On the Way to Bible Class with E. Lynn Harris

I was introduced to the wonderful world of E. Lynn Harris by my fellow Western High School alumna Mackenzie Lawson during 12th grade. She highly recommended his books, and since I had the most magnificent, slightly above minimum wage job at my local public library, I went in and checked out his first novel, Invisible Life, soon thereafter. I decided to start reading this book on a Friday evening while I was traveling to Bible Class on the bus. After I paid my fare, I sat down and was immediately engrossed in the first chapter. So, I was reading, reading, reading, still reading…and then I get to p. 17 -- Harris writes a very poignant description of the main character’s first homosexual encounter with a man. Dear God!! MY EYES! MY EYES! This was way TOO much for my naïve, Apostolic-raised, 17-year-old eyes. I immediately shut the book and promised God that I would not read anything by this author ever again. Three weeks later, I got over my initial shock, finished that book in four days, and fell deeply in love with the exquisite and delightful work of E. Lynn Harris.

My heart was deeply saddened upon learning about E. Lynn Harris’ death a few weeks ago on July 24, 2009. He brought so much joy to my heart through his books and his humble presence. While he received some criticism and some heart-stopping reactions similar to my Bible Class story based on his choice to focus his novels on homosexual relationships in the African American community, Harris won over millions of fans with his memorable characters (Kyle was my fav!) and his heart-warming stories about love, friendship, and redemption. Harris’s rise from a computer executive to a New York Times bestselling novelist was as equally inspiring as his books. After I got hooked to Harris’s books, I went to all of his book signings EVERY time he came through Baltimore, and it was always amazing to see how many devoted fans loved him as much as I did.

Through his work, I met my delightful sisters from the Sistahs That Are Reading Something (S.T.A.R.S.) book club in 1999 (that us to the left with E. Lynn at the Baltimore Book Lover's Breakfast in 2000); I earned my first official by-line in the Baltimore AFRO American Newspaper after I covered his great book signing at Morgan State University in Summer 2001; and I created a beautiful bond with my nephew, Clifton, after we discovered our mutual love for Harris’s books. I distinctly remember choosing to read his book, If This World Were Mine (my favorite!), during a late night in college instead of studying for an exam that I had the next day. Yes, I was truly an E. Lynn Harris groupie.

While his body is gone from this earth, his words will certainly live on. I remember re-reading his second novel, Just As I Am, last summer for the zillionth time as I was going through a difficult patch with myself self-identity. I nearly peed my pants when I found the answer to my prayers at the end of this novel. He wrote, “God only gets mad when we come down here and pretend to be something we’re not. That really pisses Him off.” What a beautiful reminder!

Thank you, Brother E. Lynn, for graciously sharing your heart and your words with us. Thank you for always reminding us to love and respect one another, regardless of our race, creed, profession, or sexual preference. Thank you for taking a bold stand to write about homosexuality and the challenges of self-identity when so many in the African American community were afraid to talk about and deal with this issue. I personally thank you for making me laugh, cry, keeping me up late at night to finish your books, and helping me to value my worth as a child of God. You are gone but most certainly will not be forgotten.
Rest in peace, E. Lynn.

E. Lynn Harris’s Bibliography

Invisible Life
Just As I Am
And This Soon Shall Pass
If This World Were Mine
Abide With Me
Not a Day Goes By
Any Way the Wind Blows
A Love of My Own
What Becomes of the Brokenhearted (memoir)
I Say a Little Prayer
Too Good To Be True
Basketball Jones
Mama Dearest (to be published September 22, 2009)