Immune Deficiency Books

Others have already described the book well. I just want to add my two cents. This account and The Last Watch of the Night are so tender and honest that I miss these men I've never met.

'Borrowed Time' is the most unpretentious, cliche free account of love I've read. So much of it's power lies in what Paul does not say about his lover: describing him most often as his most precious 'friend' he asks the reader to understand, to implicitly know the strength of his passion. The simple assumption that readers across cities, countries, cultures will understand his emotions is what gives the story so much beauty. I fell in love with both Paul and Roger, or more specifically, the strength of what they had together.
The battle against AIDS and discrimination faced by both men made me bawl, and I hope this book is read by people working through their prejudices and moral judgements about the both the illness and its prevalence in the gay community at the time the events occurred. Surely Paul and Roger's love can only be seen as something beautiful that graced the earth, even briefly.

"I don't know if I will live to finish this," begins this memoir by Paul Monette, who would ultimately live only seven years after he did complete it (and, auspiciously, several other works). Monette's account is a chronicle of the last days of his lover Roger Horwitz in 1985 and 1986: a mere nineteen months between diagnosis and death. It's an emotionally devastating portrait; yet, far from wallowing in his grief (although grieve he does), Monette instead describes this period as a battle to extend Roger's life and a determination to seize every remaining day and make the most of it.

An AIDS diagnosis in 1985, in Los Angeles, doomed the couple to an unwanted pioneer status; it was a "death sentence" mitigated only by hope and delusion. For the first half of the decade, Paul and Roger comforted themselves with the notion that the disease, whatever it was, confined itself to a certain group of fast-living libertines ("not us") in San Francisco and Los Angeles. When the reality hit home, the initial method of coping, shared to different degrees by themselves and by their friends (and particularly by Roger's brother), was a mixture of mortification and denial.

Once Roger became ill, however, the couple fought tooth and nail to pursue every potential pharmaceutical elixir or therapeutic panacea; they were on the vanguard of trials for suramin (with devastating side effects) and for the more successful "Compound S" (AZT), which Monette credits for extending Roger's life. Throughout, they struggled to present a united front of normalcy and optimism, with Roger attempting to practice law from his hospital bed and Paul flying to New York for meetings in the Russian Tea Room with the newly famous Whoopi Goldberg about an ultimately doomed screenplay ("it must've dismayed her considerably to think that this humorless man sipping broth and Coca-Cola was meant to be her breakthrough into feature comedy").

Still, if it's possible to say that one can be "fortunate" in such circumstances, Roger and Paul had the only advantages available at the time: money, connections, and (mostly) supportive family and friends. In spite of the sequence of crises and disappointments, they somehow managed to find time to laugh and to love amidst the anger and the betrayals; Monette's wit and fair-mindedness saves this work from overwhelming the reader with morbid pity and depression. Paul and Roger were often too busy chasing hope to pause and wallow; those moments were often saved for the morning. ("Waking teaches you pain.") What's most remarkable about this book is not the riveting and livid account from the front of the epidemic--such memoirs are plentiful--but the lyrical and even humorous appreciation of the "borrowed time" remaining to these two admirable profiles in courage.

Although I am a conservative Christian who has never been "homophobic", I have been 100 percent guilty of "indifference" to what it really means to be gay and and the AIDS issue. Not any more. I began to research the issues and I have been telling everyone about this book. The genuine love story and respectful relationship that Paul and Roger shared is something everyone could learn from. I don't believe I have ever read a book that portrays such courage. The pain that both of these men endured would make the average person collapse under the weight. I know what the Bible says about homosexuality, but I believe that Jesus himself would just wants us stop judging and comdemning and to simply love one another as he loves us. All of us.

I don't know how this book didn't win every award the publishing world has to offer. Quite simply, this one volume is the most emotionally devastating work I've ever read. I've read about hate crimes, political assassination and Nazi persecution, but none touch this. Several times I had to set the book down because I was no longer able to read through great, racking sobs and eyes nearly swollen shut. I grieved.

Paul Monette, author of the the award winning memoir "Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story," died of AIDS not too long after losing his beloved companion Roger to the disease. That he was able to focus so much energy on chronicling the events of Roger's death in this memoir, was a mircle - and indeed this book is a miraclous gift. "Borrowed Time" is a story of pain, suffering, hope, strength and courage. However, and more importantly, it is a love story - the greatest I've ever read.

I was expecting this book to be touching and sad. I was feeling a little down and decided, what the hell... cry a little. Um. Not so much. I realize that what the author goes through each day is very serious and I'm sure sad in it's own right. But ya know what? He is living - LIVING - proof that life goes on and you just have to keep getting on with the getting on of living life to the fullest. He's funny - oh, he's got some dark humor about him - but he's really funny. I don't think I've laughed so much at a memoir EVER.

Shawn made me laugh - and yes, cry a little - for him, for his mother, for his wife, but mostly it was tears from laughing so hard. He's a bit twisted and well, I like that.

I did, however, learn a lot about his myriad of illnesses and about what it must be like living with them. He did an amazing job of educating his readers while being entertaining. A dark, serious subject has a bit of light to it. This is an absolute wonderful read. Read it.

Just finished the book in one sitting and I could not put it down! Shawn and Gwenn's story is so inspiring and the book is incredibly funny!

I had seen the two of them speak while I was a student at UVA and was inspired the first time too. Shawn has been an advocate, friend, Homecoming King, musician, husband, and author in 30 years on this planet. Much more than most people will ever do in 90. Do yourself a favor and buy this book right now! And then join me in anticipation of the next one!

Despite the hardships that he has faced throughout his life Shawn Decker has shown that it is possible to be positive, happy, and accepting- even when those around him did not understand or accept him themselves. Through this book Shawn uses his humor and intelligence to teach not only about HIV but about how to be a better human. As someone who has suffered through hardships of their own I know what a difficult task this can be yet Shawn pulls it off effortlessly and with grace. This book so captured my mind and my heart I read it in one sitting. I laughed, I cried, and I learned. Everyone should read this book.

This is a well-written book about living with a life-threatening disease. Decker writes with humor about the fear and adjustments he and his family go through as they come to terms with his disease. At times hilarious, often poignant, I loved it. I bought it for the people I love who are going through the same thing.

Simply a great book. The author is my age and I felt a connection in his stories. It didn't matter that I have not been directly connected to someone with HIV or Aids. The story has an amazing love story built in to a life full of love, support and true creativity. Excellent read!

The only book on the subject availible, and long overdue. Elaine DePrince writes from the heart, with a sharp eye for contradictions. Though it is a personal story of pain and loss, anyone who reads it can not come away without a sense of outrage. It is a story that should have been writen ten years ago about a forgotten group forced into the battle against HIV?AIDS unarmed and unprepared, but continues to fight back to the last man and woman if necessary. Every health care worker, doctor, and politician should read this, and if it doesn't scare them silly, they are not paying attention

The only book on the subject availible, and long overdue. Elaine DePrince writes from the heart, with a sharp eye for contradictions. Though it is a personal story of pain and loss, anyone who reads it can not come away without a sense of outrage. It is a story that should have been writen ten years ago about a forgotten group forced into the battle against HIV?AIDS unarmed and unprepared, but continues to fight back to the last man and woman if necessary. Every health care worker, doctor, and politician should read this, and if it doesn't scare them silly, they are not paying attention

The only book on the subject availible, and long overdue. Elaine DePrince writes from the heart, with a sharp eye for contradictions. Though it is a personal story of pain and loss, anyone who reads it can not come away without a sense of outrage. It is a story that should have been writen ten years ago about a forgotten group forced into the battle against HIV?AIDS unarmed and unprepared, but continues to fight back to the last man and woman if necessary. Every health care worker, doctor, and politician should read this, and if it doesn't scare them silly, they are not paying attention

The only book on the subject availible, and long overdue. Elaine DePrince writes from the heart, with a sharp eye for contradictions. Though it is a personal story of pain and loss, anyone who reads it can not come away without a sense of outrage. It is a story that should have been writen ten years ago about a forgotten group forced into the battle against HIV?AIDS unarmed and unprepared, but continues to fight back to the last man and woman if necessary. Every health care worker, doctor, and politician should read this, and if it doesn't scare them silly, they are not paying attention.

This book serves well as both the intimate story of a family whose lives have been profoundly altered by AIDS, and an expose of the events that allowed this deadly disease to invade them.

While the average American probably believes, as I did until recently, that the infection of thousands of hemophiliacs with the AIDS virus was an unavoidable tragedy, DePrince uncovers the awful truth that for many, if not most, hemophiliacs, infection with AIDS and the deadly hepatitis C virus was not only avoidable, but that the government and hemophilia profiteers (like Bayer "The Aspirin People") chose not to act to produce a safer product in favor of bigger profits.

DePrince also reminds us that the tragedy experienced by the hemophilia community isn't an isolated incident. Many millions of Americans are exposed to blood products each year, sometimes unknowingly, which means anyone at anytime could find themselves facing infection with HIV, HCV, or perhaps some unknown virus making its way into the blood supply today. Blood safety is an important issue to everyone - not just those who rely on blood products regularly. DePrince also advocates for the passage of the Ricky Ray Hemophilia Relief Fund Act which provides compassionate payments to victims of this disaster along with important improvements to blood safety.

Read this book as if your life depended on it.

After reading Stepping Out of the Bubble a year ago, I went back and read it again for a second time. I was able to pick up even more information this time around that helped me understand and overcome some of my own internal conflicts. This is a book you can read at any point in your life and always find information that pertains to that particular moment. Krehbiel has a way of explaining things that others may consider unexplainable. Whether you are a student, a teacher, or just a guy like me, this book can and will change your life.

James P. Krehbiel's Stepping Out of the Bubble was a fascinating read. I found myself underlining various passages. His explanation of how we get stuck in the bubble (comfort zone), and how we find our way out is powerful. It provided me with hope as I move through my own personal journey. I found myself experiencing an emotional reaction to many of the case examples and concepts he explored. He definitely hit some "hot buttons" in my life. But Mr. Krehbiel also provided specific guidelines and tools for stepping out of the bubble. At one point he says, "Courage can be defined by those who live outside the bubble as opposed to those who live in it. I like to compare stepping out of the bubble to wading into the water."

His chapter which includes ideas on multidimensional thinking is appropriate in today's political climate. He indicates that true dialogue takes into consideration the appreciation for differences in opinions. He makes some profound statements about pop culture's affect on the lives of today's children. He also gives parents tools and resources for assisting their children in bettering their behavior. The book ends with a resounding "yes" to life with a hopeful, powerful way of perceiving and reframing life's problems. This was an excellent book!

Stepping Out Of The Bubble by James P. Krehbiel, Is an outstanding book on Counseling Therapy. Krehbiel, is able to put life patterns and fears into perspective so that the lay person can fully understand the mystery that most think is behind counseling. His approach to show that so much of what we seek answers for is within ourselves and with the right counsellor we can become free and step out of the Bubble or Bubbles that a lot of us are in.

This book should be a gift to every teen and their parents, no home should be without it.

"Stepping Out of the Bubble : Reflections On the Pilgrimage of Counseling Therapy by James P. Krehbiel is an amazing and outstanding book that provides help and direction to the many people that are suffering from problems described in this book.

I was amazed at how many of the problems and challenges, that the author writes about, are problems and challenges I have seen many people suffer with.

The counseling theory and practice information in this book provides a direction for people that have a problem and are willing to go to counseling and risk moving forward in their journey toward finding personal growth and development, and eventually stepping out of the bubble.

Many people have problems and challenges that they never seek help for and they and their loved ones continue to suffer. This book goes a long way in bringing the thought of counseling to people and helping people to better understand the counseling process.

To author James P. Krehbiel thank you for writing your great book. I am convinced your book will help many people and because of your book many more people will step out of the bubble. I recommend this book very highly and also feel it would be a great college text.

For me, "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" was reminiscent of the renowned books of author, M. Scott Peck, in the style of presenting profound insights into sensible, easy-to-understand language and clear ideas an average person can relate to. Practicing Licensed Professional Counselor and Nationally Certified Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist and author of "Stepping Out Of The Bubble", James Krehbiel proficiently shares a portion of his expertise, condensing great weight into accessible and workable solutions for a more fulfilling life's plan.

The "bubble" represents our security and comfort zone, but it is also the inner place where we store the pain of our past experiences and the unpleasant reality of that not being made conscious which keeps us bound in unhealthy and self-defeating patterns. Staying within this bubble limits our emotional responsiveness as we numb ourselves to the coexistence even as unresolved issues unconsciously filter forth. To step outside of the bubble is to courageously examine the contents in all honesty and to face life's reality outside of the bubble. Once outside the bubble, one can move forward to experience life in more emotional depth, fullness and passion. "Being a fully functioning individual is about being true to whom you are and letting things be the way they are," explains author, James Krehbiel.

With brilliant and compassionate understanding, Mr. Krehbiel briefly details methods used and pertinent case examples within his therapy practice. "Self-regulation is a goal of therapy. I educate people in the fact that all the answers are ultimately within." "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" strives to do the same, by giving information on how we become trapped in the bubble and how beneficial the making of conscious choices to leave, can be.

Some of the many topics included within this book are: being assertive, characteristics of an "authentic" person, the integration of each of our different personality parts, the difference between true guilt and false guilt, setting boundaries, addictions and addictions to "manic" relationships, awareness (staying in the moment or mindfulness), grounding, honoring one's inner voice, panic attacks, OCD and mood disorders. The section regarding kids and parenting was exceptional, in my opinion, and I found many points about discipline that made much sense. Also appreciated was the section relating to religion (dogma) versus faith (spiritual) as well as what needed to be said about pop culture.

I enjoyed reading "Stepping Out Of The Bubble" and would recommend it to anyone. It is enriching and inspirational.

Stephen Lewis writes an excellent and readable account of his experiences with AIDS in Africa and the UN. He was not afraid to name names and hold people accountable including himself. I read the entire book in less than a week and would have finished sooner if I had the time. I recommend this book to anyone interested in global health.

This book was a riveting read. I think the combination of Stephen Lewis's excellent oratory skills mixed with a pertinent topic has created a powerful, compelling book. In this book the author takes the reader inside major organizations such as the UN, WHO, etc. showing the reader the workings and failures of the international response to Africa's needs and crisis's concerning famine and HIV. He successfully intertwines his professional and personal experiences in the UN and Africa.

I really enjoyed reading this book for a number of reasons. First of all, Stephen Lewis has such a vast and unique perspective on Africa the UN as well as HIV/AIDS. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about what is going on with the G8 concerning Africa as well as the Millennium Development Goals. Don't get me wrong, I was horrified to hear the unfortunate details, I was just intrigued as well as enlightened by his narration of current day events. I also whole-heartedly agree with his perspectives on women and his desire to see an international representation of women's rights.

What gives Stephen Lewis such authority to adequately articulate this tragedy is his incredible 30 years of international experience, he is the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, a former Canadian ambassador to the UN, as well as former deputy executive director of UNICEF. Although I did not agree with all of his policy views on solutions, I did agree with the vast majority of his perspectives and highly recommend this book for insight into Africa and the horrendous impact of HIV/AIDS.

The credentials of the author add a unique dimension to the subject of the pandemic of aids in Africa. He puts a tender "face" on the problem. He did an interesting job of presenting the political aspects of the situation by weaving in the personal stories of those directly affected by the decisions made by the governing bodies. I was persuaded to help the suffering. My family and some friends (29 of us in all) are organizing a trip to SA in October 2007 to volunteer our help with the situation.

In June 2005, the new deputy prime minister of Namibia said that the nation was "on its knees." In Race Against Time, Stephen Lewis discusses the causes of the African AIDS epidemic. Through wrenching personal stories, he describes the problem and how horrible its effects are to individuals and to communities in Africa. He faults individuals and organizations who place their own economic or moral agendas ahead of ending the suffering and then offers suggestions to get both the international community and private groups involved to end the epidemic. This book will frustrate you over what little has been done so far, yet it still offers hope for the future of Africa.

Stephen Lewis is an amazing articulator of the imperative race against time to fight the AIDS epidemic. His book is at times angry, hopeful, practical and inspiring. I can't imagine the grief he has seen and experienced to write with such power and urgency. The book is an easy read yet so powerful, definitely recommend it for everyone who is interested in learning more about the HIV/AIDS pandemic and why it is so imperative for the global community to respond and care.

Make no mistake: this book can be very tough sledding. Reading about the sad, often lonely, always uncomfortable deaths Scannell's patients suffered would be tough for any but the most hard-hearted reader to take. How could anyone not cry when reading about the dying man who wanted nothing more than to end his life in the midwestern home he grew up in, yet was forbidden to do so -- and therefore died alone, far away -- because his parents feared his son's illness would turn their small community against them? Yet it is against this backdrop of sadness and isolation that Scannell writes about her tender, compassionate, and often very creative ways of caring for her patients. Through her eyes we can see that, even when there is no hope of extending life, the lives of the dying can still be valued and enriched in the time they do still have. On a personal note, although I haven't lost nearly as many friends to HIV/AIDS in the last 20 years as some have, I have still attended far more than my share of memorial services and have said goodbye (or worse, not had the chance to say goodbye) to a handful of friends who I sometimes still cannot believe are really gone. I remember all too well the dark days Scannell writes about, and am grateful that advances in medicine since the mid-90s have helped reduce the terrible loss of human life. But the lessons Scannell offers are timeless and independent of person or illness. I don't recommend this book if you are currently coming to terms with a loss, because it may prove to be too painful. But if you are starting to lose your faith in mankind and need a dose of humanity, reading a few chapters of Scannell's book can offer a healthy reorientation.

This is one of the most touching, beautiful books I have ever read. Scannell shares her life with her readers and honors the memories of her AIDS patients through her her series of "anecdotes." Each chapter is a different story, or memory, making it easy to read over a span of a week or more, or even in a day. In it, she touches upon a variety of issues like healthcare, sexuality, gender, death, family, and fear and she talks about her evolving from a good doctor (i.e. seeing the patient's physical needs) to a compassionate doctor (treating the patient holistically and considering their emotional needs).
In the last chapter she reflects on her five years of experience on an AIDS ward and how it helps her cope with her discovery that she has cancer.
When I read this book, I felt like she was next to me in person telling me these stories. I laughed; I got sad; I felt hopeful. This is a testament to human life, and I would recommend this easy read to anyone.

Beautifully written and mesmerizing stories. It's extraordinary, and even reassuring, to read the reflections of a doctor who is so carefully aware of the human and spiritual depths of the doctor-patient relationship. It's unforgettable and shouldn't be missed.

What a wonderful set of truths Scannell reveals in her experiences of caring for dying patients. Honest, raw, funny experiences that shed light into a world few of us can ever know. How great, too, that she "expands the traditional narrative" of physicians' lives.

There exist so few memoirs written by women physicians. It is refreshing to see Dr. Scannell's experience expand the narrative about all physicians' lives. Her mix of humor and sober observation is a beautiful weave of writing.

Thank you, Donna. I am an avid fan of Donna Williams' autobiographical and other scholarly writing on 'autism'. She is a true peacemaker. In her previous book, Like Colour to the Blind, I found tremendous insight into the kinds of problems that many of us encounter when we expand our world to include that of another in an intimate partnership.

Similarly, reading Everyday Heaven inspired me to continue to understand and deepen my relationship with myself. Donna's style is ever fresh and impeccably precise. She continues to charter the borderlands of differences in thinking, feeling, perceiving and behaving that have been labeled 'autistic'. Perhaps with so eloquent a mapmaker as our guide, the rest of us can learn greater tolerance for all of the individual 'autistic' realities that we each bring to bear in the creation of this thing that we think we share called 'consensual reality'. Maybe then there will be peace and Everyday Heaven on earth.

Those who have read Donna Williams' other three autobiographies will continue to find ideas and insights that will stretch anybody's understanding of autism far beyond textbooks and what professionals have published. But more than that, even if you aren't especially interested in autism, this book is about the zest for and love of life. Considering how gloomy and bitter Williams could be if she chose, "Everyday Heaven" really serves as an inspirational memoir. In spite of the very real hardships she describes, this book filled me with joy.

Donna Williams is already one of the most famous people diagnosed with Autism in the world and people look up to her achievements and particularly perhaps, the fact that as an Autistic person, contrary to all existing stereotypes at that time, she has married and, of course, an iconic writer of heterosexual romance.

But all is not what it seems. Agoraphobic, outside of her public face, Donna is actually a relative recluse on a farm in the middle of nowhere, completely controlled by her obsessive rather Autistic-Spectrum and somewhat multiple-personalitied husband, Ian. She is beginning to discover that not all 'Auties' are nice at all and the one she's married is a doosie.

Now, on the day of their second wedding aniversary, only one week after the death of her eccentric rather bipolar father from cancer and in the middle of the filming of a documentary about her life, Donna is falling deeply 'in like' with one of the crew, Mick who himself lost the father he loved. Now Ian boldly de-masks and announces he wants to run off with the male producer!

The de-masked Ian clinically announces how he has now qualified for being two years in the marriage and, hence, is entitled to half of everything she ever made from her internationally bestselling books. To boot, she has only a few weeks before flying to America to give a talk about being happily married and on the Autistic Spectrum before a massive US audience!

As Ian packs up the furnishings and strips their house bare and the cameras keep rolling, Donna's 'in like'with Mick has turned to being in love and after she starts a smart drug she finds herself developing lust for the first time in her life at the ripe old age of thirty-two.

But Mick has his own challenges with love, sex, identity and alcohol and with the help of a colorful hippy eccentric dance teacher, Margo, Donna finds herself on the road again. More alone as famous than she would ever have been otherwise, and deeply traumatised by the death of her father, she confronts her sexual orientation and attraction to women, going to a gay club specifically to meet 'someone'. She ends up in a torid sexual relationship with an alcoholic lesbian, Shelly. Then her best friend, Margo, goes suddenly into a coma, then dies from a brain haemmorage, and soon even Donna's beloved cat Monty joins the 'other side'.

It's like everyone is dying and she is surrounded by their 'ghosts'. But among the ghosts awaits an angel named Chris who in rescueing him from his own messy love triangle, she rescues herself from the edge of breakdown.

Everyday Heaven is a humorous, moving, riveting, roller-coaster of a book.

Of all Donna Williams' books, "Everyday Heaven" is one of my very favorites. The fourth in her autobiographical series, this part of her story invites us to be a fly on the wall while she navigates life and love in her thirties. Donna's unbridled candor draws you in, and her clarity and insight hold you fast. When you read it, you'll want to have a box of tissues near by, and also a friend to share some of her humorous anecdotes with. What strikes me in this book, is that in spite of the horrific circumstances she survived in her early childhood, and to whatever extent her Autism continues to impact her daily life, there is never a moment of blame or bitterness. She personifies resilience and a lust for life. If you dare to read any of her books, Donna Williams is someone who will take all of your excuses away. "Everyday Heaven" is a heavenly read.

Donna is changing the way that, hopefully, millions of people think about 'Autism'. Everyday Heavan gives a wonderful insight into the world of a fantastic lady on the Autism spectrum. In this fascinating book Donna shares the ups and downs of relationships, exposure anxiety, information processing, connection, tolerance, contol, dietary difficulties and many more experiences that she has had. You will be captivated by the warmth and passion that Donna brings to the Neuro -Typical world of Disabling barriers.

"As a woman living with HIV," says Beatrice Were of Uganda, "I am often asked whether there will ever be a cure for HIV/AIDS, and my answer is that there is already a cure. It lies in the strength of women, families and communities who support and empower each other to break the silence around AIDS and take control of their sexual lives." With a vaccine against HIV far off in the distant future (if at all), and with treatment of AIDS in the two-thirds world difficult, expensive, and limited in effect, the name of the game in HIV-AIDS is prevention. But in places like Africa, which is the focus of Helen Epstein's book, prevention is not as simple as it sounds. As she notes in her appendix, measles, syphilis, tuberculosis, and other entirely preventable diseases still kill millions of people even though they can be treated for pennies.

Why has HIV-AIDS ravaged eastern and southern Africa like no place on earth? "In 2005," she writes, "roughly 40 percent of all those infected with HIV lived in just eleven countries in this region-- home to less than 3 percent of the world's population." In some of these countries the infection rates have hit 30 percent, decimating the general population, while in the west, for example, rates hover at about 1% and are generally limited to specific demographics like gay men, intravenous drug users, and commercial sex workers." Theories abound about this discrepancy, but Epstein argues a narrow point, that Africa's problem is not profound promiscuity, or even the normal culprits of high risk groups like prostitutes or truck drivers, but instead a social phenomenon of "concurrent partners." That is, Africans do not have more sexual partners than in other places in the world, and nowhere near as many as gay men among whom infection rates are exponentially lower; but they do have a small number of sexual partners concurrently, at the same time, rather than one at a time or sequentially. This has set the virus loose among the general population like a runaway train.

And why has prevention been so elusive? Epstein appeals to what she calls the comprehensive "social ecology" of denial, silence, shame, adverse gender roles, and stigma about HIV-AIDS. Western-initiated and donor-funded programs will always be less successful than listening to Africans themselves and their own suggestions about how to address the problem. Uganda, of course, has been the amazing success story in this regard, and the subject of bitter debates about why. In 1989 Uganda had one of the highest infection rates in the world, but from about 1992-2002 the infection rate dropped by two-thirds. The key to the success, argues Epstein, was not in the billions of dollars from the west, but from the "collective efficacy" of a "shared calamity," by people helping each other and talking openly about the scourge. In particular, "partner reduction," she says, and not the much vaunted condom use, helped Ugandans to address the cultural phenomenon of concurrent partners. Partner reduction, as one worker described it, is thus the "neglected middle child of the ABC approach" of abstinence, fidelity ("be faithful"), and condoms. Zero Grazing, as Uganda's president Yoweri Museveni called for, is thus the silent cure already available, however valuable other prescriptions.

Epstein, a molecular biologist who has written widely on public health issues, combines rigorous science and the anecdotal evidence of substantial field research. She's clearly as comfortable with and interested in meeting with a dozen African widows under a mango tree as she is in the latest results of a demographic study. Her book has received strong reviews in the New York Times and the New York Review of Books (where her mother was a co-editor before she died), and also a rebuttal of sorts on the home page of UNAIDS that was provoked by her somewhat conspiratorial stance toward research that she argues they ignored because it didn't fit their partisan ideology.

I'm an American doctor working in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. I can attest to the substance of much of the material presented in this book and the importance of its message, specifically that norms of sexual behavior in this culture need to be discussed and changed for prevention efforts to begin to be effective. As the author aptly discusses, numerous aid organizations, flush with good intentions and funds, seem to operate on the periphery of this central issue. One of the most disturbing lessons of my time in the midst of this horrible tragedy is the realization that the stigma attached to this disease in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa remains so severe that many people prefer to die than to find out that they have AIDS, a point the author seems to get across through with many informative anecdotes. The fundamental thesis is that we need to begin to engage the leaders within these societies at a fundamental cultural level regarding relationships and sexual behavior. No small task. I would highly recommend this book as the first read for someone trying to understand why AIDS is so unbelievably prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa. As of today, for every person we enroll in antiretroviral treatment in rural KwaZulu-Natal, five will be newly infected. It's very depressing to see so many people dying from a preventable disease--1,000 people die of it every day in South Africa alone.

The most important book published on AIDS in a long time, and one of the most important books of the year. If you liked Rachel Carson's Silent Spring or And The Band Played On, you will love this book. It is readable, impassioned and brilliant, and despite its savage denunciation of the failures of the West to deal with the AIDS crisis, it is an essentially optimistic work. Publishers Weekly in a starred review said it will save lives, and that is not hyperbole. I urge anyone who is interested in the greatest medical crisis of our time; anyone who is interested in Africa; anyone who is outraged by the failure of the UN, the WHO and the Bush administration to deal with this tragedy, to buy this book and give it to your friends. It is the kind of book that will change peoples' minds and will move continents. It will be read for years to come...

We have been overwhelmed by bad information about what causes AIDS to be so much more prevalent in the eastern and southern parts of Africa than elsewhere in the world. Even though more money than ever is being directed to stopping this epidemic, that money is hardly ever being spent for a helpful purpose. Helen Epstein carefully describes what she learned on site in Africa about what the primary problems really are and how best to deal with those problems . . . rather than the problems that politicians and NGOs want to address. Millions of lives are at stake: Please read what Ms. Epstein has to say and share what you learn with others.

So what's different about people in eastern and southern Africa that makes AIDS so much larger a risk there?

1. Men are much less likely to be circumcised. Circumcion cuts infection risk dramatically.

2. Although the people in that part of the world have no more (and often fewer) sexual partners over a life time, these people are more likely to be active with more than one sexual partner at a time. That habit causes those who become infected to spread the disease much faster and further.

What can be done?

Uganda (once the area most affected by AIDS) provides the answer: Make sure everyone knows that AIDS risk is there for everyone who is a drug user and shares needles, or has sex with anyone who has more than one partner without using a condom. The public in general, and politicians as well, like to paint AIDS as being a problem limited to homosexuals, sex workers, and promiscuous people. But in places like eastern and southern Africa, those who monogamous can be almost equally at risk. In fact, Uganda doesn't use these good policies any more ("No Grazing") because fighting AIDS has gone from being a local activity to being a national policy.

Ms. Epstein reports in detail how local initiatives to get the correct information out can make a big difference (saving an estimated one million lives in Uganda). National and international initiatives seem to waste almost all of the money (as she points out in several examples).

By not paying attention to what works and what doesn't, country leaders and international NGO leaders run the risk of making everyone feel like everything is being done . . . when the wrong things are being done. As a result, millions will die.

It's a sad story of how everyone wants to help, but they see the problem as being like the nail in the eye of a carpenter. You hit the nail to solve the problem. Drug companies want to develop vaccines. Condom makers want to sell condoms. Churches want to preach sexual abstinence. Politicians want to ignore the frequency of rape, casual sex, and cheating among married people. Individuals want to believe they are safe because they know the people they have sex with. But most of these nails don't make much difference.

Let's start hitting the right nail!

How rare it is to come upon an author like Helen Epstein. She not only knows her subject, with its numberless scientific and political implications; she also writes about it in a way that makes a common reader want to know more and more. She educates, she invigorates, she breaks our hearts. This is a vital and important book. -- Ben Sonnenberg, New York City

This was the best love story I have ever read. The author pulls you right into the emotion and experience of the characters, both past and present. I very highly recommend this book to EVERYONE.

Beware... the sequal that was mentioned in the book is no where to be found. While the book is complete as written the author will leave you wanting to experience more and more of these characters love and adventures. Stevie it's never to late to write that sequel!

Take my advice READ THIS BOOK - you will not be sorry!

This is a great adventure story!! Ms. Rios takes us through the Amazon jungle with these two women wonderfully and colorfully. But that's just a hint of what this story has to offer. Rarely does one begin to care about characters in a story and what happens to them. You will when you read this! I would love to read more about these people!! So...WHERE'S THE SEQUEL?!?!?

A friend convinces Becca to take advantage of nontransferrable tickets she won for a lesbians-only cruise. The only problem is Becca takes a day trip at one of their stops and misses the boat that evening. She enters an odd bookstore to find something to read and runs across an old box full of odds and ends. In the box is a journal maintained by Lindsay West, outlining her time with the late Rob, her beautiful lover Mercedes, and a cast of other characters.

I certainly enjoyed the story in the journal, but the Becca story detracted from the overall book and could have been omitted. The characters were three dimensional and memorable. Although the cover suggests a sequel, I wouldn't have been interested in it because the story ended at the right place. I don't think the sequel was ever published anyway (this book was published in 1995 and I can't find anything else by Rios).

This book was not what I expected, but I enjoyed it anyway. It is a good read for a warm summer day by the lake under a shade tree.

I found this book totally captivating, I loved the mystery combined with the reality of todays often cruel society. I found myself using the atlas to trace Lindsay's and Mercede's journey, A truely wonderful experience.

Can anyone tell me if Rios has completed the sequel she speaks about in the " About the Author " section of " Playing for Keeps ", I would really love to continue on this journey.

Thanks, Gail.

Mr. Andriote's excellent book is a must read for anyone interested in the major events that have shaped the last three decades of the 20th century. It is an excellent and thoughtful overview of the tragic social, political and economic events that shaped the response to the AIDS epidemic. This book should be mandatory reading in colleges, medical schools and schools of public health.

This book is very well written. It's obvious that a lot of hard work and time were put into it. The author is a truly gifted writer. I hope he continues his efforts and we see a lot more his work here.

John-Manuel Andriote has accomplished a momumental task in this historical and moving account of the AIDS epidemic. He has done an exhaustive study of the progression of this disease and has intervied people from the trenches to the board rooms.

As a journalist he has kept a focus on reporting the facts, as a gay man he has infused each chapter with the passion that comes from loosing so many friends and loved ones.

He has a keen eye to connect so many different facets and factions and does not hold back in speaking the truth as he has discovered it. AIDS has certainly not only just changed gay life in America, it has changed life in America.

I give this book five stars and know that it will be a work that I will refer to over and over in the years ahead.

We have waited for a voice within the gay community to relate what AIDS has done and continues to do to our souls. Andiote bares that soul to the scrutiny of a verteran journalist and writer. He descibes the gay community's response to the AIDS epidemic. He outlines the growth the community made in the process. He isn't afraid to criticize where appropriate.

He tells the stories of the heroes of and the commentators on the epidemic. He delves, for example, into the internal machinations of a community trying to deal with safer sex and outlines both successes and failures. He indentifies the ongoing crisis and politics of promoting behavior change in the most intimate aspect of our lives. Through this type of no holds barred reporting that Andriote conveys the impact of AIDS on a community struggling to free itself from past and present disease related definitions.

Andriote's research is thorough, interviewing two hundred activitist and paritcipants. These individuals tell the story of a gay movement catapulted to the forefront of America's consciousness. He starts well before rhe empidemic and couches it in the context of a liberation stuggle. He tells the insider's story.

Victory Deferred will supplant Randy Shilt's And the Band Played On as the dinifitive story of one community heroically responding to the health crisis of the century.