Groundbreaking 'Invisible Life' Trilogy to Be Adapted into TV Series

Invisible Life, one of the most important books about being Black and gay in literature, is coming to a television near you.

HBO is developing a new TV series based on the acclaimed series of books by E. Lynn Harris, about a young and talented Black, gay man coming of age and finding himself originally published in the 1990s. Invisible Life was the first book in the trilogy, which also included Just as I Am, and This Too Shall Pass. All three books will be adapted into one series for HBO.

The first book in the series was named as one of the top 20 classic gay titles in literature by the Los Angeles Times. It explores the issues of race, HIV and AIDS, bisexuality, and being closeted. It's one of Harris' ten books that made the New York Times best-seller list.

Harris passed away in 2009, but before he did, the IP rights for his works were purchased by Proteus Spann's Proteus E2 Productions with the author's blessing. A total of 16 books published by Harris between 1991 and 2010 were included in the deal.

"It has been the passion of my adult life to bring E. Lynn's masterful storytelling to a broader audience," Spann told Deadline. "For many men, his books were a safe-haven; a place where they could see themselves long before television and film would ever attempt to accurately portray the subject matter. It is women, however, who make up a majority of Harris' fan-base. For many women, his books became the first reference they could access privately and even begin to explore the possibility that their brothers, friends, lovers, and even husbands may be gay, bisexual, or leading a double-life."

Playwright Harrison David Rivers will be adapting the novels and is also executive producing alongside Spann, and Tracey Edmonds. Rivers is a GLAAD Award winning writer of plays like "When We Last Flew," Sweet, Where Storms are Born, and the musical Five Points.

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