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At the Crossroads
The future he was meant for is just within his reach. . .
Franklyn "Franky" Bourgeois is fifteen, and he's already done more living than most. First he was blasted out of a normal childhood in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. Determined to survive, he left town with two older cousins. They were nothing short of thugs, but they were all he had. And hard as he tried, even for a good kid like Franky, their influence was hard to resist. . .
Now Franky's just a heartbeat away from a life of crime--until he gets an unexpected chance to turn things around. Getting back on track is easier said than done, especially when a group of prep school fools set out to keep Franky on the streets. But Franky's always been a survivor. He'll just have to prove it one more time. . .
"Travis Hunter knows the urban teen scene." --Ni-Ni Simone, author of Teenage Love Affair
Franklyn "Franky" Bourgeois is fifteen, and he's already done more living than most. First he was blasted out of a normal childhood in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. Determined to survive, he left town with two older cousins. They were nothing short of thugs, but they were all he had. And hard as he tried, even for a good kid like Franky, their influence was hard to resist. . .
Now Franky's just a heartbeat away from a life of crime--until he gets an unexpected chance to turn things around. Getting back on track is easier said than done, especially when a group of prep school fools set out to keep Franky on the streets. But Franky's always been a survivor. He'll just have to prove it one more time. . .
"Travis Hunter knows the urban teen scene." --Ni-Ni Simone, author of Teenage Love Affair
- GenresFictionRealistic Fiction
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
7 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Travis Hunter
27 books73 followersTravis Hunter is an author, songwriter and father. The Hearts of Men was self-published in 2000 by Hunter's own company, Jimrose Publishing House. During the 2000 Book Expo America in Chicago, Hunter handed out copies of his self-published novel, The Hearts of Men and one week later received and offer from Random House's imprint, Strivers Row/ Villard for the re-release of The Hearts of Men. Five more novels followed; Married but Still Looking,Trouble Man, A One Woman Man, Something to Die for and the current release, A Family Sin.
Hunter is a native of Florence, S.C. He was also reared in Philadelphia, Pa. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he attended Clark Atlanta University and subsequently enrolled in Georgia State University where he majored in Psychology.
During his tour of duty in the military, he discovered his interest in music, ultimately writing his first song for a Sony recording artist. Always an avid reader, Hunter parlayed his interest in music into a passion for story-telling that led to his critically acclaimed debut novel.
Hunter lives in a suburb outside of Atlanta with his son Rashaad. He is the founder of the "Hearts of Men Foundation," through which he mentors underprivileged children.
If you'd like to meet Travis Hunter or hear him read from his latest novel, check his schedule to see if he's going to be in a city near you.
"I can only write about what I know," explains Travis Hunter about writing The Hearts of Men. "I've always been interested in what makes some relationships work and others fail, so I observed various relationships. I listened to people's gripes about their spouses and what they were expecting out of their relationships but never took the time out to communicate to their spouse. People love drama, and the things I've encountered in my unofficial research is enough to fill ten novels. My goal is to help others understand men better -- why we do what we do. That goes for males, too. Just because you are over eighteen, doesn't make you a man."
Hunter is a native of Florence, S.C. He was also reared in Philadelphia, Pa. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he attended Clark Atlanta University and subsequently enrolled in Georgia State University where he majored in Psychology.
During his tour of duty in the military, he discovered his interest in music, ultimately writing his first song for a Sony recording artist. Always an avid reader, Hunter parlayed his interest in music into a passion for story-telling that led to his critically acclaimed debut novel.
Hunter lives in a suburb outside of Atlanta with his son Rashaad. He is the founder of the "Hearts of Men Foundation," through which he mentors underprivileged children.
If you'd like to meet Travis Hunter or hear him read from his latest novel, check his schedule to see if he's going to be in a city near you.
"I can only write about what I know," explains Travis Hunter about writing The Hearts of Men. "I've always been interested in what makes some relationships work and others fail, so I observed various relationships. I listened to people's gripes about their spouses and what they were expecting out of their relationships but never took the time out to communicate to their spouse. People love drama, and the things I've encountered in my unofficial research is enough to fill ten novels. My goal is to help others understand men better -- why we do what we do. That goes for males, too. Just because you are over eighteen, doesn't make you a man."
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 29, 2011
Thank you Goodreads! I just won this book! Franky is a victim of Hurricane Katrina. With his parents both dead he moves in with two older cousins in the ghetto. The living conditions are poor and with barely any money to survive these young men deal with situations the only way that they know--violence, stealing, and fighting. Franky is a survivor though and chapter after chapter he deals with the life that he has been handed and eventually realizes that his life is worth something. This is a very heartfelt, sad, but also uplifting story. It is an interesting read for young teens of all races, colors, and backgrounds.
March 25, 2015
It is a great book i never thought this would happen what happend in this book if you dont read this book your going to miss a lot because this book is the bomb and i loved this book if they come out with a part two or three i will read every one of them. My best character was nigel because he was the brave one and his cousin because they went to jail but turned there life around but to me they did not need to be in there because there to smart but i dont want to say to much about the book bevcause i want other people to read the book.
November 9, 2017
Praise For Travis Hunter's 'At The Crossroads'
Travis Hunter's 'At The Crossroads' is a game changer and a must read for adults and teens alike. This was my second time reading the book because I enjoyed it that much and I found that the lessons in this book combined with the raw heart-wrenching tones of teen life made this book stand out.
The lives of Franky, Khadija, and several others are turned upside down after nature, literally and figuratively, takes its course. Through a series of lessons, aggregation of dialects, plenty of jokes, true grit, and the need to go within regardless of your surroundings, Travis Hunter's 'At The Crossroads' taught me something that I didn't think about before, & will pass on to others. That is the mark of a great author : The ability to weave a tale that sticks with the reader on the coldest of nights, hottest of days, the struggles of life and the joys of living through it. Great book that I would and have recommended to many.
Travis Hunter's 'At The Crossroads' is a game changer and a must read for adults and teens alike. This was my second time reading the book because I enjoyed it that much and I found that the lessons in this book combined with the raw heart-wrenching tones of teen life made this book stand out.
The lives of Franky, Khadija, and several others are turned upside down after nature, literally and figuratively, takes its course. Through a series of lessons, aggregation of dialects, plenty of jokes, true grit, and the need to go within regardless of your surroundings, Travis Hunter's 'At The Crossroads' taught me something that I didn't think about before, & will pass on to others. That is the mark of a great author : The ability to weave a tale that sticks with the reader on the coldest of nights, hottest of days, the struggles of life and the joys of living through it. Great book that I would and have recommended to many.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2012
The book “At the Crossroads” by Travis Hunter is a GREAT book. I choose the book at the beginning due to the quick attention getter on the back. I didn’t think the book was going to be that great but its ended being awesome. It kept my attention the whole time and kept me reading and reading. The book is great for young readers that are growing up and are having trouble making god decisions. Travis Hunter shows how important the decision making process is through the main character Franky.
The book’s title describes exactly what the book is about. The book grabs the reader’s attention from the first page. The book starts out with describing what has happened too Franky until this point. He survived Hurricane Katrina and is alone parents aren’t around. He moves into a ghetto area with his two cousins Nigel and Rico. The two cousins aren’t the smartest but they are there for Franky. Franky faces challenges through the whole entire book. He fights on and tries to make good decisions and get somewhere in life. I related somewhat too Franky the whole way through the book. I learned from my experiences that making decisions isn’t easy but when you do you have to make the right ones, just as Franky must the whole time.
I enjoyed the way Travis Hunter keeps the reader entertained through the whole story using drama and different situations. Travis wrote the book using language where teenagers like, myself and others can understand and relate to their daily lives. I believe Travis main point in writing “At the Crossroads” is too show how important it is to make good decisions. Making good decisions got Franky places where he probably wouldn’t have ended up at if he made poor decisions. Travis also tries to add the importance of school and how it needed too succeed in the world. I liked the fact that Travis shows the importance of schooling and decision making. He shows by example and encourages teens to do the right thing in life.
I learned a lot in this book how friendships and what kind of friends you have can influence the way you lie your life. Franky the main character wanted to escape the ghetto and make something of himself so he tries going to school and help people like the little boy Jason that lives across the street. He puts hard work and determination as a first priority and wants to make himself better. That really is something every person should do and strive for. “At the Crossroads” shows you how you can determine how you control your life through decision making. The book is easy to read and understand. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it too anyone looking for an adventurous and dramatic book. A REAL BESTSELLER!!!
The book’s title describes exactly what the book is about. The book grabs the reader’s attention from the first page. The book starts out with describing what has happened too Franky until this point. He survived Hurricane Katrina and is alone parents aren’t around. He moves into a ghetto area with his two cousins Nigel and Rico. The two cousins aren’t the smartest but they are there for Franky. Franky faces challenges through the whole entire book. He fights on and tries to make good decisions and get somewhere in life. I related somewhat too Franky the whole way through the book. I learned from my experiences that making decisions isn’t easy but when you do you have to make the right ones, just as Franky must the whole time.
I enjoyed the way Travis Hunter keeps the reader entertained through the whole story using drama and different situations. Travis wrote the book using language where teenagers like, myself and others can understand and relate to their daily lives. I believe Travis main point in writing “At the Crossroads” is too show how important it is to make good decisions. Making good decisions got Franky places where he probably wouldn’t have ended up at if he made poor decisions. Travis also tries to add the importance of school and how it needed too succeed in the world. I liked the fact that Travis shows the importance of schooling and decision making. He shows by example and encourages teens to do the right thing in life.
I learned a lot in this book how friendships and what kind of friends you have can influence the way you lie your life. Franky the main character wanted to escape the ghetto and make something of himself so he tries going to school and help people like the little boy Jason that lives across the street. He puts hard work and determination as a first priority and wants to make himself better. That really is something every person should do and strive for. “At the Crossroads” shows you how you can determine how you control your life through decision making. The book is easy to read and understand. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it too anyone looking for an adventurous and dramatic book. A REAL BESTSELLER!!!
January 29, 2014
Disclaimer: I was chosen to receive a copy of this book by the librarything s early reviewers program. This book was in the December 2010 batch, and as of the date of this review I have not received this book. I did request a copy of this story though my library s Inter Library Loan (ILL) office, and I thank The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh for sending it.[return][return]Franky has gone though so much in his short life, he is an orphan, he is a Hurricane Katrina survivor, and he is living with his well meaning but derelict cousins in harsh conditions. After the storm, and his move to Atlanta, Franky did not return to school for three years. Thankfully Franky decides it is time to return to school, and on his first day back he meets Khadija. Khadija and Franky immediately hit it off, and a romance begins. Throughout the story Franky has to make the difficult choices so often made in an impoverished urban setting, but he faces a major choice when it comes to dealing with a person that caused harm to his beloved Khadija. [return][return]This story needs an editor. Story lines are out of order, chapter 9 starts off with a repeated sentence, and some passages are awkward and difficult to follow. These mistakes severely corrode the quality of this story, and make it difficult for me to recommend this book. The important message trying to find its way to the reader is a redeeming quality, but the distractions take away from this message and make this book one that can be passed over.
August 7, 2014
I finished this book in a day (technically). I liked the story but it felt a little ... old. The dialogue seemed like it was taken from the 90's. I've never heard anyone say "shawty" as much as one of the characters in this book. Also, the use of the word "whoadie". It was cool in the beginning of the book but then it began to really irritate me.
The story was a good one, it wasn't really great. There was nothing majorly important about it, but I did like it which is why it got two stars. This book was short which resulted in a quick read.
The story was a good one, it wasn't really great. There was nothing majorly important about it, but I did like it which is why it got two stars. This book was short which resulted in a quick read.
January 27, 2011
I got this book free from a giveaway contest and i really enjoyed it. I can relate to how Franky felt with his ghetto family, and how family sticks together whether you live in a poor house or if your out of food for a few weeks. I'm glad Franky met him a nice girl. And the ending was really sweet and sad at the same time.
February 5, 2011
A good, fast teen read. This book really stresses the importance of family and education. Yet it is gritty enough to hold the attention of younger readers.
December 14, 2013
I will start reading this book tomorrow, so I'm not sure of how it will be quite yet. However, it seems like it should be an interesting story
January 28, 2011
a story that need to be told.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews