A House Is Not a Home: A B-Boy Blues Novel [Hardcover]

James Earl Hardy (Author)

Book Description

Series: B-Boy Blues | Publication Date: May 24, 2005

In this final chapter in James Earl Hardy's groundbreaking B-Boy Blues series, Mitchell "Little Bit" Crawford and Raheim "Pooquie" Rivers are all grown up. Mitchell is a stay-at-home dad renovating his dream house, writing, and raising his godson and half-sister in Brooklyn's up-and-coming Fort Greene neighborhood. He's fairly happy, but he can't help feeling that something -- or someone -- is missing from his life.

Fresh from rehab for a gambling addiction, Raheim has a new lease on life, but it's precarious -- his career as an actor has stalled, he hasn't seen his son in years, and the short-lived sexual trysts that punctuated his life no longer satisfy him. Hell-bent on change, Raheim has finally figured out who he wants to be with forever. But will Mitchell give Raheim the second chance he so desperately wants?

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

"It ain't easy being a divorced father of two." Too true for freelance writer Mitchell, a stay-at-home dad raising Elliot, his godson, and his little daughter, Destiny. He runs the household systematically, so that Elliot grabs his duffel bag, and Destiny her backpack and Little Bill lunchbox, at precisely 8:05 a.m. to leave for school together. Life runs smoothly, but . . . The sixth and last novel in Hardy's gay African American B-Boy Blues series, the saga of Mitchell and homeboy actor-model Raheim recaps action from past episodes, including Raheim's acclaimed supporting role in Rebound, his film debut. Since passed over for plum roles, including the football player in Jerry Maguire, Raheim does TV, is spokesman for All-American Jeans, and is 12-stepping through a serious gambling jones. Now his big break looms just as his ex, Mitchell, sees his own professional opportunity knocking. Can the lovers reunite? Of course, but the pleasure's in the process in Hardy's sexy, romantic soaper that's sure to please present fans and garner more. Whitney Scott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“A House Is Not A Home is so good you won’t want it—or the series—to end.” (-- E. Lynn Harris, New York Times best-selling author, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted-- E. Lynn Harris, New York Times best-selling author, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted-- E. Lynn Harris, New York Times best-selling author, What Becomes of the )

“I have been a fan of his work from his very first novel.” (--J.L. King, New York Times Bestselling author of On the Down Low )

“Hardy’s sexy, romantic soaper is sure to please present fans and garner more.” (Booklist )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Amistad (May 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0066212499
• ISBN-13: 978-0066212494
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #966,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

JAMES EARL HARDY is the author of the best-selling B-Boy Blues series: B-Boy Blues (1994), praised as the first gay hip hop love story and prominently featured in Spike Lee's Get On The Bus; it's sequel, 2nd Time Around (1996); If Only For One Nite (1997); The Day Eazy-E Died (2001); Love The One You're With (2002); and A House Is Not a Home (2005). The sextet chronicles the relationship between a Buppie from Brooklyn and a homeboy-bike messenger from Harlem. The seventh installment in the series, "Is It Still Jood To Ya?", is featured in the best-selling anthology, Visible Lives: Three Stories in Tribute to E. Lynn Harris (2010). B-Boy Blues was a Lammy finalist in 1995 (Best Small Press Title) and has become required reading in many African American/multicultural literature and gay/queer studies college courses. Mr. Hardy contributed the new introductory essay to the reissue of the groundbreaking Black Gay anthology, In The Life (2008), and his short story, "The Last Picture. Show.," will be included in the upcoming Best Gay Erotica 2011.

He also recently added playwright to his literary resume: his first theatrical production, Confessions of a Homo Thug Porn Star--a one-man show about adult film star Tiger Tyson--recently won the Downtown Urban Theater Festival's Best Short Prize.

In addition, Mr. Hardy is an award-winning entertainment feature writer and cultural critic. A 1993 honors graduate of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, his byline has appeared in The Advocate, Entertainment Weekly, Essence, New York Newsday, Newsweek, OUT, The Source, Upscale, Vibe, The Village Voice, and The Washington Post. His work has earned him two Educational Press Association Awards; grants from the E.Y. Harburg Foundation and the American Association of Sunday & Feature Editors; and scholarships from the Paul Rapoport Memorial Fund, and the New York and National chapters of the Association of Black Journalists. His essay, "Sylvester: Living Proof," was a GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Media Award finalist. He has also penned biographies on filmmaker Spike Lee and the pop music group Boyz II Men, both a part of Chelsea House Publishers' Black Achievement Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Painfully Boring!, July 31, 2006

By 

Tiffany "Shoe & Book Connoisseur" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A House Is Not a Home: A B-Boy Blues Novel (Paperback)

I must agree with the reviews of Perri Litton, Kevin Lee, and P. Wilson. This book is extremely boring. I'm halfway through the book. It's painful to try to finish. I paid money for this book. That is the only reason I haven't put the book back on the book shelf. This book is 232 pages. I can normally read such a short book in one day but I've been struggling for 8 days to finish.

I've read 3 of James Earl Hardy's previous novels; "B-Boy Blues", "2nd Time Around" and "If Only For One Nite". "A House Is Not A Home" is by far the worst.

I was hoping that it would get better as I go along. I lost hope when I read the reviews. If you MUST read this book, check it out from the library.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Jood" Way To End The Series, July 28, 2005

By 

Rashad Turner "Dr. Luv" (Harlem, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A House Is Not a Home: A B-Boy Blues Novel (Hardcover)

While I purchased the book the day it came out, I just finished reading it tonight. It took me a week (it's touted as the last in the series, so I had to take it way slow). I wasn't a big fan of the last three books, especially Love The One You're With (the sex was off-the-chain but I think JEH over-did it on the political stuff). But with A House, I now appreciate the approach JEH took with the other novels: he connects the dots so well and you understand why the different stories went in the directions and explored the issues they did. Not only have the characters grown, so has JEH: there is a maturity and depth expressed in this book that is only hinted at in the other five. He gets at the distinct complexity of and ordinaryness of our lives without being melodramatic or overly-sentimental, which makes the claim by some that the series isn't `real' or a `fairytale' ridiculous. We're not all trolling DL websites or living in the clubs every weekend; many of us (like myself) are in committed relationships, raising children, trying to provide a home for ourselves and our families. I commend JEH for showing black men as the caring and compassionate fathers, brothers, sons, lovers we are. And while I, at first, was also disappointed that it isn't clear whether Mitch and Raheim get back together, I'm glad we don't know; such a reunion wasn't going to happen overnight, and if it did the ending would've been too pat. You are left with the hope that it will happen, and JEH's nod to Luther in the next to last chapter seals that deal for me.

JEH, you did the clan proud and you did us proud. I laughed way out loud, raged against and with Pooquie and Lil Bit, and cried both tears of sorrow and joy. Thanks for the ride. I can't wait to see what you'll do next.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OFF DA CHAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1, June 11, 2005

By 

JerseyChick (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A House Is Not a Home: A B-Boy Blues Novel (Hardcover)

I just want to say Hardy you did it up with the series, so sorry it had to end but the finally was very good. I loved every moment of it, I just wish it was longer but it was great and I could envision them all being grown and in the 2005. I loved this book, I just wish it didn't end but overall great book. For all who are looking at this make sure u get the complete series before you get this.