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College Boy
After hard-fought battles to include African Americans as qualified students within the white American educational system, the opportunity for higher learning still remains a struggle.
This is Troy Potter's story.
He is an African American young man from inner-city Philadelphia. He grew up with dreams of becoming a basketball player but now that he's eighteen he must learn the rules to a whole new game: college. How will Troy survive at a predominantly white school? Will he be afforded the same quality of education as his fellow students? How will he learn to become a successful black man in a white world? This penetrating novel takes a close look at the world of academia from a youthful African American perspective.
This is Troy Potter's story.
He is an African American young man from inner-city Philadelphia. He grew up with dreams of becoming a basketball player but now that he's eighteen he must learn the rules to a whole new game: college. How will Troy survive at a predominantly white school? Will he be afforded the same quality of education as his fellow students? How will he learn to become a successful black man in a white world? This penetrating novel takes a close look at the world of academia from a youthful African American perspective.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published June 3, 2003
3 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
About the author
Omar Tyree
106 books933 followersOmar Tyree, a New York Times best-selling author, a 2001 NAACP Image Award recipient for Outstanding Literature in Fiction, and a 2006 Phillis Wheatley Literary Award winner for Body of Work in Urban Fiction, has published 16 books and has sold nearly 2 million copies worldwide that has generated more than $30 million.
With a degree in Print Journalism from Howard University in 1991, Tyree has been recognized as one of the most renowned contemporary writers in the literary community. He is also an informed and passionate speaker on various community-related and intellectual topics. Now entering the world of feature films, business lectures, and children’s books, Tyree is a tireless creator and visionary of few limitations.
Tyree is a popular speaker on the university and corporate circuits. In his “Equation for Life” lecture, Tyree weaves together a full-proof formula for attaining lifelong success in business, as well as everyday living. Ideal for innovation, corporate sales and marketing teams, one attendee who heard the lecture commented, “Omar Tyree’s Equation for Life speech made me rethink my whole life - it has given me the focus I need.” The success of the speeches over the last 11 years landed Tyree his first nonfiction book deal with John Wiley, the number 1 business publisher in the world. The Equation: Applying the 4 Indisputable Components of Business Success, is being released in early January 2009.
As an author, journalist, performance poet, songwriter, screenwriter,entrepreneur, innovator of various creations, and an energetic and fiery speaker, Tyree is no stranger to the world of contemporary urban influence. Tyree became one of the dominant literary promoters of the 1990s, leading to offers of publishing deals by a number of influential mainstream book publishers. In 1995, he signed a lucrative two-book arrangement with publishing powerhouse Simon & S chuster. A few years later, Tyree signed an undisclosed long-term contract that established him amongst Simon & Schuster’s top authors.
His journey as an entrepreneur began in his early 20s when he started the book publishing company Mar Productions, to release his earliest works of fiction. Tyree’s entrepreneurial ventures have evolved to include the Urban Literacy Project as a nonprofit organization to inspire reading, writing, thinking,visualization, application and financial literacy skills among disadvantaged youth and adults. He has also formed Renaissance Entertainment Group, a partnership with self-made multimillionaire Arthur Wylie, to produce Tyree’s body of fiction novels into feature films.
Tyree’s articles have been published in the Washington Post, Essence, Upscale, Ebony, TheDailyVoice.com and several other publications
With a degree in Print Journalism from Howard University in 1991, Tyree has been recognized as one of the most renowned contemporary writers in the literary community. He is also an informed and passionate speaker on various community-related and intellectual topics. Now entering the world of feature films, business lectures, and children’s books, Tyree is a tireless creator and visionary of few limitations.
Tyree is a popular speaker on the university and corporate circuits. In his “Equation for Life” lecture, Tyree weaves together a full-proof formula for attaining lifelong success in business, as well as everyday living. Ideal for innovation, corporate sales and marketing teams, one attendee who heard the lecture commented, “Omar Tyree’s Equation for Life speech made me rethink my whole life - it has given me the focus I need.” The success of the speeches over the last 11 years landed Tyree his first nonfiction book deal with John Wiley, the number 1 business publisher in the world. The Equation: Applying the 4 Indisputable Components of Business Success, is being released in early January 2009.
As an author, journalist, performance poet, songwriter, screenwriter,entrepreneur, innovator of various creations, and an energetic and fiery speaker, Tyree is no stranger to the world of contemporary urban influence. Tyree became one of the dominant literary promoters of the 1990s, leading to offers of publishing deals by a number of influential mainstream book publishers. In 1995, he signed a lucrative two-book arrangement with publishing powerhouse Simon & S chuster. A few years later, Tyree signed an undisclosed long-term contract that established him amongst Simon & Schuster’s top authors.
His journey as an entrepreneur began in his early 20s when he started the book publishing company Mar Productions, to release his earliest works of fiction. Tyree’s entrepreneurial ventures have evolved to include the Urban Literacy Project as a nonprofit organization to inspire reading, writing, thinking,visualization, application and financial literacy skills among disadvantaged youth and adults. He has also formed Renaissance Entertainment Group, a partnership with self-made multimillionaire Arthur Wylie, to produce Tyree’s body of fiction novels into feature films.
Tyree’s articles have been published in the Washington Post, Essence, Upscale, Ebony, TheDailyVoice.com and several other publications
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 30, 2010
read this for an African History class.Was very relevant.
June 4, 2009
I only got through a couple of chapters. The writing was very average and all the characters seemed like stereotypes rather than real people. I read a little bit in the middle and at the end to see if it would get me interested in the story, but no dice.
It's about a black teenager from Philadelphia, Troy, and his experience starting his freshman year at a predominantly white college. The characters talk in a lot of slang, but as soon as one of them used the phrase "knockin' boots" I was immediately suspicious. I could be wrong, but has anyone said that in the last ten, fifteen years? Granted, the book was written in 2003, but still.
In reading the last chapter, there is a scene where Troy is taking a chemistry test and describes everyone (literally, everyone) around him as working in small groups and cheating. I found it so unrealistic. Where is the teacher while they're all chatting about the answers? And really, EVERYONE is cheating?
Obviously, this book is not aimed at my demographic, but it didn't ring true to me anyway.
It's about a black teenager from Philadelphia, Troy, and his experience starting his freshman year at a predominantly white college. The characters talk in a lot of slang, but as soon as one of them used the phrase "knockin' boots" I was immediately suspicious. I could be wrong, but has anyone said that in the last ten, fifteen years? Granted, the book was written in 2003, but still.
In reading the last chapter, there is a scene where Troy is taking a chemistry test and describes everyone (literally, everyone) around him as working in small groups and cheating. I found it so unrealistic. Where is the teacher while they're all chatting about the answers? And really, EVERYONE is cheating?
Obviously, this book is not aimed at my demographic, but it didn't ring true to me anyway.
January 6, 2009
I could not get into this book and did not finish it. Have way too many books to read to get into...if it did not move me right away and looked at the middle and end of the book, still did not catch my interest!
March 1, 2009
this was like reading the script to higher learning, he was one of my fav authors then he like fell off, i havent read anyhthing rececnt by him.
August 12, 2012
BORNING BORNING I couldn't get through this book I took it back to the Library A~sap Omar Tyree is a borning author with no sense of direction
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews