Harlem! The great African American city (within a city). Harlem boasts its own culture, history and significance to many African Americans living throughout the country. Harlem also happens to be one of my greatest passions. More specifically, dance in Harlem in the 1920s. If I were to go back and do another undergrad, this is definitely what I would study. In my off time I like to read about Harlem. This book was hailed as a masterpiece. Well, they lied.
People loved this book because Rhodes-Pitts went to Harvard. That is the only logical conclusion I can form in my head. This book was not at all what I wanted it to be. It read like a sociology student studying a foreign group of people, yet was accepted because the researcher “fit” the part (basically, she is black). Instead of giving us a broad view of Harlem and it’s history, or a broad view of Harlem and it’s present, it seems more like the stumbling views of a person who has just moved to New York. Because that’s what it is. I wanted the book to be consistent. Sometimes you got historical accounts, other times you got her delusions observations as she walked around the neighborhood, other times still you find yourself trapped in a story with a neighbor or random guy that she passes. What really holds the book together is the author’s undeniable passion and gift for writing. However, this book is much longer than it needed to be. It could be reworked to describe her encounters in Harlem, with a mix of historical context thrown in, instead of being hailed as a scholarly piece.
I gave it 3/5 stars. Absolutely skippable.
I Bought You Books 
