So you think you are a real cool cat who can handle the rough streets of Harlem, huh? Well let me hip you to the deal....

So you think you are a real cool cat who can handle the rough streets of Harlem, huh? Well let me hip you to the deal....

Harlem was brought into the forefront during the luxurious and rautious Harlem Renaissance which spanned the decade beginning in the early 1920s and ended about the mid-1930s. An interesting array of characters hailing from Southern cities blended into the grandious streets of Harlem seamlessly with their West Indian brothers and sisters from across the ocean. They were all seeking fame, fortune and love. Below is a wonderful array of fiction spanning the period from the Renaissance to modern times.

Strivers Row is a beautiful block of Neo Italianate homes owned by some of the most elite families in Harlem. 'Harlem Redux' is the gripping tale of a light skinned black man who returns to his Strivers Row home during the Renaissance to discover that one of his twin sisters has committed suicide. Find out what happens when this biting scandal becomes the talk of Negro high society.

On the flip side of the luxury and refinement found on Harlem's Strivers Row, walk east one block you will find yourself caught up in all kinds of raucous activities on Seventh Avenue. This wide boulevard is the home of all of the jumping joints of the period, including the Connie's Inn and the Lafayette Theater. 'BLACKER THE BERRY. . .' is the gripping tale of a young woman who is desperately in search of satisfaction. She lands in Harlem and gets herself mixed up in a world of strange and twisted characters that she could only find in Harlem's underworld.

If you are looking for a little comic relief from the intensity of the two previous books then you must get your hands on the mature humour of 'Pinktoes: A Novel (Banner Books (Jackson, Miss.).)'. Miss Mamie is a character that you will never forget as she helps promote racial integration in the most unexpected ways.

'A Toast Before Dying' brings you into modern times with another mystery in the Mali Anderson series. The novel contrasts the rough streets of Harlem with the aging splendor of the days of old. Mali Anderson is a former police officer, turned private eye, in search of the killer of a popular barmaid. She takes you from the grittiness of St. Nicholas Avenue to the luxury of Graham Court. Prepare to ride through the streets of Harlem with a few interesting twists and turns along the way.

Well, that should get you started on your tour. If you have any trouble you can find me sipping a highball and enjoying some of the best jazz in town at the Lenox Lounge. the Lenox Lounge.