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4.49 AVERAGE
4.49 AVERAGE
My mother asked me about what I'd been reading lately. When I told her, she made a sound of recognition. "It's kind of like a detective novel, isn't?" she mused. "Except the murderer is a virus."
Indeed—especially as Randy Shilts has written it. And the Band Played On covers the AIDS crisis from 1980, the year doctors began to notice a pattern of unusual illness in gay men in San Francisco, to 1985, the year Rock Hudson was outed as gay and a person with AIDS. At over 600 pages, And the Band Played On is perhaps the most comprehensive overview of the early days of the AIDS crisis. It's particularly illuminating for those of us who were born or came of age after the crisis. I was born in 1991, years after we had identified the AIDS virus and established how it was transmitted. I grew up with safe sex lectures and mandatory blood testing; it was shocking to learn how cavalier people were about safe sex, and how far the blood industry went to avoid testing the blood supply.
It would be easy to cast people as heroes and villains, but Shilts goes out of his way to humanize everyone involved. Those he cannot cast in a good light he at least casts in a way that allows us to understand them. He does it almost too well. His characters were so compelling that I found it hard to maintain interest in the political and medical science aspects. I was interested in the discovery of the virus; I was less interested in the subsequent battle between the French and the Americans as to who deserved credit for the discovery. By the end, I had stopped reading the medical science scenes altogether.
But these are small quibbles. And the Band Played On captures a moment in history we'd be remiss to forget. It's recommended reading for everyone, but especially Gen Z and Millenials and those who want to understand the history of gay rights and social justice.
Indeed—especially as Randy Shilts has written it. And the Band Played On covers the AIDS crisis from 1980, the year doctors began to notice a pattern of unusual illness in gay men in San Francisco, to 1985, the year Rock Hudson was outed as gay and a person with AIDS. At over 600 pages, And the Band Played On is perhaps the most comprehensive overview of the early days of the AIDS crisis. It's particularly illuminating for those of us who were born or came of age after the crisis. I was born in 1991, years after we had identified the AIDS virus and established how it was transmitted. I grew up with safe sex lectures and mandatory blood testing; it was shocking to learn how cavalier people were about safe sex, and how far the blood industry went to avoid testing the blood supply.
It would be easy to cast people as heroes and villains, but Shilts goes out of his way to humanize everyone involved. Those he cannot cast in a good light he at least casts in a way that allows us to understand them. He does it almost too well. His characters were so compelling that I found it hard to maintain interest in the political and medical science aspects. I was interested in the discovery of the virus; I was less interested in the subsequent battle between the French and the Americans as to who deserved credit for the discovery. By the end, I had stopped reading the medical science scenes altogether.
But these are small quibbles. And the Band Played On captures a moment in history we'd be remiss to forget. It's recommended reading for everyone, but especially Gen Z and Millenials and those who want to understand the history of gay rights and social justice.
The book is obviously pivotal and extremely important. Really hard to get through because it was so sad. The reason I took off so many stars is the author should not have published the name of “patient 0” (which is a theory that has since been disproven) and then painted him to have been a willing participant in the epidemic. Journalists should honestly be bound by hipaa or similar guidelines - why you would ever choose to tell the world the name and origins of someone you claim started the hiv epidemic I will truly not understand, it’s wildly unethical in my opinion (though the author probably had good intentions?)
informative
sad
medium-paced
A frustrating read because you already know how it ends and “no one” is doing anything, but my god, what a well-researched book.
Also, fuck Reagan.
Also, fuck Reagan.
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Homophobia, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Outing
slow-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
this book will fill you with rage, break your heart into pieces, and inform you on one of the most woefully uninformed times in history all at the same time. the depth and breadth of this book as it pertains the AIDS crisis almost makes you feel ashamed at not having known just how devastating this period was for so many.
unbelievably well-researched and faithfully written. RIP Randy Shilts, you icon.
unbelievably well-researched and faithfully written. RIP Randy Shilts, you icon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic
informative
sad
medium-paced