Got to be Real: Four Original Love Stories [Paperback]

E. Lynn Harris (Author), Eric Jerome Dickey (Author), Marcus Major (Author), Colin Channer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2000

Boldly sexy, raucously funny, and unfailingly honest-all readers will be able to identify with, and fall in love with, these original stories from the hottest male voices in African-American Fiction.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In recent years, African-American women have occupied center stage in romantic fiction, but their supremacy is being hotly contested by a growing number of black male authors who seek to address the issues of love and lust from the other side of the sexual divide. Four of the most popular of this group bring their fictional firepower to a quartet of tales of the heart that often surprises and shocks, but occasionally sags under the weight of workmanlike prose and aimless plotting. Major's story "Kenya and Amir" is an entertaining urban fable of an artful Lothario who finds the perfect love and almost loses it when he can't resist his own macho image. Harris's worthy tale, "Money Can't Buy Me Love," shows how love can restore even the most damaged heart when Jimmy, a gay doctor frustrated after a six-month drought of sex, receives a Valentine's Day gift from a pal. The story of healing and renewal showcases Harris's ability to move beyond sexual stereotyping to find the humanity in all of his characters. Channer's "I'm Still Waiting" is a complex riff on the contemporary music scene set against a lush Jamaican backdrop. Unfortunately, it spends as much time discussing pop musical trends as it does exploring its main characters. Possibly the weakest of the stories is Dickey's "Caf? Piel." Bobby Davis, a struggling photographer, travels to Cabo San Lucas to collect a debt from John, a con man on the run. John talks him into doing one last job, shooting photos in Mexico for a tourist brochure, in order to collect his cash. Dickey tries to pump life into this familiar plot with Alejandria, a Mexican beauty who works for John. She and Bobby fall in love and together plot John's comeuppance. Their romance starts fast and furious but fizzles in the end, and lackluster execution never allows the story to soar. A groundbreaking effort in many respects, this memorable book provides a look at some of the biggest male names on the African-American literary scene trying their hand at short fiction in a collection that sometimes misfires but more often succeeds on a grand scale. (Jan.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Original stories by four contemporary African American male authors form this collection. Each author brings his unique style to the universal subject of love. Harris tells the story of a relationship that begins with an unexpected Valentine's Day gift. The man is forced to face his fears and desires without losing hope for love and commitment. Eric Jerome Dickey goes to Mexico to experience a relationship that transcends race and language. The man is compelled to do the right thing in the name of love and with the determination to start over. Colin Channer takes us to Jamaica, where a music promoter struggles with his plans for the future. He must choose to succumb to his past and the lure of his ex-wife or march into the future with a new female recording star. Marcus Major is comfortable in the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. A serious female finally challenges the main character's reputation and life as a player. These tales are both honest and well written; the book is sure to be a hit among both women and men. Lillian Lewis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade; First Edition edition (December 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451202236
• ISBN-13: 978-0451202239
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (128 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,047,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Got to be Good!, November 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Got to be Real: Four Original Love Stories (Paperback)

This collection of four short stories does not disappoint. Written by four of the leading African Ameican novelists of the past few years, it offers many intriguing perspectives on love and romance in the modern world.

Especially as a fan of Eric Jerome Dickey and E. Lynn Harris (and thereby more familar with their work), I was curious as to how they would make the transition from novel form to the novella, or short story form. In both cases, they were able to pull off the character and story development very well.

As for the other two contributors to this anthology (Colin Channer and Marcus Major), they have found a new fan! In particular, Mr. Major's novella left me wanting more.

Here's to a job well done. In the future, I hope that many other best selling authors follows suit and treats their readers to such a sampling of their work.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Short but sweet, December 10, 2000

By 

Cydney Rax "rmn1994" (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Got to be Real: Four Original Love Stories (Paperback)

Each writer who contributed to the anthology has a distinctive and perceptive voice and they all lend themselves well to the literary flavor of Got to Be Real.

E. Lynn Harris does a marvelous job with Money Can't Buy Me Love. As usual, his writing is sensitive, funny, engaging, and shocking. Harris always delves into areas that might not be common knowledge as far as non-heterosexual relationships, yet the required emotional bond is there: pain, love, fear, and hope, so readers should be able to identify with this moving and memorable story; one that made me sad to see it end.

Marcus Major heaps more of his hilarious writing with Kenya and Amir. He has a fine flair for male/female relationship issues and tackles them with much humor and sophistication. Major's writing gets better and better, and if you enjoyed Good Peoples, you should also love this novella.

In Cafe Piel, Eric Dickey throws us a curve. What? No L.A. streets and freeways? Not exactly. This time he shows us that love and longing can happen even in the most foreign places (Mexico). The story includes some mad drama, and as a warning, you'd better brush up on your Spanish because the love connection here takes place between a brother and a woman whose English ain't so great, but her ability to captivate the main character, Bobby Davis, is what counts the most, so it seems.

Colin Channer is like a word master. His words took me places I've never been before. His writing is thoughtful and detailed, and his story is a like a ride through the park on a leisurely Sunday afternoon.

All in all the stories were wonderfully written, a must have for any collector of African-American stories at its grandest.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Four brothas representing black writers to the full!, December 20, 2000

By 

JDaniels (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Got to be Real: Four Original Love Stories (Paperback)

These stories where excellent! Each and every one of these authors brought something fresh and good to the table, making "Got to be real" a true feast for books lovers everywhere. First with EJD's story it was both exciting and capitivating. I was also memorized by the writing skills of Colin Channer and Marcus Major, both whom I had not read before. I look forward to reading their solo projects now! E. Lynn Harris has always been my favorite author, and he definitely kept up with his reputation of excellence with his novella, "Money can't buy me love." I have to say though, when I got tot he end of his story, I was on the floor screaming, "No he didn't go there!" You guys have to read his story to know what I mean, lol All in all, if you are a reader, BUY THIS BOOK! ASAP!!!!!