by Bernadette Adams Davis
Rating:
Summary: Brave, Courageous, Exquisite.
Review: E.Lynn Harris deserves more than a 5 star rating. The reason for that is how could I rate the book any less than the max, when a person puts on paper their life?! I would be saying that God created a imperfect life for E.Lynn Harris (I wouldn't dare say that). E.Lynn Harris has written about his life (real life) not fictional characters. He put on paper his innermost feelings and it doesn't matter what people think, it is his life and actually he didn't write it, he just lived it. I thank him for sharing his personal struggle with homosexuality, bisexuality, abuse, misfortune, low self esteem, friendship, corporate america and his struggles. I felt for "Lynn" and I am glad that he had the courage to put on paper his memoirs cause it sheds a different light on how a man deals with heterosexuality vs. homosexuality and the secret torment of being in the closet. Very enlightening and he deserves more stars for having the courage to write it. Keep on E.Lynn...Keep on.
Rating:
Summary: What Becomes of the Brokenhearted : A Memoir
Review: Harris is one of America's top writers, chronicling the experiences of gay and heterosexual African Americans through books such as Invisible Life and Just as I Am. His first nonfiction offering provides listeners with a glimpse into his life, starting with his childhood in Little Rock, AR, with an abusive father and loving mother. The author discovers his sexual identity in high school and college and has bouts with depression and alcohol abuse. Harris pulls no punches, and listeners will want to reach out and touch the little boy who must deal with the daily whippings from the man who turns out to be his stepfather; the young man who wants to find love with another man but must hide his feelings from other blacks at his college; the man who goes into sales at IBM and deals with the pain of disastrous relationships with drinks and late-night parties; and the man who realizes that writing his story can help his people learn the truth about the homosexuals they live with and love. Read by Richard Allen, this wonderful book is full of passion and joy and provides a message of hope to those within the gay community and those fighting depression. For all libraries, especially those with collections in African American, gay, lesbian, and transgender studies and in mental health
Rating: 
Summary: lame
Review: I am a gay man, and it can't get more boring to hear another gay whine about how hard it is to be gay in this society.
I've read many great autobiographies, by Piri Thomes, Nathan McCall, Esmeralda Santiago, Reinaldo Arenas to name a few.
This book was the Lamest biography I've ever read.
This whining drama queen made me wanna throw all his books away.
BUT, I think this is good for straight people to read.
Rating:
Summary: ALL THAT AND A BOWL OF GRITS & BACON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: MR. HARRIS HAS DONE IT AGAIN.......... THE BOOKS THAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN HAVE INSPIRED ME TO WRITE. WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THIS BOOK, I CRIED. I HAD A VISION THAT THIS MIGHT BE THE LAST GREAT WORK FROM A GREAT MAN... THEN I THOUGHT, THATS JUST CRAZY.. WHY WOULD A WRITING LEGEND GIVE UP AT HIS HEIGHT OF GREATNESS...THATS WHY I READ THE BOOK AND CRIED SOME MORE AND THEN I REALIZED THAT E. LYNN HARRIS IS A STRONG FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH FOR MANY YEARS/DECADES/CENTURIES TO COME. IF YOU KEEP IT COMING, I'LL KEEP BUYING........ THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INSPIRATION.. MAD LOVE FROM YOUR #1 FAN....LOVE FROM DOWN SOUTH!
Rating:
Summary: Expose'
Review: Mr. Harris' heart must have been mighty heavy with burdens to expose his life this way. Some will use it as gossip while others will use it as a learning experience. Be true to oneself and learn from your mistakes. With that said, please read the novel, LUST OF THE FLESH by Beverly Roylat. Mr. Harris if you read this review, I suggest you read her novel too. It will truly be a blessing to you. It's very enlightening and educational not to mention a pageturner full of "edge of seat, nail biting, can't wait to turn the page to see what's next," drama.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't stop reading!
Review: This book opened my eyes. This book made me realize that no matter how rough I think life may be, things have a way of working out once you follow your heart and have faith. E. Lynn has done it once again. This man is truly blessed. The book kept me wanting more.
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