Invisible Life : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: Invisible Life is an excellent, and very revealing work.
Review: Invisible Life captures very honestly the living in a community where one is defined by his or her sexual preference. The book explores the gray area of bi-sexualism that is often overlooked as a sexual preference, especially in the African-American community. Weaved with suspense, Invisible Life presents a true account of what it is like to grow up torn between loving both men and women. E. Lynn Harris created a great work in this debut of this book

Rating:
Summary: Oh, Come On!
Review: I just don't get it -- or maybe I do. Harris writes about confused black bisexual men and that makes some straight sisters and white folks comfortable. I could not relate to this book at all. Someone had the gall to call it "afrocentric"? There ain't a thing about it that is -- unless one views portraying African-American men as sexually schizophrenic, emotionally empty, and spiritually bankrupt as "afrocentric." The only real character in this book is Kyle, the Brother who has it together -- and, what do you know, he turns out to be a hustler! I know self-hate when I read it and I think Mr. harris just doesn't like being gay. A sad tale -- on more than one level. Where's James Earl Hardy when ya need him

Rating:
Summary: Excellent***Two thumbs up
Review: This book was about a young black male who was straight, But in his senior year of college he was introduced to the bi-sexual side of life. The content of the story is unbeleivable I am only 15 and I couldn't put it down it was excellent. Mr. Harris is an excellent writer so take my advise and read this book and you will be thankful you did because it will release all the tension and stress you have

Rating:
Summary: Excellent insight into the gay African-American community
Review: I've read this book three times and it is just as good the third time as the first time. It is refreshing to read an afrocentric, gay-related novel that isn't focused on the sexual exploits of all the characters. Mr. Harris created characters with realistic personalities. I'm a native of New York City and reading it brought back memories of home. Many of the places were accurately portrayed, bringing further realism to the novel. Congratulations Mr. Harris and Keep writing

Rating:
Summary: Predictable
Review: Raymond Tyler is the son of a Birmingham, AL lawyer and teacher. He was engaged to his high school sweetheart when he decided to attend AU. While at AU, he met Kelvin, a football player. Kelvin kissed Raymond and Raymond enjoyed it and had sex with Kelvin. Raymond discovered that he was a bisexual.

After graduating AU, Raymond attended Columbia Law School. While in law school Raymond befriended Janelle (JJ), a fag hag and Kyle, a flamboyant gay man. Raymond also began to have gay relationships. It is now five or 6 years later (1992 or 1993).

Raymond returns home to Alabama for the 1st time. On his way to the airport, his father tells him: your mother and I didn't raise you to be a sissy. Raymond is distraught. In the meantime, he has run into Kelvin in NY. Kelvin's fiance, Candance, introduces Raymond to her best friend Nicole. Raymond and Nicole fall in love. Raymond also falls in love with a married man by the name of Quinn.

Ultimately, Raymond chooses Nicole but Nicole decides against Raymond after her friend, Candance, contracts AIDS from Kelvin. Raymond moves back to Birmingham to work with his father in his law practice.

My impression of the book:
It was very slow at first, but it also was too shocking. The relationship between Kelvin and Raymond was like BAMM! As a reader, you were thinking, where the heck did that come from. During the first half of the book, it also seemed like the writer was saying being gay was no big deal.

When Raymond met Nicole, my interest in the book picked up and, again, the shock factor was still in existence as to Raymond's decision to sleep with Quinn while being intimate with Nicole. It really was no surprise that Nicole would not put up with Raymond's tendencies.

All in all, I found this book a disappointment. In 1992 or 1993, this would have been a shock. In 2004, in the age of NON-innocence, a book about bisexuality and nothing more is not going to be that gripping, in my opinion.

Rating:
Summary: The First of Many Blessings
Review: This is the first book of E. Lynn Haris' Invisble Life series. They are all wonderful. You will fall in love with most and hate some of the characters but that is what makes this series so good. I've purchased everyone of his books except for his memoir which I've read. All but "If This World Were Mine" and "And This Two shall Pass" are part of the series, but Mr. Basil with his fine behind is in every one. I've read this book and all the other twice that is just how good this is. Buy or read them all. You won't be disapointed.

Rating:
Summary: shallow and disappointing
Review: I thought this book was dull and disappointing. If you are looking for just a bit of light reading for the sake of a story, this may be the book for you - but if you are looking for a novel that is intriguing, moving and involving, this certainly didn't make the grade for me. The writing is dull, the characters are flat, the plot moves along like a simplistic fantasy with the characters making their choices with an unrealistically shallow level of conflict. I personally found I was unable to empathise with any of them because I felt they just weren't real to me, despite the book's issues being quite close to my heart. It's magazine-rack stuff.