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Basketball Jones
AJ Richardson is living the good life. Thanks to his longtime lover, NBA star Dray Jones, he has a gorgeous townhouse in New Orleans, plenty of frequent-flier miles, and an MBA he’s never had to use. Built on a deep and abiding love, their hidden relationship sustains them both. But when Dray’s teammates begin to ask insinuating questions, Dray puts their doubts to rest by...more
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
January 27th 2009
by Doubleday
(first published January 1st 2009)
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Time Out
E. Lynn Harris' latest endeavor, "Basketball Jones," takes readers into a very familiar setting. Aldridge James "AJ" Richardson is an openly gay man. The love of his life, however, is not. Dray Jones, an NBA player, has been involved with AJ since college. Because of society's prejudices, his status as an athlete, and his family, AJ has been sworn to secrecy about their relationship. But when someone threatens it all, is it time to come out of the clo...more
E. Lynn Harris' latest endeavor, "Basketball Jones," takes readers into a very familiar setting. Aldridge James "AJ" Richardson is an openly gay man. The love of his life, however, is not. Dray Jones, an NBA player, has been involved with AJ since college. Because of society's prejudices, his status as an athlete, and his family, AJ has been sworn to secrecy about their relationship. But when someone threatens it all, is it time to come out of the clo...more
I've read several of Harris's books and am deeply grateful to him for even writing books for the broad market about not only gay men, but minority gay men. That I can say without reserve. I tend to lose my admiration however, when I start reading the books, which tend to be about the gossipy and intriguing lives of a supposed African American elite, where everyone is wealthy, beautiful and still connected to their mamas and comfort food. In this book, you have a beautiful black man with soccer ...more
How far would you go to protect the one you love? When loving someone, should you be able to tell the world or should it remain a secret? Is it fair to drop everything every time someone asks you to be there for him or her? "Basketball Jones" is a novel by E. Lynn Harris who once again outlines and write a FABULOUS story about love and what it can take you through. AJ Richardson and Dray Jones have been in love for 7 years. Did I say in love for 7 years, I meant secretly in love. Or is...more
Basketball Jones is the fourth novel I’ve read by E. Lynn Harris, and I’m now fairly convinced he’ll never write anything of literary substance. His writing is often sophomoric and shallow, concentrating too much on social status, physical appearance and the acquisition of material possessions; he regurgitates brand names so abundantly that one wonders if he receives remuneration for literary product placements.
On the plus side (and there is one), the author has a compulsively readab...more
On the plus side (and there is one), the author has a compulsively readab...more
This book was tossed at me, so I walked into it pretty blind. But I admit after the first page I was hooked.
I've read E. Lynn Harris before. In fact, his was the very first gay book I ever touched back in my early teen years. And, amazingly enough, it dealt with the exact same thing: a gay man falling in love with and willing to play secret lover to a "straight" guy. Angst and frustration abounds. But Harris got me to feel not just frustration at witnessing the story, but ...more
I've read E. Lynn Harris before. In fact, his was the very first gay book I ever touched back in my early teen years. And, amazingly enough, it dealt with the exact same thing: a gay man falling in love with and willing to play secret lover to a "straight" guy. Angst and frustration abounds. But Harris got me to feel not just frustration at witnessing the story, but ...more
I’ve read all of Mr. Harris’s fiction works and was excited to hear he has two set to release in 2009. Basketball Jones is about the relationship between a famous athlete and his boyfriend. A lot is expected of AJ to be in this relationship with Dray: move whenever Dray says to, cancel plans at the last minute if Dray can get away from his wife or the team, pretty much be at Dray’s disposal. However, for AJ, there are perks to being with Dray as well: new, furnished paid-for homes, expensive car...more
This is the closest thing I read to a beach read. I love E. Lynn Harris, but his novels have become more equivalent to soap operas over the years. This is the 1st time he's used Professional Basketball for one of his gay/str8/bi Af. Am. romances. In the past he has always focused on the closeted gay world of college & professional football. E.Lynn Harris use to play college and perhaps professional football himself, and started his literary career with the highly acclaimed novel "Invisi...more
All right, I'll admit that I picked up the audio book of "Basketball Jones" because of its cover image! : ) This is the first book I have read/listened to by E. Lynn Harris and I'm very sorry to see he passed away in 2009 because I think I am a fan. The story centers around an issue I had never really thought about before: closeted gay male athletes in professional sports.
Aldridge "AJ" Richardson is the secret boyfriend of a hot NBA player, Drayton Jones. Dray has...more
Aldridge "AJ" Richardson is the secret boyfriend of a hot NBA player, Drayton Jones. Dray has...more
They say dont judge the book by its cover. That is true because when u first look at the cover it looks like its gonna be about a basketball star and him and all the women. I started to read this book and it started to get a little weird. This basketball star Drayton Jones was an undercover gay person. Him and his boyfriend AJ had a sercet relationship that they did not want anybody to know about. While AJ would do everything for dray whilehe was in college and also when he got to the nba. When ...more
Basketball Jones is the story of Aldridge “AJ” Richardson and his boyfriend, NBA star Dray Jones. They’ve been in love for seven years but must keep their relationship a secret to avoid jeopardizing Dray’s career. Dray even goes so far as to marry a woman, Judi. Trouble ensues when someone starts blackmailing AJ and Dray and threatens to expose them.
I listened to this book on audio and I think that added to my enjoyment of it. The narrator, Mirron Willis’s voice is as smooth as silk and th...more
I listened to this book on audio and I think that added to my enjoyment of it. The narrator, Mirron Willis’s voice is as smooth as silk and th...more
i just wanted to take the time and say that basketball jones was the first book that i read by e. lynn harris and i must say that i enjoyed reading this book so much that i actually completed the book in the same day i started reading it. i borrowed the book from a friend and he was telling me how good the books were and i didn't believe it but man was i fooled. it was good. beyond good. for anyone who has not read this book, basketball jones will take you through some things like deception, bla...more
I have read every book written by this man. Just when you think Mr. Harris has revealed all there is to know about the world of homosexual and down low men, he gives us so more! Dray, a rich NBA basketball player has a little bit more game than just shooting balls in a basket. AJ, an educated well groomed gay brother, finds himself in a world filled both with all the worldly possessions and delights that any man or woman would be honored to have. However as we all know, nothing in life comes for...more
This book has received a request for reconsideration in our system, so I needed to read it to participate in the discussion. It's a quick read and although it's highly predictable, I did enjoy it. I haven't read much gay fiction at all, and only slightly more African-American fiction, so it was a very different selection than my norm. I had heard that Harris was a bit graphic in the sex department, but I really didn't find him very bawdy at all. The book isn't chaste, by any stretch, but the sex...more
Except for some X rated passages, which could have been edited out, this novel is good. E. Lynn Harris contrasts one type of Black against another. In the end, self-worth and dignity are values to adhere to, regardless of race. It reads like a detective novel in that it shows the consequences of the actions taken by each of the main characters. I am surprised of this moral stance. This novel will more than entertain the reader as it imparts morality. I'd recommend this for people older tha...more
this book basketball jones is getting to deep for my eyes laugh out loud.
it kind of caught me off guard.
but hey its about one guy on the down low who is currently in the lead and he dates his x-tutor from college.(page7)"I was loss but wasnt waiting for an answer. He slowly reached for my hand as if it where the most natrual thing to do and pulled me into him.I curled up beside him and without another word Dray held my hand tight in his for the rest of the night."
...more
it kind of caught me off guard.
but hey its about one guy on the down low who is currently in the lead and he dates his x-tutor from college.(page7)"I was loss but wasnt waiting for an answer. He slowly reached for my hand as if it where the most natrual thing to do and pulled me into him.I curled up beside him and without another word Dray held my hand tight in his for the rest of the night."
...more
This is the first novel I read by E. Lynn Harris. It's about a guy named AJ who is in love with Dray, an NBA basketball star. For me, it played out a little too much like a soap opera, but I can appreciate the sincerity in AJ's voice. What resonated for me was how honest their love was for each other, even if they had to succumb to society's pressures. In the end, does love prevail?
With the passing of E. Lynn Harris, I appreciate his contribution to the literary world, tackling co...more
With the passing of E. Lynn Harris, I appreciate his contribution to the literary world, tackling co...more
Having completed this newest release, I am now caught up with the E. Lynn Harris catalog. LOL!
Basketball Jones is another novel that incorporates Harris' love of sports.
A.J. Richardson meets the love of his life in college and embarks on a sweet love affair for the next several years. Where does the drama come in? His lover, Dray Jones, has gone from being a closeted college hoops star to a closeted NBA star. A.J. accepts the secrets that he must keep because he & Dray ar...more
Basketball Jones is another novel that incorporates Harris' love of sports.
A.J. Richardson meets the love of his life in college and embarks on a sweet love affair for the next several years. Where does the drama come in? His lover, Dray Jones, has gone from being a closeted college hoops star to a closeted NBA star. A.J. accepts the secrets that he must keep because he & Dray ar...more
Your typical "I love my man so much I'll even lie to myself to keep him." AJ loves Dray, who loves him - but only in secret. Dray gets a career and a woman, but insists on keeping AJ as his "man on the side" and AJ, for all his intelligence, goes along with it in order to prove his "love." I found the Dray selfish and demanding, AJ weak and unimpressive. The ending felt entirely too "slapped together" and rushed. This book was average.
Decent drama but no real shocks or surprises. If you read that back of the book you know the blackmailer before you even read page one. Even the second blackmailer was no real surprise. E. Lynn Harris books always make me feel like I'm some closed minded homophobic reader. I cringe during any of the gay sex scenes and have to forward through. Despite my issues he always weaves a good tale.
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WOW. What goes around, comes around...and this was certainly a good way to return to Harris' works.
There were quite a few twists and turns. With all the motives, I couldn't tell one "bad guy" from the other. There are certain things you don't expect from certain people and this, by far, was a GOOD example of the unexpected. Be careful who you trust and ever more cautious of who you overlook.
There were quite a few twists and turns. With all the motives, I couldn't tell one "bad guy" from the other. There are certain things you don't expect from certain people and this, by far, was a GOOD example of the unexpected. Be careful who you trust and ever more cautious of who you overlook.
I've given this book a 5 star rating because it is vintage E. Lynn Harris. It is just what I expect to find when I pick up one of his novels. It is gay-romance, what I call a "dramedy" because one minute I was mystified, trying to figure out what was next and next, I would be cracking up hysterically. In this novel, E. Lynn does not disappoint.
Much of this was a soap opera. There did become a mystery element halfway through, and I was intrigued to see how that would play out. But for most of it it was kind of a sappy romance novel. The characterizations were strong, but of a variety of weak-willed characters!
It was, however, a very quick read. I read it in one afternoon!
It was, however, a very quick read. I read it in one afternoon!
Drah-ma!
I enjoyed this book a lot. Okay, some plot details were a little contrived but it was thoroughly entertaining and the ending of the book was the exact opposite of a cop-out. E. Lynn was greatly maturing as an author and it's sad that he's no longer with us. But be glad that he left us 'Basketball Jones.'
I enjoyed this book a lot. Okay, some plot details were a little contrived but it was thoroughly entertaining and the ending of the book was the exact opposite of a cop-out. E. Lynn was greatly maturing as an author and it's sad that he's no longer with us. But be glad that he left us 'Basketball Jones.'
Such a smooth read. The drama wasn't all that exciting since there were too few characters to really maintain a mystery and the sex wasn't particularly hot, but it fine light reading. I hadn't read any other E. Lynn Harris but I might go for one that's more middle-class than this book's milieu.
I always know that in a E. Lynn Harris characters I have read about in his other books will show up again.
How many basketball, football, baseball stars are really on the Down Low? E. Lynn Harris makes you wonder. This is a light read of relationships, betrayal and just plain fun.
How many basketball, football, baseball stars are really on the Down Low? E. Lynn Harris makes you wonder. This is a light read of relationships, betrayal and just plain fun.
This book was somewhat what I expected it to be with E. Lynn Harris. I didn't expect the mystery aspect of the book, which I really liked. It was nice to see him try something new. I would tweak the storyline a bit (to end in my favor), but other than that, it was a good rea.
The book I read over the summer was basketball jones. I realy enjoyed this book. this was about two men that had been dateing for seven years and his friends still did not know about him being on the down low. The two main characters of this book was AJ and Dray.
Was able to read this book in about 3 days. The main character in the book lived a depressing life. I always wonder when I read Harris' books how closely the characters are based on people he knows. The issues and experiences seem too real to be fiction.
This is one of those stories that makes me wish I could grab the lead character by the shirt collar, shake and say "what the hell are you thinking?!" Ah well, what is good fiction if it doesn't make you want to shout at the characters or cringe at the conflict? Good story.
there was nothing particularly compelling about this book. i didn't care for the characters much and i pretty much had the whole thing figured out early on. i was hoping for so much more after hearing a lot of praise for e. lynn harris. it's too bad.
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E. Lynn Harris was born in Flint, Michigan and raised, along with three sisters, in Little Rock, Arkansas. He attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville where he was the school's first black yearbook editor, the first black male Razorbacks cheerleader, and the president of his fraternity. He graduated with honors with a degree in journalism.
Harris sold computers for IBM, Hewle...more
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Harris sold computers for IBM, Hewle...more
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