Devin D. Moss of New York, NY was a winner of the essay contest “The Book That Changed My Life.” Below is the winning essay on What Becomes of the Borkenhearted by E. Lynn Harris:

I often find myself thanking the late E. Lynn Harris for his What Becomes of the Brokenhearted because of the raw honesty and desire he expressed in his life as a gay man. As a gay youth who had to deal with bullies, defeat, and feelings of longing to be loved, this book gave me the strength to believe in my self worth as a son, brother, student, citizen, activist, leader, and the other hats I will wear in my existence. It took me about two years to read the entire book as I was a student and often focused on reading books for school. However, the most interesting thing was that no matter when I picked up the book to continue reading, the chapters I would read applied to my current situation. It was as if we had shared life experiences and he was telling our story and giving me advice about the next step in my life.

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