Rating: 
Summary: ANOTHER GREAT WORK OF ART
Review: I've read the first two books, "Invisible Life" and "Just As I Am" and I must say this book is excellent just like the others. I haven't read the 3rd book, "This Too Shall Pass" but I plan to in the near future. E. Lynn Harris you definitely have a fan club in the Chicago Area as well as all over the United States. This book, like the others, was read in a matter of a few days. I JUST COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. It's like the soap operas on TV the only difference is that the characters are all black. Thank you for allowing me to have to opportunity to endulge in your fictional writing. Please keep me posted when the next book comes out!
Rating: 
Summary: If This World Were Mine is an average work by Harris
Review: I was able to read this book in one night. I think it is more due to a very predictable plot than to any innate reading skill on my part. At times, I felt as if I was reading And This Too Shall Pass with different characters. The similarities are obvious: Leland is a proud homosexual just like Sean from ATTSP. Dwight is a male Tamela and Uncle Doc is a male twin of Mama Cee. Harris has significant skill as a writer, I would like to see him use it for something more constructive than these predicable, sophomoric, sensational plots and characters. Harris is gay, and proud of it, but in order for me to read another one of his books he would have to tackle another subject than the plight of black homosexuals in this country. Furthermore, he can be truly over the top with his characters. Monty, the sex-crazed singer comes to mind on this subject. Overall, this book is a fun read, but if you have read Harris before it is just the same old story.
Rating: 
Summary: It was " fair" gift.
Review: This was the first E. Lynn Harris novel that I read. I refused to read the other three novels a year ago when assigned by my Book Lovers' Club. I was not ready. Then my 20 year-old daughter, a junior at Hampton U. searched for it this past fall semester... I bought it as her Xmas gift. She left it @home for me to read,and I did. I laughed out loud a couple of times, but the plot was too predictable for me. Yet, I will read any future sequel about the complex John Basil Henderson.
Rating:
Summary: Finally a bed warming good book!!!
Review: If this world were mine is the first that I read, but it definately won't be the last. This is a book that draws you in like a movie! I did not even want to put it down to use the restroom! I never knew a writer could be so powerful on paper. This book shows a side of society (even if ficticious) that many authors won't touch. If you haven't read it, go back to the bookstore and buy it! Thanks for my new adventure with E Lynn Harris.
Rating:
Summary: If This World Were Mine is WONDERFUL!!!!
Review: Mr. Harris has done it again! His latest novel is a joy to read. The lives of the characters are believable and he makes you feel as if you are a part of the journal writing group. He changes the lives of these 4 characters carefully to keep it all real. E. Lynn Harris does something different in this book by focusing on a variety of lifestyles. Showing us how we all need a close group of friends who we can count on and share with. I enjoyed the ride along with each of the members of the group but what I enjoyed most was getting close to who Basil Henderson really is!!!! MORE MORE MORE. Basil Henderson has been a main stay in each of the three previous novels by E. Lynn Harris. This time Basil's true side is a little more exposed. We get to see what's really inside of this complex brother. His anger takes on new meaning and you end up feeling for him. I am now wanting to know more about Basil, his past, his future, his heart!!! In the end all I could do was smile !!!!! I will be anxiously awaiting book 5, Mr. E. Lynn Harris. D.Johnson
Rating: 
Summary: If This World Were Mine...Garbage Like This Would Be Tossed
Review: A friend recommended this book to me. As a true friend (which happens to be the so-called theme of this book), he could have spared me the time and himself the trouble. E. Lynn Harris tries to cover his homophiliac tendencies with a snapshot of four very flimsy, very ill-matched friends struggling to cope with four (or more) very flimsy, very ill-matched problems. Throw in a very flimsy, very ill-matched bisexual love interest for one of the earlier flimsy protagonists, and what do you have? A weak (not just flimsy) novel in which approximately 70% of the characters or themes are homosexual. This book has all the depth of a summer rain puddle in the Mojave desert. The four main characters are just like the notecards on which they wrote their life questions: cardboard cutouts, with defining traits pencilled in on the back. You've got your angry black man, your ditzy ambitious talentless mother and wife, your men-are-dogs-so-keep-em-on-a-leash black woman, and of course, your sensitive homosexual man. Cliches, all. These four are somehow supposed to be good friends, though the angry black man rarely talks to any of the other three, the strong black woman secretly ridicules the ditzy one, and so on. Then Harris decides to introduce the supposedly witty, down-home homosexual uncle and the bisexual-in-denial football player to further muddle up things. The dialogue throughout the book is absolutely empty, replete with your "mmm-hmm girlfriend" catch phrases that are supposed to serve as the true-to-life language of African-Americans today. Harris' device of jumping from the first-person to the third and back again is awkward and pointless. The ridiculously orchestrated scene where the strong black woman walks in on two of her three, count them, three homo/bisexual contacts doing the nasty is laughable in more ways than one. The sitcom-like wrap-up of almost every subplot completes the novel's rapid slide into utter mediocrity.
The fact that people actually thought this novel had anything meaningful to say just points out the problem with the mainstream African-American views on sex and meaningful relationships, which they think are synonymous. Be a good friend to somebody and don't let them read this drivel.
Rating:
Summary: If this world were mine
Review: I read this book in less than a week. It was so good I just couldn't put it down. Mr. Harris I tip my hat to you for such a wonderful collection of books that you have written. All of which I have read. just wonderful. For these books I say Thank You!!!!
Rating:
Summary: If This World Were Mine, this book would never have ended!
Review: Mr. Harris has truly outdone himself! He has managed to give interesting, yet different lifestyles to contemporary characters and allow the reader to become caught up in each of their dilemma's. We should all be so lucky as to have good friends like the characters in this novel. It takes a lot to admit to anyone, let alone one of your best friends, "Okay, I was wrong. I'm sorry and I still love you. Period". I love how Mr. Harris brought back characters from previous novels and intertwined them with this story. I was wondering what Raymond was up to. Hopefully we will find out in Mr. Harris' next novel. As for Basil, I knew there had to be a reason as to why this man was so confused. Maybe confused is too strong. I think he knew what he really wanted. He just hadn't come to terms with issues from way back. I hope in future novels he is able to come to grips with himself. At least in this novel, I know he is on the way. I know this review makes it sound as if these people are real and folks I can call and check on, but Mr. Harris has a style of writing that makes you embrace each character and accept them just as they are. I also must admit this work was also highly emotional for me. At times it was entirely too funny and toward the end I sent my daughter to the bathroom for more Kleenex. My husband thought I was losing my mind! The minute I finished this piece, with Kleenex in hand, I called one of my girlfriends who had this book and told her to drop everything and read "If This World Were Mine" .
Rating:
Summary: I loved it!!!
Review: I've read all of Mr. Harris' novels and I anxiously await his next release. I never thought that I would enjoy reading about the gay underworld and how it relates to the heterosexual community. Mr. Harris' novels have helped me to keep an open mind when dealing with and accepting differences. I also enjoy how the character Basil slowly but surely creeps into Mr. Harris' novels. With this book I was able to finally realize what issues Basil was dealing with. I hope the character, Basil and his healing is explored in furture novels. A great, great book.
Rating:
Summary: When is the next book coming!! This was great!!
Review: I have personally bought all of Mr.Harris' books and the joy of reading this book was the same. I truly love the descriptions he gives to cities and restaurants and the characters. So much so that I feel I'm right there with them. I became a fan of this author after his first book and will remain so. I anxiously await his next book!! You go boy!! I also feel I have a better understanding and respect for gay life and appreciate Mr. Harris' desire to get it out in the forefront. We all need to open up and understand different lifestyles and respect them, even if we don't join in or agree with it. It's all about acceptance and understanding in such a diverse culture that we live in. This review comment section is great!! Thanks amazon!!
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