The Last Block in Harlem, Christopher Herz
The Last Block in Harlem, Christopher Herz
List: $14.99 | Sale: $10.50
Club: $7.49

The Last Block in Harlem

Author: Christopher Herz

Narrator: Peter Berkrot

Unabridged: 6 hr 53 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/11/2012

Synopsis

A young couple seeking a fresh start moves into a fourth floor walk-up in Sugar Hill, Harlem—where kids run through hydrants and music blares from stereos plugged into lampposts. When the husband notices trash marring the streets, he finds his cause. However, his best intentions go awry when his clean-up efforts bring media coverage that sets off a rash of evictions and ushers in an influx of new and affluent tenants.His fight to clean up the block evolves into a quest to cleanse his soul, but the choices he makes cannot change the past and the secrets that haunt him. What exists beneath the surface can't be held down for long. On the last block in Harlem, accomplishment and love will clash, but which force is strong enough to win?

About Christopher Herz

Christopher Herz was born in New York but grew up bouncing up and down the coast of California. At the age of 8, after experiencing the reaction of his third-grade class to a story he had written and read aloud, Herz knew he wanted to be a writer. Returning to New York as an adult, he was inspired by his Sugar Hill, Harlem, neighborhood and began drafting his first novel, The Last Block in Harlem, as a love letter to his block. Upon finishing the manuscript, Herz left his job and began hand-selling his book throughout New York City. Walking the streets each day until he had sold 10 copies, he caught the attention of Publishers Weekly, which featured Herz in an August 2009 article. Herz also took photos and notes on each buyer’s story, and his fascinating collage of readers and contextual vignettes can be seen on his blog Herz Words.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Byron on February 14, 2012

This book was going so well for about the first half, then it started to gradually veer off course, and then the plane crashed into a mountain in the last 20 pages or so. The ending was bungled in a way that's so epic that I actually kinda respect it. If you gave me the first 14 chapters of this boo......more

Goodreads review by Kenya on February 05, 2018

I would say this was soft literary. Very vibrant writing. Great use of setting. I felt like I was in Harlem. The story was enjoyable. Usually, I like a lot of violence or sex with my reads, unfolding withing a mystery. This story was not that. It was about a man finding himself, human connection wit......more

Goodreads review by Jenny on June 12, 2011

Unless you're new to reading my blog, you're probably aware of my love for all things New York City. There is something so real about the city, and it's full of such history. And the variety in culture and people in New York is something that continues to draw me to it. My family makes fun of me for......more

Goodreads review by Bookshelf on December 15, 2013

I wanted to like this book. I really enjoyed the premise but the execution was... unusual. This is Mr Herz's first book, and it reads like it. That is ok. Every author has a first book, and lots of kinks need practice to work themselves out. The writing is a little clumsy at times, but he has a tale......more

Goodreads review by Karen on July 05, 2011

I've never been to Harlem, but I feel like I have after reading this book. The author has a rare talent for recreating the sights, sounds, and smells of the neighborhood, (not to mention realistically depicting the characters who populate it). Not to give too much away, but I didn't see the ending c......more

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List