The Global AIDS Epidemic

AIDS has been with us for 20 years now, and, while antiretroviral drugs have slowed the virus' momentum here in the first world, the facts regarding the epidemic in developing countries are decidedly grim. According to the latest report from the United Nations, an estimated 58 million people have been infected with HIV/AIDS, and 22 million have died. The situation is especially dire in Southern Africa, where, due to AIDS, life expectancy is predicted to drop to 30 years by 2010.

On December 12, however, the House passed a bill to help combat the disease, one that authorizes spending of $1.3 billion to fight the global epidemic. The bill is not without controversy, though. The majority of the money is intended to go toward promoting AIDS prevention, although some have voiced concern that more funds should be utilized to spread antiretroviral drug programs to all parts of the world.

Such debates are sure to continue, as the epidemic is far from over. If you're interested in exploring the issue, then some of the books below may help.

Big Shot: Passion, Politics, and the Struggle for an AIDS Vaccine
by Patricia Thomas
While there currently is an AIDS vaccine involved in an efficacy trial, the road to this point has been filled with obstacles. Here, Thomas chronicles the efforts of a few scientists who have been on the vaccine's trail in recent years, despite the many people who have stood in their way -- politicians, pharmaceutical company bigwigs, and even AIDS activists.. All the while, Thomas meticulously explains the science involved in vaccine research, yet keeps the story dramatic and engaging. A real-life scientific thriller.

And the Band Played On
by Randy Shilts
Shilts' work was the first book to deal with AIDS, and is still considered one of the best pieces of investigative reporting to examine the epidemic and the political intrigue surrounding it. Focusing on the early years of the virus's impact, Shilts condemns the federal government and public health institutions for their failure to act when HIV began to spread. After witnessing some of the continuing repercussions of the government's inaction, And The Band Played On remains the heartbreaking story of an international medical nightmare.

In the City of Shy Hunters
by Tom Spanbauer
Another exploration of the early days of AIDS, albeit a fictional one, In The City of Shy Hunters is a character-filled epic set in early 1980s Manhattan. It tells the story of William Parker, a shy young man from Wyoming who comes to New York City in order to reconnect with his first love, Charlie. Just as he begins to get used to his new surroundings, his new friends start to fall prey to AIDS. Full of true-to-life characters and finely crafted prose, In the City of Shy Hunters is a sprawling standout in AIDS-related fiction.

Heaven's Coast
by Mark Doty
In this much-acclaimed memoir, National Book Award-winning poet Doty reflects upon his life with his lover Wally Roberts, who died from AIDS in 1993. Doty's portrait of how the disease changes his relationship is marked by its honesty and realism, and his ruminations on grieving are both profound and lyrical. A reading of Heaven's Coast is certainly tough going, but it offers countless rewards.

Virus: The Co-Discoverer of HIV Tracks Its Rampage and Charts the Future
by Luc Montagnier
If you're looking for a book that thoroughly explains both the history and science of HIV/AIDS, then Virus is certainly worth seeking out. Virus also an autobiography of noted French virologist Montagnier, who comments on all aspects of the current issues relating to the epidemic -- the search for a vaccine, the current use of drug therapies, and the future of AIDS research. A clearheaded account of the many facets of the AIDS crisis, Virus is a thought-provoking and illuminating read.