A review by elfbread
All the Young Men: A Memoir of Love, AIDS, and Chosen Family in the American South by Ruth Coker Burks

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.