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The Last Block in Harlem
A young couple seeking a fresh start moves into a fourth floor walk-up in Sugar Hill, Harlem--where kids still run through fire hydrants and music blares from stereos plugged into lampposts. When the husband notices trash marring the streets, he jumps on what he believes to be his cause. However, his clean-up efforts bring media coverage that sets off a rash of evictions and ushers in an influx of new and affluent tenants.The choices they make cannot change the past and the secrets that haunt the young lovers. 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?
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2009
52 people are currently reading
439 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Herz
4 books31 followersChristopher Herz is the author of The Last Block in Harlem, Pharmacology, and Hollywood Forever. He has worked every kind of job imaginable, from washing dishes to selling chimney sweep services to writing interactive cartoons for the Pokemon Learning League. He lives in Brooklyn with is wife and continues to write novels that invoke reactions and entertain on the edge of comfortability.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
February 15, 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 book and told me to write two final chapters that completely ruin it, as some silly writing assignment, I don't know that I could come up with something as bizarre as what this guy came up with. I don't have as vivid an imagination.
Not that this was necessarily the great American novel up until that point. But I really did like the idea behind it. Some yuppie marketing a-hole moves into an apartment in Harlem. He falls in love with the area and the people, and he hates his job, because it's marketing. One day he has a Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire moment and decides to quit his job and focus on sweeping the sidewalk. No, really. But then the media takes notice, and he gets funding from a politician (a corrupt one, natch), and the whole thing turns into one huge clusterfuck. Someone who's not high should rip that idea off for a film.
Not that this was necessarily the great American novel up until that point. But I really did like the idea behind it. Some yuppie marketing a-hole moves into an apartment in Harlem. He falls in love with the area and the people, and he hates his job, because it's marketing. One day he has a Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire moment and decides to quit his job and focus on sweeping the sidewalk. No, really. But then the media takes notice, and he gets funding from a politician (a corrupt one, natch), and the whole thing turns into one huge clusterfuck. Someone who's not high should rip that idea off for a film.
February 6, 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 within a urban jungle, and even some themes on gentrification and existentialism. Good read. I will def check out more from this author.
This story was not that. It was about a man finding himself, human connection within a urban jungle, and even some themes on gentrification and existentialism. Good read. I will def check out more from this author.
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 a remark I made after returning from my first trip to NYC when I said that I felt like I "belonged" in NYC more than I do here in Florida where I grew up. (But it's true). On my most recent trip to the city, I was able to spend some time with a good friend of mine in Queens. She took us on a tour of the borough she absolutely loves and calls home. Her passion for this part of New York was contagious. I could have walked around the streets of Queens all day just taking in the world around me. I feel this way about all the parts of the city I've visited so far. So it only seemed natural that I would feel the need to read The Last Block in Harlem by Christopher Herz -- his own love story for yet another part of New York City. Coincidentally, the same friend from Queens (Sarah) and I had a conversation that day about the gentrification of Harlem. Say the world, Harlem, and look at the automatic thoughts that run through your mind. It's probably thought of as a rough kind of place and dangerous. So for some, the thought of beautifying the city and transforming it into a new safe place to live might be desirable. But then what happens to the culture, the history? Or the people who have spent their entire lives in Harlem and can no longer afford the lofty rent payments, increased by the said gentrification of the city?
The Last Block in Harlem explores this topic, the connection a group of people has to their neighborhood, which is an extension of their lives. This book is narrated in first person and is about a man who takes it upon himself to start cleaning up the streets of his block in Harlem. He doesn't do it for payment or rewards of any kind. It's merely for him and his home. This contemporary novel has some existentialist themes running through it reminding me in parts of the main characters from The Unnamed and The Financial Lives of the Poets. Our main character is tired of his meaningless life as a copywriter for an advertising agency and decides to leave his job to focus on finding meaning in his life; and it just so starts with his cleaning up his block. But these actions lead to media attention and ultimately real estate agencies start looking into Harlem and its real estate potential. This man then has to turn things around and find a way to bring the block's inhabitants together to protect their homes from being taken over.
Though short, at only 215 pages, The Last Block in Harlem is thorough and complex and can't necessarily be considered a light read. There isn't a large amount of action at any given time; in fact, much of the mentioned plot doesn't occur until halfway through the book. In the way that many books are character studies, this one is, in a sense, a "neighborhood study", with snapshots of the people that make up the neighborhood. Alongside this storyline and complementing the character's period of enlightenment is that of the man's relationship with his wife, Namuna. That he is absolutely in love with his wife is never in question -- but how he shows his love for her while going through this part of his life is. The storyline between the two of them did confuse me at times, and the place where their relationship ultimately goes was strange to me. Because there's so much to contemplate in this book, it's possible I didn't catch on to the significance of this part, so for me it's the only part I would have maybe preferred to be different.
I was certainly taken away to the streets of Harlem while reading this book and could feel Herz's love for the city. The descriptions painted for me a clear picture of the neighborhood, and the dialogue between all the characters contributed to the atmosphere of the novel. And I can't fail to mention how much I love the cover of this book! I also can't finish this review without mentioning a little about the author. I had the opportunity to meet him at the book blogger convention this past May. He talked about how when he first wrote this book, he walked the streets of New York City every day selling it individually to anyone who was willing to listen to him. He was even featured in an article in Publishers Weekly and shortly after was offered a publishing deal from Amazon's new publishing house, Amazon Encore. On his blog, Herz Words, the author has placed pictures with a short caption of all those individuals who bought the copies of the book that he hand sold individually. It's sort of fun, so check it out.
The Last Block in Harlem exuded for me a passion for that block in New York City. It was a deep, thoughtful read that I feel could really use a second read through to truly grasp everything the author intended. Those who love this city or can relate to the passion for one's own neighborhood will likely enjoy this book. Same for those who enjoy reading about a person's search for their true identity and meaning in their life. Great debut.
The Last Block in Harlem explores this topic, the connection a group of people has to their neighborhood, which is an extension of their lives. This book is narrated in first person and is about a man who takes it upon himself to start cleaning up the streets of his block in Harlem. He doesn't do it for payment or rewards of any kind. It's merely for him and his home. This contemporary novel has some existentialist themes running through it reminding me in parts of the main characters from The Unnamed and The Financial Lives of the Poets. Our main character is tired of his meaningless life as a copywriter for an advertising agency and decides to leave his job to focus on finding meaning in his life; and it just so starts with his cleaning up his block. But these actions lead to media attention and ultimately real estate agencies start looking into Harlem and its real estate potential. This man then has to turn things around and find a way to bring the block's inhabitants together to protect their homes from being taken over.
Though short, at only 215 pages, The Last Block in Harlem is thorough and complex and can't necessarily be considered a light read. There isn't a large amount of action at any given time; in fact, much of the mentioned plot doesn't occur until halfway through the book. In the way that many books are character studies, this one is, in a sense, a "neighborhood study", with snapshots of the people that make up the neighborhood. Alongside this storyline and complementing the character's period of enlightenment is that of the man's relationship with his wife, Namuna. That he is absolutely in love with his wife is never in question -- but how he shows his love for her while going through this part of his life is. The storyline between the two of them did confuse me at times, and the place where their relationship ultimately goes was strange to me. Because there's so much to contemplate in this book, it's possible I didn't catch on to the significance of this part, so for me it's the only part I would have maybe preferred to be different.
I was certainly taken away to the streets of Harlem while reading this book and could feel Herz's love for the city. The descriptions painted for me a clear picture of the neighborhood, and the dialogue between all the characters contributed to the atmosphere of the novel. And I can't fail to mention how much I love the cover of this book! I also can't finish this review without mentioning a little about the author. I had the opportunity to meet him at the book blogger convention this past May. He talked about how when he first wrote this book, he walked the streets of New York City every day selling it individually to anyone who was willing to listen to him. He was even featured in an article in Publishers Weekly and shortly after was offered a publishing deal from Amazon's new publishing house, Amazon Encore. On his blog, Herz Words, the author has placed pictures with a short caption of all those individuals who bought the copies of the book that he hand sold individually. It's sort of fun, so check it out.
The Last Block in Harlem exuded for me a passion for that block in New York City. It was a deep, thoughtful read that I feel could really use a second read through to truly grasp everything the author intended. Those who love this city or can relate to the passion for one's own neighborhood will likely enjoy this book. Same for those who enjoy reading about a person's search for their true identity and meaning in their life. Great debut.
July 24, 2019
The first thing I noticed about this book was how distinctly male it was. In no way is this a criticism - I am a huge fan of Jack Kerouac, and you can't get much more male focused, from the male perspective, and about things that could only happen to males than him. Perhaps, as with Kerouac, this was incidental by the writer, who just writes about the things he thinks about, many of which are manly: baseball, hot women who aren't his wife, feeling insecure about his wife's success which is superior to his ("You're taking away my manhood. My own wife selling out the soul of the neighborhood."), pressure to measure up to previous generations of men ("[h]er description of the neighborhood in her day, and the image of her husband trying his hardest to leave his mark on the world while still supporting a family, made me worry that I'd given up my dreams too easily for the safety of a weekly paycheck.") Sure, these are things I have heard that men think about.
But somehow, it seemed a little forced here, as though the writer was trying too hard to make his protagonist sound like a relatable average bro with a dream, or that he had assigned flaws and pastimes to the character a little too deliberately. To me, they came off instead as too generalized.
Adding to this, the author falls into the same egocentric trap as many male writers: few, if any, of his female characters have more than one dimension, and are merely tropes for what they represent to the male protagonist. For example, when a female character gifts him a type writer, the following exchange occurs between him and his wife:
"What am I supposed to do with this?" I asked.
"You're sometimes just a little bit more dense than I thought you were," Namuna said. "When a woman gives you something, there is always a reason or purpose..."
Ah yes, women: we mystical creatures oozing with intuition, for whom every action has a "reason" or "purpose" perfect for its male recipient, if only he could detect our subliminal intent. Gag me with a Manic Pixie Dream Girl.
However, the second thing I noticed about this book was the overall excellent and unique writing style, and how well it lended itself to the many descriptions of Harlem. I lived about ten blocks from the story's location about seven years ago, and it really did feel like gentrification had skipped over us into Washington Heights and left Harlem alone. This caused inconveniences, of course - poor selections for restaurants other than fast food, a filthy and perpetually overcrowded grocery store, nowhere to drink but a handful of dive bars filled with old men - as well as the problems the book describes: an abundance of litter, kids on the streets often causing trouble, and earsplittingly loud radios blaring at whatever hour the owners felt like. But I shared the author's appreciation for it as well. Living there felt like it would have been a similar experience 20 or even 50 years ago, if not for the kids' ipods and the modernized Dunkin Donuts signs. It had a timeless quality, and its essence was uniquely New York. The book's descriptions of Harlem's people and streets, in all their flaws and glory, were beautifully written - detailed and vivid.
I also really enjoyed the writer's introspective passages about trying to be of some use to his community, and fearing that he sold out his own potential for security, and thus complacency. "Each time you give in like that, each time you back away from something you believe in, a piece of you dies that can never be brought back to life. Don't let anyone tell you not to care. It all matters. Everything." Passages like this are golden, and really hit home for a reader like myself - as a lawyer now living in a quickly gentrifying area of New Orleans who does a little community activism on the side, the story of a dissatisfied white collar white person whose good intentions end up ruining the neighborhood they love was definitely appealing and relatable to me. I'm glad that the book was not redemptive.
However, having done quite a bit of community service myself including a brief stint in nonprofits in the past, the protagonist's "plan" coming together is where the book started to fall apart for me. Putting together an event, much less an entire program or organization, takes SO. MUCH. WORK. Research. Time. Feedback from other people. Yet, the protagonist does none of this, and just "put the whole concept down in less than two hours." Which begs the question all white gentrifiers (myself included, of course) should ask ourselves before we try to "fix" a neighborhood we moved into: If the problem you are addressing were that easy to solve, don't you think someone would have thought of it by now? If it were as easy as picking up litter, being literally stumbled upon by an interested journalist, and then found by a politician who actually wants to fund your project, there would be no grant writers, no corporate giving divisions, no need for press releases... I guess I loved the concept behind this book, but I couldn't tell whether the author was as clueless about how community programs start up as his protagonist, or whether he was trying to make a point about his protagonist's cluelessness. I'm guessing the former, because the ease at which the protagonist's idea was recognized, funded, and running was not presented as a problem. The problem came from its success and the gentrification it caused. The program's destruction was then deliberate and literal, rather than due to flawed planning, research, inevitable unforeseen problems, or pulled funding that have been the death of many great community programs and projects. Maybe I'm being too nitpicky, and the author didn't take the time to show the nitty gritty aspects of community start-ups because it was meant only as an example of good intentions gone awry. But then why include that the character put the plan together in "less than two hours"? Also, wouldn't it have served the character's mourning process better and made his destruction of his own project even more significant if his blood, sweat, and tears had gone into it?
The unbelievability of the story just continued for me from there, right up until the last pages when *SPOILER ALERT* it's revealed that the protagonist has actually become delusional and is living with his dead wife's body. Um, what? Metaphorical for wallowing in the destruction of something you loved by your own hand? I don't know, man.
Good writing, good concept, nice descriptions of Harlem and the learnings of someone who's just trying to matter, but the execution of the story did not work for me.
But somehow, it seemed a little forced here, as though the writer was trying too hard to make his protagonist sound like a relatable average bro with a dream, or that he had assigned flaws and pastimes to the character a little too deliberately. To me, they came off instead as too generalized.
Adding to this, the author falls into the same egocentric trap as many male writers: few, if any, of his female characters have more than one dimension, and are merely tropes for what they represent to the male protagonist. For example, when a female character gifts him a type writer, the following exchange occurs between him and his wife:
"What am I supposed to do with this?" I asked.
"You're sometimes just a little bit more dense than I thought you were," Namuna said. "When a woman gives you something, there is always a reason or purpose..."
Ah yes, women: we mystical creatures oozing with intuition, for whom every action has a "reason" or "purpose" perfect for its male recipient, if only he could detect our subliminal intent. Gag me with a Manic Pixie Dream Girl.
However, the second thing I noticed about this book was the overall excellent and unique writing style, and how well it lended itself to the many descriptions of Harlem. I lived about ten blocks from the story's location about seven years ago, and it really did feel like gentrification had skipped over us into Washington Heights and left Harlem alone. This caused inconveniences, of course - poor selections for restaurants other than fast food, a filthy and perpetually overcrowded grocery store, nowhere to drink but a handful of dive bars filled with old men - as well as the problems the book describes: an abundance of litter, kids on the streets often causing trouble, and earsplittingly loud radios blaring at whatever hour the owners felt like. But I shared the author's appreciation for it as well. Living there felt like it would have been a similar experience 20 or even 50 years ago, if not for the kids' ipods and the modernized Dunkin Donuts signs. It had a timeless quality, and its essence was uniquely New York. The book's descriptions of Harlem's people and streets, in all their flaws and glory, were beautifully written - detailed and vivid.
I also really enjoyed the writer's introspective passages about trying to be of some use to his community, and fearing that he sold out his own potential for security, and thus complacency. "Each time you give in like that, each time you back away from something you believe in, a piece of you dies that can never be brought back to life. Don't let anyone tell you not to care. It all matters. Everything." Passages like this are golden, and really hit home for a reader like myself - as a lawyer now living in a quickly gentrifying area of New Orleans who does a little community activism on the side, the story of a dissatisfied white collar white person whose good intentions end up ruining the neighborhood they love was definitely appealing and relatable to me. I'm glad that the book was not redemptive.
However, having done quite a bit of community service myself including a brief stint in nonprofits in the past, the protagonist's "plan" coming together is where the book started to fall apart for me. Putting together an event, much less an entire program or organization, takes SO. MUCH. WORK. Research. Time. Feedback from other people. Yet, the protagonist does none of this, and just "put the whole concept down in less than two hours." Which begs the question all white gentrifiers (myself included, of course) should ask ourselves before we try to "fix" a neighborhood we moved into: If the problem you are addressing were that easy to solve, don't you think someone would have thought of it by now? If it were as easy as picking up litter, being literally stumbled upon by an interested journalist, and then found by a politician who actually wants to fund your project, there would be no grant writers, no corporate giving divisions, no need for press releases... I guess I loved the concept behind this book, but I couldn't tell whether the author was as clueless about how community programs start up as his protagonist, or whether he was trying to make a point about his protagonist's cluelessness. I'm guessing the former, because the ease at which the protagonist's idea was recognized, funded, and running was not presented as a problem. The problem came from its success and the gentrification it caused. The program's destruction was then deliberate and literal, rather than due to flawed planning, research, inevitable unforeseen problems, or pulled funding that have been the death of many great community programs and projects. Maybe I'm being too nitpicky, and the author didn't take the time to show the nitty gritty aspects of community start-ups because it was meant only as an example of good intentions gone awry. But then why include that the character put the plan together in "less than two hours"? Also, wouldn't it have served the character's mourning process better and made his destruction of his own project even more significant if his blood, sweat, and tears had gone into it?
The unbelievability of the story just continued for me from there, right up until the last pages when *SPOILER ALERT* it's revealed that the protagonist has actually become delusional and is living with his dead wife's body. Um, what? Metaphorical for wallowing in the destruction of something you loved by your own hand? I don't know, man.
Good writing, good concept, nice descriptions of Harlem and the learnings of someone who's just trying to matter, but the execution of the story did not work for me.
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 talent for descriptions. It's the organization of ideas and the consistency of time that is bothersome.
The ending is nuts. In the weirdest, worst way imaginable. Heck, I couldn't imagine it. The wheels really fall off the bus at the end. Then that bus runs off a cliff. And catches fire. And burns a village below... You get the picture.
***Spoiler Alert ***
A couple of things about this story really bugged me. The "ghosts", like the kid on the bridge. Maybe the man on the subway with the EXACT SAME abortion story. I felt like this second story line added nothing. It seemed to muddy the water, if anything. Is this mystical realism? Just the protagonist falling apart? I'm not sure I'd feel any better about the book knowing the answers.
Also, I was just kind of left with the feeling there was a slight anti-abortion tone to the book. Maybe not, I'm not certain. Just because the theme of abortion regret was present doesn't make it intended as a cautionary tale. It just sort of left that impression with me.
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 talent for descriptions. It's the organization of ideas and the consistency of time that is bothersome.
The ending is nuts. In the weirdest, worst way imaginable. Heck, I couldn't imagine it. The wheels really fall off the bus at the end. Then that bus runs off a cliff. And catches fire. And burns a village below... You get the picture.
***Spoiler Alert ***
A couple of things about this story really bugged me. The "ghosts", like the kid on the bridge. Maybe the man on the subway with the EXACT SAME abortion story. I felt like this second story line added nothing. It seemed to muddy the water, if anything. Is this mystical realism? Just the protagonist falling apart? I'm not sure I'd feel any better about the book knowing the answers.
Also, I was just kind of left with the feeling there was a slight anti-abortion tone to the book. Maybe not, I'm not certain. Just because the theme of abortion regret was present doesn't make it intended as a cautionary tale. It just sort of left that impression with me.
March 16, 2011
Ok, so this book was loaned to me on my Kindle and I was so excited to receive it I began to read it immediately. Of course, I only had two weeks to finish it which is an eternity to me but I was anxious to get started reading. The title drew me in also. The story began and I was somewhat interested. As I continued reading, I began to feel disconnected and lost for where the author was trying to take me. The development of characters was slight at best. I didn't feel any connection to them at all even when he went into some detail about their lives. It was all very matter of fact. The details of the story did nothing for me at all. The story line for me, was too choppy. Like a movie that drags on and on to get to a particular point. EDITING is the key!! The most disturbing part to me, was at the end...I won't give the story away for some of you who still might want to read it but lets just say, Pet Cemetery. This part of the book seemed to be released of any part of reality. I understand fiction but sheesh! It was totally unbelievable. In a nut shell, I finished this book in 2 days and was quite annoyed that I wasted my time reading it for that long! Me no likey!
July 7, 2014
I really wanted to like this book. I picked it up as a Samsung Deal of the Month because I'm currently living in a downtown neighborhood that's going through "gentrification". I liked that this book was dissecting the growing pains of neighborhood change from the inside out. It started well, and I liked where it was headed, but then the whole thing went down a bizarro rabbit hole and crashed and burned. I also really wanted to like it because it's the author's first book, and I think he put a lot of himself into the main character. He does have a talent for description and for dissecting things and breaking them down from a new point of view (hence 2 stars and not 1), but I can't honestly recommend this read to anyone. I only finished because I was enthralled by the train wreck ending and just had to watch to see if anything worthwhile survived. (Spoiler: it didn't.)
July 6, 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 coming, and wasn't sure how I felt about it. Later, I thought about the book and mentally retraced the steps leading up to the last chapter--similar to what I did after seeing the film, "The Sixth Sense." Overall, I still prefer warm fuzzy endings, but this one made me think and react, not a bad thing at all.
I will definitely read Christopher Herz's next novel. He clearly has a creative mind and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
I will definitely read Christopher Herz's next novel. He clearly has a creative mind and I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
November 19, 2010
I read this via a Crazy Book Tours and I have to say it did not impress me. Not every book can be a winner and it's great to step out and read things that normally you wouldn't so I am not sorry I read it, just that it didn't click with me.
What starts as a little sweep-up from a resident, our main character, who is never named in the entire book, turns into so much more.
It's a look into the lives of people in Harlem and everywhere in my opinion.
What starts as a little sweep-up from a resident, our main character, who is never named in the entire book, turns into so much more.
It's a look into the lives of people in Harlem and everywhere in my opinion.
April 21, 2011
weird but good book. I enjoyed reading it.
June 26, 2021
I thought this book was truly awful. The werk ting is weak, and the main character in whose voice the book is written is a self-absorbed, un-self-aware person. Read something else
October 3, 2013
In a nutshell, an unemployed copywriter and his wife move into Harlem, and the man becomes obsessed in making Harlem over in his own image, unraveling himself in the process.
Herz's writing is vivid and thoughtful, with a strong sense of place, but I almost didn't get through it because his main character is the male equivalent of the "whiny bitch" protagonist who seems to have many insufferable clones in various novels I've read this year. Like his female counterparts, the narrator is a completely selfish, shallow person trying to experience meaning, inflicting his ideas of meaningfulness upon the world around him. Like most of these types of characters, he doesn't have to make a living, so he is free to float around searching for himself. Most of these whiny bitch characters seem to have at least one person totally in love and devoted to them, and Herz's main character is no exception. He has an exotic, brilliant and patient wife, Namuna, whose fate in being paired with him is surely worse than death.
Harlem, NY is the setting,and Herz does have the gift of making us see Harlem or at least his version of Harlem. I didn't quite trust Herz's Harlem because there were so many people spouting off profound thoughts about life and their circumstances. Not that I don't think people in Harlem can be profound -- but rather, it isn't my experience, generally, that people have conversations like this at the drop of a hat. It seemed that around every corner of Harlem there is a sage in the form of a kid or crossing guard who spouts profound wisdom which the narrator is too dense to absorb, although he writes it all down, having writerly leanings.
It could be that Herz intends for the story to have a surreal feel to it, because it becomes increasingly surreal toward the end, and there are moments throughout the book that seem ghostly. One recurring spouter of wisdom is a kid who seems to exist only in connection to a bridge on the Hudson River. I'm fairly sure Herz has read Dean Koontz, since the ending of his book has an eerie parallel in one of Koontz's Odd Thomas novels. One thing that is solid throughout the book: the observation that focused change is something that should be thought out carefully. The kid by the bridge observes near the end,"Why does everyone want to change a world that already works? I think some folks are just bored or scared of their own lives so they go about changing the world around them instead of themselves."
I gave the book a 3-star because of reasons stated above, but it's a worthy read, one of those books that are good for discussion groups because it will evoke an interesting variety of reactions in readers.
Herz's writing is vivid and thoughtful, with a strong sense of place, but I almost didn't get through it because his main character is the male equivalent of the "whiny bitch" protagonist who seems to have many insufferable clones in various novels I've read this year. Like his female counterparts, the narrator is a completely selfish, shallow person trying to experience meaning, inflicting his ideas of meaningfulness upon the world around him. Like most of these types of characters, he doesn't have to make a living, so he is free to float around searching for himself. Most of these whiny bitch characters seem to have at least one person totally in love and devoted to them, and Herz's main character is no exception. He has an exotic, brilliant and patient wife, Namuna, whose fate in being paired with him is surely worse than death.
Harlem, NY is the setting,and Herz does have the gift of making us see Harlem or at least his version of Harlem. I didn't quite trust Herz's Harlem because there were so many people spouting off profound thoughts about life and their circumstances. Not that I don't think people in Harlem can be profound -- but rather, it isn't my experience, generally, that people have conversations like this at the drop of a hat. It seemed that around every corner of Harlem there is a sage in the form of a kid or crossing guard who spouts profound wisdom which the narrator is too dense to absorb, although he writes it all down, having writerly leanings.
It could be that Herz intends for the story to have a surreal feel to it, because it becomes increasingly surreal toward the end, and there are moments throughout the book that seem ghostly. One recurring spouter of wisdom is a kid who seems to exist only in connection to a bridge on the Hudson River. I'm fairly sure Herz has read Dean Koontz, since the ending of his book has an eerie parallel in one of Koontz's Odd Thomas novels. One thing that is solid throughout the book: the observation that focused change is something that should be thought out carefully. The kid by the bridge observes near the end,"Why does everyone want to change a world that already works? I think some folks are just bored or scared of their own lives so they go about changing the world around them instead of themselves."
I gave the book a 3-star because of reasons stated above, but it's a worthy read, one of those books that are good for discussion groups because it will evoke an interesting variety of reactions in readers.
February 4, 2014
I bought this book when it was being advertised on one of those "great price" promotionals through Amazon, and downloaded it onto my Kindle. I was attracted by the cover photo, the title, and the promotional information. I like the idea of reading new authors.
The first bit of the book seemed pretty good. I enjoyed the first few chapters, and felt like there was some good descriptive writing there, where I was getting the "feel" of the neighborhood. But even in the beginning, I wasn't getting a feel for the characters.
Things did not improve much from there. Lots of speeches in the dialogue. Not much in the way of characters that I was compelled to get to know. The main character was the worst. I just felt like his problems were, as my college-aged daughter would say, "first-world problems" … the kind of problems relatively wealthy white people have that are NOTHING compared to what other people deal with. This guy wants to clean up the neighborhood. Good for him, and kinda weird. I could see that the author was trying to give the guy a valid excuse to be out on the street, getting to know his neighbors, but wow … there just had to be a better way than this.
Nothing happened, like seriously, no action, until about the middle of the book. It was at this point where I seriously considered putting the book down permanently. I began to read other reviews of this book on Goodreads and Amazon, and was fascinated by the reviews that were across the board -- some people liked the book. Many of those, I wonder if they liked reminiscing about the neighborhood descriptions, which were probably very cool [I'm not from New York]. Many reviews mentioned a crazy ending that they didn't like, and THIS was why I continued reading.
The ending was totally off the wall, and there was no plausibility to it. Very frustrating and unsatisfying ending.
I wouldn't say this was the worst book that I've read, in that another one of the Amazon "great price" books wins that prize. I will say that I read the acknowledgements in the back of the book, where the author writes that he had many friends to thank who read the book and either edited it or told him how they honestly felt. All I can say is, the author must be a great guy, because I can't imagine friends so nice that they would say they enjoyed this book. I would hope to have slightly less nice friends, who would honestly tell me what the failings are of my novel before I published it.
I see that the author has written two more books. I think that he should keep writing, but it's my less than humble (and easily ignored) opinion that he should spend more time living with his characters, and figuring out plausible ways in which they would live their lives.
The first bit of the book seemed pretty good. I enjoyed the first few chapters, and felt like there was some good descriptive writing there, where I was getting the "feel" of the neighborhood. But even in the beginning, I wasn't getting a feel for the characters.
Things did not improve much from there. Lots of speeches in the dialogue. Not much in the way of characters that I was compelled to get to know. The main character was the worst. I just felt like his problems were, as my college-aged daughter would say, "first-world problems" … the kind of problems relatively wealthy white people have that are NOTHING compared to what other people deal with. This guy wants to clean up the neighborhood. Good for him, and kinda weird. I could see that the author was trying to give the guy a valid excuse to be out on the street, getting to know his neighbors, but wow … there just had to be a better way than this.
Nothing happened, like seriously, no action, until about the middle of the book. It was at this point where I seriously considered putting the book down permanently. I began to read other reviews of this book on Goodreads and Amazon, and was fascinated by the reviews that were across the board -- some people liked the book. Many of those, I wonder if they liked reminiscing about the neighborhood descriptions, which were probably very cool [I'm not from New York]. Many reviews mentioned a crazy ending that they didn't like, and THIS was why I continued reading.
The ending was totally off the wall, and there was no plausibility to it. Very frustrating and unsatisfying ending.
I wouldn't say this was the worst book that I've read, in that another one of the Amazon "great price" books wins that prize. I will say that I read the acknowledgements in the back of the book, where the author writes that he had many friends to thank who read the book and either edited it or told him how they honestly felt. All I can say is, the author must be a great guy, because I can't imagine friends so nice that they would say they enjoyed this book. I would hope to have slightly less nice friends, who would honestly tell me what the failings are of my novel before I published it.
I see that the author has written two more books. I think that he should keep writing, but it's my less than humble (and easily ignored) opinion that he should spend more time living with his characters, and figuring out plausible ways in which they would live their lives.
July 22, 2010
This is a story about a neighborhood. A neightborhood in Harlem, New York, USA. What thoughts just went through your head when you read the word Harlem? There is such a negative connotation with Harlem being this dangerous place, that we don't really stop to think about the people who live there. The people who have amazing stories to tell. The people who make up this wonderful debut novel by Chris Herz.
The main narrator, never named, is struggling to identify who he wants to be in life. In his mid-thirties, he works as a copywriter, but is very unhappy. Each day he walks through his neighborhood, he hears stories of other peoples' lives, of their triumphs, and of their failures. Each day, he also seems people trashing his neighborhood, making it filthy and disgusting. One day, on a whim, he goes into the $0.99 cent store and purchases a broom and some garbage bags. He begins sweeping up the garbage lining the streets.
What ensues is a movement of sorts. He does not want recognition of his efforts. He just wants a clean neighborhood. When his efforts spawn media attention and the support of the local Councilman, many Harlem natives find themselves being pushed out by the rising rents and an influx of more affluent people looking to purchase homes in the neighborhood. In order to preserve his neighborhood, the narrator develops a plan, with the voices of the neighborhood contributing, to take back their lives. What he doesn't account for is how all of this will affect his own life; his marriage, and his sanity.
The narrator's relationship with his wife, Namuna, is interesting. She is an architect and makes money off of the building of new structures. This seems to conflict with her husband's vision of keeping the integrity of the neighborhood the same. Their relationship is very up and down and, the final 50 or so pages of the book, just plain bizarre for me. The story seemed to stray a bit from the main plot and into this strange series of events involving the narrator and his wife. I didn't quite fully understand the author's intention for their relationship.
I really enjoyed this story of a man trying to find his place in life, with very unexpected outcomes. This is a great debut novel from Herz and one I would definitely recommend.
Jennifer
http://www.crazy-for-books.com
The main narrator, never named, is struggling to identify who he wants to be in life. In his mid-thirties, he works as a copywriter, but is very unhappy. Each day he walks through his neighborhood, he hears stories of other peoples' lives, of their triumphs, and of their failures. Each day, he also seems people trashing his neighborhood, making it filthy and disgusting. One day, on a whim, he goes into the $0.99 cent store and purchases a broom and some garbage bags. He begins sweeping up the garbage lining the streets.
What ensues is a movement of sorts. He does not want recognition of his efforts. He just wants a clean neighborhood. When his efforts spawn media attention and the support of the local Councilman, many Harlem natives find themselves being pushed out by the rising rents and an influx of more affluent people looking to purchase homes in the neighborhood. In order to preserve his neighborhood, the narrator develops a plan, with the voices of the neighborhood contributing, to take back their lives. What he doesn't account for is how all of this will affect his own life; his marriage, and his sanity.
The narrator's relationship with his wife, Namuna, is interesting. She is an architect and makes money off of the building of new structures. This seems to conflict with her husband's vision of keeping the integrity of the neighborhood the same. Their relationship is very up and down and, the final 50 or so pages of the book, just plain bizarre for me. The story seemed to stray a bit from the main plot and into this strange series of events involving the narrator and his wife. I didn't quite fully understand the author's intention for their relationship.
I really enjoyed this story of a man trying to find his place in life, with very unexpected outcomes. This is a great debut novel from Herz and one I would definitely recommend.
Jennifer
http://www.crazy-for-books.com
July 16, 2011
Change. Ignore it to live a life of monotony. Embrace it and risk it all.
When we see wrong in this world, there is this inherent urge in us to do something about it, to make it right. Some would choose to walk away. Others choose a more heroic approach, to get involved and make a difference. These are the people who desire to change the world, to fight for what is right. They see change in a positive light.
The reality is that change is not always positive, and the problem with changing the world is that rarely do we realize that change not only impacts our own life but also the lives of those who we share with.
In a thought-provoking story about one man’s journey to change his world, the block in Harlem that he calls home, Christopher Herz writes about a man who risks everything – his job, his relationships and his sanity – for an honest attempt to clean-up the streets on his block.
There is selfishness to change. We all see change from different vantage points and form perspectives that depend on how the situation relates and impacts our lives, and how it may fulfill our needs. The level of our involvement towards any cause is an outcome of that thought process. Some decide to get involved because they believe in it while some use the cause as a cover to drive their own personal or political agenda.
Through the experiences of an unnamed narrator, Herz takes us through a string of events that unfold word by word, very delicately woven into the complex stories of its residents, who have been numbed by their own selfish desire to survive during troubling times on the risky streets of The Last Block In Harlem.
[This is a popular posting from The 13apples Blog, where leaders collaborate. Visit 13apples(dot)com today!]
When we see wrong in this world, there is this inherent urge in us to do something about it, to make it right. Some would choose to walk away. Others choose a more heroic approach, to get involved and make a difference. These are the people who desire to change the world, to fight for what is right. They see change in a positive light.
The reality is that change is not always positive, and the problem with changing the world is that rarely do we realize that change not only impacts our own life but also the lives of those who we share with.
In a thought-provoking story about one man’s journey to change his world, the block in Harlem that he calls home, Christopher Herz writes about a man who risks everything – his job, his relationships and his sanity – for an honest attempt to clean-up the streets on his block.
There is selfishness to change. We all see change from different vantage points and form perspectives that depend on how the situation relates and impacts our lives, and how it may fulfill our needs. The level of our involvement towards any cause is an outcome of that thought process. Some decide to get involved because they believe in it while some use the cause as a cover to drive their own personal or political agenda.
Through the experiences of an unnamed narrator, Herz takes us through a string of events that unfold word by word, very delicately woven into the complex stories of its residents, who have been numbed by their own selfish desire to survive during troubling times on the risky streets of The Last Block In Harlem.
[This is a popular posting from The 13apples Blog, where leaders collaborate. Visit 13apples(dot)com today!]
February 12, 2011
I orginally found out about this book because I was interested in finding out about the Harlem Renissaince. Althought this book did not give information about famous and influential people coming from Harlem, it did give a fictional representations of modern day Harlem.
Not being familar at all with NYC at its neighborhoods (ie, Harlem)- I was draw to this book. It painted a world that was so much different from mine, which helped me have a greater appreciation of different culture and societes.
The thing I liked about this book is that is was told through the eyes of the storyteller (first person). Also, it was through the non-fiction experiences of author Christopher Herz.
The drawing point to this book was its humanism. I was drawn to the characters because of the descriptive narration and their surroundings.
The main character was around my age and made several refernces to 80's hiphop (Public Enemy, etc.),which I was into during that time-helped me relate.
The backstory of how this book got published was interesting as well.The author hawked the book in the streets and I found a national publisher.
Interesting ending.......I don't want to spoil it.
Not being familar at all with NYC at its neighborhoods (ie, Harlem)- I was draw to this book. It painted a world that was so much different from mine, which helped me have a greater appreciation of different culture and societes.
The thing I liked about this book is that is was told through the eyes of the storyteller (first person). Also, it was through the non-fiction experiences of author Christopher Herz.
The drawing point to this book was its humanism. I was drawn to the characters because of the descriptive narration and their surroundings.
The main character was around my age and made several refernces to 80's hiphop (Public Enemy, etc.),which I was into during that time-helped me relate.
The backstory of how this book got published was interesting as well.The author hawked the book in the streets and I found a national publisher.
Interesting ending.......I don't want to spoil it.
April 24, 2011
The premise to this novel is original, and I did enjoy it up to a point. I would have liked more time with some of the characters, they were very individual and I would have liked to have had a more in depth experience with them. The novel on the whole felt too condensed, maybe because I am used to reading long novels. I also wasn't keen on the ending at all, it reminded me a lot of Brother Odd by Dean Koontz, though much more sinister and I wondered why he did it. The descent into madness wasn't really that clear, and again it was all too condensed.
My thoughts are that it doesn't rank up there with great literature but it has got me thinking a lot about myself and the people around me.
Herz is a very approachable author, and has made the reading of his novel fun with the way that he has gone about its marketing and promotion. You feel part of a community that is reading The Last Block in Harlem.
My thoughts are that it doesn't rank up there with great literature but it has got me thinking a lot about myself and the people around me.
Herz is a very approachable author, and has made the reading of his novel fun with the way that he has gone about its marketing and promotion. You feel part of a community that is reading The Last Block in Harlem.
January 10, 2012
I can't recall where I first heard the story of Herz and his book, but I remembered being intrigued by the idea that he was engaging in old-school street hustling in order to get it sold. The second thing that drew me in (and made me add it to my reading list), is the book's title. The Last Block in Harlem is set in the Sugar Hill section of Harlem and Herz he sets the scene well, leaving me experiencing a bit of nostaligia in the early pages of the book.
Herz is a good storyteller and the setting could have been taken place in any city, as it is really a story about a man's need to feel accepted, and to make a difference in the world (but I appreciated and enjoyed the NYC and more specifically, the Harlem backdrop).
Herz is a good storyteller and the setting could have been taken place in any city, as it is really a story about a man's need to feel accepted, and to make a difference in the world (but I appreciated and enjoyed the NYC and more specifically, the Harlem backdrop).
February 4, 2012
A young man and his wife return to his roots, a block in Harlem where he writes and she goes to work as an architect. Yuppies, not in their own mind. When he sees the neighborhood is "trashy" he goes to work, sweeping it up. But his good intentions get caught up with ambitions to change Harlem to an area of affluency and he becomes a part of it -- for a while. Once he and the people on the block realize what's happening, they try to turn things around with one unintended result - the accidental death of his wife. His despair and what happens to him and his neighbors is the "suspense" part of the book -- totally unexpected ending. Great characters and I really got involved in what happens to the last block in harlem, rooting that it survives its roots.
May 16, 2015
Good idea of a story, but the writing was sometimes a bit uneven (when it was good, it was really good; when it wasn't good it was barely mediocre). First person point of view was interesting and handled well overall. Felt like the main character was not allowed to grow which may or may not have been intentional but there were so many "epiphanies" which should have led to change and didn't go anywhere. At some points, it almost seemed like he wanted to introduce elements of magical realism then backed off without adequately folding them into the narrative. The ending is a mixed bag. This was the author's first novel, and I hope he keeps writing and working to improve his craft.
July 31, 2011
A well-written and engaging story. Couldn't put it down. I like novels that make you think about how people interract with each other and the effect they have on the world around them. We all want to make a difference. We'd like the world to be a little more perfect - the way we think it should be. Christopher Herz does an excellent job of portraying the life of a very self-focused man who wants to do just that. But, sometimes, when we try to solve other people's problems, we make more problems for them and ourselves.
March 24, 2015
I was interested in idea of "taking back" the last block in Harlem and thought I would enjoy the story of how that evolved. However, I found the whole book to be a bit difficult. The characters of the block didn’t come to life for me because they never read as real people. I was confused by the main character’s relationship with his wife right from the start. Were they mad at each other, did they love each other, were they separating?
And the ending… I thought the book was supposed to be about the last block in Harlem! I found it to be a very confusing ending.
And the ending… I thought the book was supposed to be about the last block in Harlem! I found it to be a very confusing ending.
May 21, 2014
TOTALLY CAPTURED BY THIS STORY!
I've been in love with NY culture forever & could only dream of being part of the people who've rooted themselves in the sub-cultures of the big city. Christopher Herz CAPTURED me from the first page! The characters were well developed; I easily envisioned each & every one. I laughed. I cried. I cheered. I got angry. I struggled. I embraced the entire community as if it were my own. The personal & corporate pilgrimage of the main character made me want to be a better person. I hated to see it end!
I've been in love with NY culture forever & could only dream of being part of the people who've rooted themselves in the sub-cultures of the big city. Christopher Herz CAPTURED me from the first page! The characters were well developed; I easily envisioned each & every one. I laughed. I cried. I cheered. I got angry. I struggled. I embraced the entire community as if it were my own. The personal & corporate pilgrimage of the main character made me want to be a better person. I hated to see it end!
August 5, 2014
Started off well, with an interesting premise of what happens when someone cleans up the neighbourhood to a point where developers start taking an interest in gentrification and push up prices so much that the residents can't afford to live there any more. However, it's rather slow paced and feels a bit more long winded than the page count suggests.
Aside from this the authors portrayal of the lead characters relationship with his wife just doesn't ring true somehow and the ending, which I assume is there just for shock value, is macabre and worse, misplaced.
Aside from this the authors portrayal of the lead characters relationship with his wife just doesn't ring true somehow and the ending, which I assume is there just for shock value, is macabre and worse, misplaced.
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January 9, 2015A look at Harlem life
This book did make me think about my own neighborhood and how much it has changed over the past few years - what do those changes mean for the people who have lived there for generations?
But it was a boring read. And it felt like there was a lot of product placement in this book - like if a woman is wearing a suit, the narrator (a man) knows it's a Liz Claiborne suit. Just didn't feel believable and took away from the authenticity of what I was reading.
This book did make me think about my own neighborhood and how much it has changed over the past few years - what do those changes mean for the people who have lived there for generations?
But it was a boring read. And it felt like there was a lot of product placement in this book - like if a woman is wearing a suit, the narrator (a man) knows it's a Liz Claiborne suit. Just didn't feel believable and took away from the authenticity of what I was reading.
March 2, 2017
Reminiscent of Adam Langer's Ellington Boulevard, one of my favorite books of last year, The Last Block in Harlem concerns the continuing inevitable gentrification of New York. Whereas the former book made a character out of the building in question, this novel casts a wider net employing the block itself. There is a central story of love and pathos and loss and misplaced choices, but is well written and compelling.
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September 12, 2011Christopher Herz wrote The Last Block in Harlem as “a love letter to his block,” he says of his first novel, which recounts, with great sensory detail, the comings and goings of a small group of people in a small space and the big implications of one man’s misguided efforts to save his neighborhood.
Herz self-published and marketed the novel until it was picked up by major publishers. Read how in our June/July 2011 issue. http://www.shelfmediagroup.com/staff_...
Herz self-published and marketed the novel until it was picked up by major publishers. Read how in our June/July 2011 issue. http://www.shelfmediagroup.com/staff_...
November 23, 2011
The Last Block in Harlem is a remarkable book that took me on a journey to Harlem! I was there on the fire escape and I witnessed the people down on the street as if I was there. I could vividly see in my head all the characters in the book and could feel what they were feeling! I would recommend this book to everyone! It is a fast paced story with amazing characters, real life situations and is definitely a "Must Read".
May 6, 2011
I started reading this not really sure what I would get going in as it was not my typical genre book. I was pleasantly surprised by Herz different writing style and thus never named narrator. Absolutely worth at least one read give it a try you will be living on the last block in Harlem when you read it.
November 7, 2011
Last Block in Harlem started out intriguing, however about half way through it just seemed to wander. I kept reading because I really believed that because the beginning was so good that the author would bring it all together. But that didn't really happen and the ending veered off in an odd direction.
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