Reviews

All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks

fullybooked22's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

3.75

I found this to be such a fast-paced read, i found myself staying up much later than anticipated to keep reading it
it was incredibly sad and inspiring as is to be expected of a book covering the AIDs epidemic but there was consistent humour and joy aswell. 
Would very much recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about the topic or just as a fascinating memoir

interesting as well in terms of articulation of domestic issues like divorce and death, but also the choices Ruth had to make that in many ways didn’t benefit her daughter Allison but did benefit the hundreds of individuals she helped to look after

also found the co-writing really interesting, it’s openly addressed in this book in a way you rarely see 

the ending was sad — even by the epilogue it feels like ruth never received support from her community

jack_wattiaux's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

falseprophet's review

will come back later

yaboywillyshakes's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Homophobia

Minor: Death of parent

emharps_'s review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

zoe_chichon12's review against another edition

5.0

Everyone should read this book. The story is told so beautifully

elfbread's review against another edition

5.0

I do not normally read non-fiction books, but the subject of this one made it an obvious choice for me to pick up. I am a public health professional so this spoke directly to me. This memoir explores the work done by Ruth Coker Burk in Arkansas in the 1980s and 1990s to connect those living, and dying, with HIV/AIDS to services they so desperately needed. The actions (or inaction to be more accurate) of our federal, state, and local officials during the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis is deplorable. While the author clearly expressed her frustrations with the lack of support, I really appreciated that she also took action. While she didn’t have support from others, and frequently faced criticism and bullying for the work she was doing, she always did what needed to be done to ensure the basic needs of those living with HIV/AIDS were met to the best of her ability.

This book will stay with you after you finish. You’ll feel angry at those who mistreated those with a deadly disease. You’ll be disappointed by the inaction of our governmental officials to provide the resources desperately needed and the refusal to recognize the epidemic. But also, you’ll leave feeling inspired by Ruth’s work. If you ever feel you have no power, that you can’t effect change in your community, think back to this book and what Ruth was able to accomplish.

moominbruja's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

kiera_lucy's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

pa1nted's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0