Best-selling author E. Lynn Harris died Friday at age 54. According to reports, his personal assistant declined to give details, but did confirm his death. The writer was in the middle of a West Coast tour to promote his 11th novel, “Basketball Jones,” when he passed away.
Harris was best known for such successful novels as “Invisible Life,” “Just As I Am,” “Too Good To Be True,” as well as his 2004 memoir “What Becomes of The Brokenhearted”. He specialized in writing about African-American gay culture and lifestyle.
Born in Michigan, Harris grew up in Little Rock and attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, where he was the school’s first black cheerleader. Harris recently taught English at the University of Arkansas as a visiting professor.
What are you serious????
oh Lawd, not another death………….:(
My best friend loved his books, me not so much, but wow that is a tragedy he was so young.
RIP…
SOOO SAD…
I read some of his books and hope he RIP
Wow, sad news to all of us, especially in the gay world.
R.I.P
VERY TALENTED AUTHOR
omg
i read some of his books
its seems like everyone dieing
RIP
I’m very sorry to hear this. I was a big fan of his work. God Bless.
HE WAS A GREAT WRITER I LOVE EVERYONE OF HIS BOOKS MAY HE REST IN PEACE !!!! HE HELPED ME A LOT AND SHINED A NEW LIGHT ON GAY CULTURE.
I am shocked! I just recently finished reading his book.
rip
DAm shame..May he rest in peace..SAd news…
i am in disbelief!!!
Loved loved loved his work. Very sad – R.I.P.
WOW!! I’ve read most of his books. Stopped bc I couldn’t get down
with the man on man action anymore but may his SOUL RIP
One of my favorite authors. I love his work, Love all of his books. So sad to hear that he is no longer living on this earth. Gone but never forgotten, He was truly a great Talented writer. I am not lesbian or homosexual. I am straight, but his works are very interesting. People can learn alot from his books. I will always be a fan of his. A great Author. God Bless him and his friends & family.
ANOTHER GREAT TALENT GONE
I’m so sorry to hear this. I’ve read and enjoyed many of his books. May he rest in peace.
I USED TO LOVE HIS BOOKS……. THAT’S A BLOW TO THE LITERARY WORLD!!!!!! RIP
SHUT THE H## UP!!!
r.i.p. lynn harris
you have got to be kidding me =( noooo. I enjoyed the few books of his I read…. damn RIP
wow yo i just stole his book TO GOOD TO BE TRUE from my Aunt the other day and now dude is dead, WOW yo everybody is dying nowadays….so sad for real but wow thats new i never knew his books were for the kids….surprise surprise ya learn something new everyday RIP though homie….
I have read most of his books and he was talented. He shed so much light on the gay lifestyle. Especially within the black community. Its such a loss. I pray for his family and friends and his fans
I am so saddened by this news. Wow. He’s kind of our MJ of the page. I just saw an email less than 5 minutes ago and had to check around to see if it was true or another cruel hoax.
Well, everyone must pass on; but he was too young and full of life. I’m sure we’ll know what exactly went down soon. RIP my brother!
Another talented individual has left us. God Bless him.
i am heartbroken
SHOCKING! I can’t beleive it!! I read What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted last year. I always enjoyed his writing . What a lost.. RIP
Man I remember reading my first book of his years back. He was trully a talented and gifted author. RIP.
what a talented writer
That is so sad…and shocking. I never read any of his books but I respect his craft and imact on literature. And he was so young.
Not to be mean or anything, but when reports are that the persons health was decling for a while and their gay,9x out of 10 the person died from Aids or complications from Aids. Not to be a sterotype or anything.
OHH NOO.. My Berni Mac, My Mike Jack, and Now E Lynn Harris
Damn whats going on??
RIP E LYNN HARRIS!!!
RIP E. Lynn Harris. I remember reading Invisible Life in 2 days. I love his books. I have read every single one of them.
i am still missing mj.wow rest in peace e lynn harris. you will truly be missed
WOW! This is crazy! I’ve been a fan, even when I was way too young to read the books, since the beginning and have read every single one. I want to say one last book is coming out early next year. So sad.
OH WOW!! What a talented writer. I wonder was he suffering from AIDS or the complications there of. This year we have been devistated by so many we lost in our community.
Oh my Goodness…I read his first book as an english project in my first year of college. He first open my eyes to the down low phenomenon…before anyone was really talking about it.
He became my favorite writer, when he wrote you felt like you were right there in the story. His trilogies are a Must Read.
You will be greatly missed Sir. I was looking forward to seeing one of your books on the big screen.
Wow..
Gone way 2 soon..
God bless your Family…
God is not going to bless anything about this dude, lol. That @IDS medication must not have been doin’ the job anymore.
wtf? summer of death
I had the pleasure and honor to talk with this talented brother a number of times, and attend his many booksignings in Chicago. When I got the text of his transistion, it took all the energy out of me. May he be at peace with His Creator and Maker.
#34 OMG I was thinking the same thing
But anyways I actually started reading his books when I was just 13. My mom’s friend left it out so being my nosey self I started reading it. That was “Any Way the Wind Blows”. This is so sad RIP
JUDAH JUST BECAUSE HE WAS GAY DOES NOT MEAN HE WILL NOT BE MISSED OR TAKE AWAY FROM THE TALENTED AUTHOR HE WAS…VERY MEAN REGARDLESS OF YOUR BELIEF OR NOT AND I AM A CHRISTIAN…..
R.I.P.
Elynn was a wonderfull writer and I hear he was a cool person…His book were a good read for anyone and just happened to have gay stuff in them…I read one book in a day…He will be missed….He inspired me to think about writing my truth…He will be missed….
PS Dolly D wtf are you talking about!!!!
#42 I AGREE. I was in college too. I love Invisible Life. Its a must read!!
@ JUDAH
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT GOD WILL DO? LAST I CHECKED IN THE BIBLE GOD WAS THE ONLY JUDGE AND IT IS HE WHO SITS ON HIGH AND LOOKS LOW. YO HAVE NO IDEA WHATSOEVER WHAT GOD HAS PLANNED IN YOUR OWN LIFE LET ALONE WHAT HE HAS FOR SOMEONE ELSE. YOU ARE TRULY A BITTER PERSON, I SEE IT IN EVERY POST YOU MAKE, MY ONLY PRAYER FOR YOU IS THAT YOU WAKE UP A REALIZE YOU ARE HUMAN JUST LIKE US AND YOUR WORDS, JUDGMENTS, AND STONES YOU CAST ARE AS SILENT AS A SUMMERS NIGHT AND MEAN NOTHING TO ANYONE, INCLUDING YOU.
I AM IN TEARS FOR E. LYNN HARRIS. YOU ARE THE REASON I AM A JORNALIST TODAY. I LOVE AND MISS YOU, AND THANK YOU FRO SHARING YOUR GIFTS.
Rest In Peace E. Lynn Harris! I Loved Your Books & You Will Truly Be Missed In The Gay Community.
Sad..
Good Riddance! His work did nothing but serve to expose people to that ridiculous lifestyle and make people, especially young folks, think that foolishness was okay. Sure he died of AIDS, what else would a self-promoting, promiscuous, old gay hag die from so suddenly. They can put the “heart attack” spin on it all they want … but call it what it is … justice.
@#52 LOL!!! I’m sorry bloggers, but that ish is funny! I read his stuff in the beginning, but as one WHO DOES NOT ENSORSE HOMESEXUALITY . . . couldn’t utilize my energy. As YES all those that will respond to me. IT IS WRONG!!!! IT IS NOT NATURAL!!! and HE DIED OF AIDS. Peace out!!
@52 you so crazy . . . thanks for making me laugh!!!!
Haters, back up!!!
I DON’T KNOW WHO HE WAS, BUT I UNDERSTAND HIS CAREER WAS BASED ON SUPPORTING SOMETHING THAT IS AGAINST GOD’S WORD….SAD.
People are so cruel and judgmental, that’s why homosexuality is so rampant in the black community because we are so homophobic. The more homophobic and hateful we are towards one another, does not decrease or erase the fact that they are and always will be LGBT in the African American community. I don’t agree with homosexuality but that is his or her choice. Who are we to act as God and judge. E. Lynn Harris should be remembered for his great novels and his writings, not because he was a gay black male. I read plenty of his books and didn’t make me gay or anything of that sort. He wrote fiction people, big loss to the literary world. May his soul rest in peace. Can’t believe people on here criticizing the dead, should be ashamed.
The man died for goodness sake. It doesn’t matter if you agreed with what he did in his life, you are not the one who will judge him in the end. Stop preaching Christianity when you clearly don’t follow it yourself!
Does it really matter what you die from.
I thought it matters that you are alive , happy, loving your neighbor and making a positive contribution to society.
When you are dead., I don’t see how anything is of matter to you anymore. Taking glee in some one’s death is sheer folly for the simple fact that no one escapes it or knows how to avoid it.
Death is a sad consequence of life – something that awaits all of us and something that I am not looking forward to. Bye the way, my dear mother died from diabetes and from dear father passed away from leukemia. Oh,” how I wish I could dance with my father again” and my mother too.
Although I have heard of him, I have never read any of his books but I pray that he rest in peace.
What is going on with all these celebrity deaths?! Omg…R.I.P. E. Lynn Harris.
RIP frat.
WTF!!!