Date: Thu, 5 Oct 1995 14:20:25 CDT From: "H. Robert Malinowsky" A I D S B O O K R E V I E W J O U R N A L University of Illinois at Chicago H. Robert Malinowsky Editor Number 20 ISSN 1068-4174 September, 1995 An electronic journal reviewing books, videos, journal titles, and other materials covering AIDS, safer sex, and sexually transmitted diseases, published irregularly by the University of Illinois at Chicago Library. Editorial offices PO Box 8198 M/C 234, Chicago, IL 60680. AIDS Book Review Journal is free of charge and is available only in electronic form. Opinions expressed in the reviews are those of the editor or reviewers. The Editor welcomes comments at AIDSBKRV@UICVM. To subscribe over INTERNET: Tell Listserv@UICVM sub AIDSBKRV your first and last name or send note to Listserv@UICVM or Listserv@UICVM.UIC.EDU with note sub AIDSBKRV your first and last name. AIDSBKRV files are available through a LISTSERV. To find what is available, send note to: LISTSERV@UICVM or LISTSERV@UICVM.UIC.EDU. Leave subject blank; key into body of note: send AIDSBKRV FILELIST. This FILELIST contains a list of AIDSBKRV files with their filenames and filetypes listed as AIDSBKn EJ where the n is the issue number. To retrieve a particular file, send note to the LISTSERV saying send AIDSBKn EJ, substituting the issue number for the n. All materials in the journal are subject to copyright by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and may be reprinted or redistributed for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or education advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other reprinting or redistribution or translations, address requests to H. Robert Malinowsky, University of Illinois at Chicago Library, PO Box 8198, Chicago, IL 60680. **************************************************************************** It is the hope that this journal will be able to alert individuals about new as well as noteworthy older publications, videos, journal titles, and other print and non-print materials pertaining to AIDS, safer sex, and STDs. AIDS is a devastating disease that is infiltrating all levels of society. No one can be considered totally exempt. Information specialists need to be alerted to those materials that can educate everyone from the school child who needs a picture book about AIDS to the layperson who needs general information on the disease or a novel with an AIDS theme to the researcher looking for a synopsis of research to those who are HIV+ needing comfort and support through the writings of those who have AIDS or are HIV+. The Editor welcomes comments that can be sent to him at AIDSBKRV@UICVM. If any reader also is a publisher of any AIDS-related material and would like it considered for review in this journal, please send items to H. Robert Malinowsky, AIDS Book Review Journal, 1250 W. Grace 1st Fl, Chicago, IL 60613, so that the material can be considered. ====================================================================== 407. AIDS Treatment News, Volume 3, Issues 126 through 189, May 1991 through December 1993, edited by John S. James. 408. HIV and AIDS: The Global Inter-Connection, edited by Elizabeth Reid. 409. Art of AIDS, by Rob Baker. 410. Home for the Day, by Anderson Ferrell. 411. Gynecological Sourcebook, by M. Sara Rosenthal. 412. Immunobiology: The Immune System in Health and Disease, by Charles A. Janeway, Jr., Paul Travers. 413. Telling: Confessions, Concessions, and Other Flashes of Light, by Marion Wink. 414. You Don't Have to Die: Unraveling the AIDS Myth, by Leon Chatow, James Strohecker. 415. Now Dare Everything: Tales of HIV-Related Psychotherapy, by Steven F. Dansky. 416. Diving for the Moon, by Lee F. Bantle. 417. AIDS Update 1994-1995: An Annual Overview of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, by Gerald J. Stine. 418. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: Biological, Medical, Social, and Legal Issues, 2nd edition by Gerald J. Stine. 419. Investigating Disease Patterns: The Science of Epidemiology, by Paul D. Stolley, Tamar Lasky. 420. A Loving Testimony: Remembering Loved Ones Lost to AIDS, an anthology edited by Leslea Newman. 421. The AIDS Challenge: Breaking Through the Boundaries, by Mary Elizabeth O'Brien. Pre-1994 books briefly noted or reviewed. 422. AIDS: In Search of a Killer, by Suzanne Levert. 423. Your Decision, by Neal Starkman. 424. Z's Gift, by Neal Starkman. 425. AIDS, Health, and Mental Health: A Primary Sourcebook, by Judith Landau-Stanton, Colleen D. Clements. **************************************************************************** 407. AIDS Treatment News, Volume 3, Issues 126 through 189, May 1991 through December 1993, edited by John S. James, with Denny Smith, Dave Gilden, Jason Heyman, Keith Griffith, Nancy Solomon, Tadd Tobias, Larry Tate, Bruce Mirken, Michelle Roland, Giacomo Palazzolo, Henry Chang, Tim Wilson. 1994. Alyson Publications, Inc., 40 Plympton St., Boston, MA 02118. 567p., index. ISBN 1-55583-261-X. $14.95. (Descriptors: Treatment, Alternative Treatment) "For the last seven years, the twice-monthly newsletter AIDS Treatment News has published in-depth investigative reports on new AIDS treatments, treatment strategies and trends--and also on the AIDS treatment research and development process, why it has been slow and unproductive, and what can be done to improve it." Information is gleaned from computer databases, journals, books, conferences, personal contacts, physicians, scientists, patients, activists, and many other individuals. This volume covers May, 1991 through December, 1993. "Readers should also understand this book's limitations. First, it is not a treatment manual or self-treatment guide." "We are an AIDS newsletter, not a textbook or reference book." The material is divided into 7 categories: "Experimental Treatments for AIDS/HIV," "Experimental Treatments for Related Conditions," "Treatment Strategies," "Understanding HIV/AIDS," "AIDS Medical Research: How to Get Results Faster," "Public Policy Issues--and Organizing Tools," and "Special Topics." Topics covered include d4T, Passive immune therapies, Tat inhibitor drug history: what went wrong?, Treatments for weight loss, Nutrition, Vaccine issues and controversies, Political funerals, Grassroots communication, International issues, AIDS in prison, and the return of poppers. Many of these articles are now only of historical significance but some still have important information for physicians and patients. They are very well written articles that include a wealth of information that is easy to comprehend. There are some 30 pages of resources listed in 15 appendices: "AIDS Hotlines for General Information," "AIDS Hotlines for Treatment Information," "Specialized Hotlines," "AIDS Treatment Information Newsletters," "Medical and Health Care Books," "Other Books," "Activist Groups, Buyers' Clubs, and PWA Coalitions: U.S. and Canada," "Computer Access to Treatment Information," "Mail-Order Pharmacies," "Prescription Drug Payment: Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Patient Assistance Programs," "Women and AIDS Information," "Non-English-Language Cross Reference: Cambodian, Cantonese, Creole (Haiti), Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Samoan, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese AIDS Referrals," "Spanish-Language AIDS Information," "AIDS Information for Prisoners," and "Other Referrals." This is a highly recommended book that brings together a wealth of previously published information. For those wanting the information as it is published , a subscription to the AIDS Treatment News would be highly recommended, also. 408. HIV and AIDS: The Global Inter-Connection, edited by Elizabeth Reid. 1995. Kumarian Press, Inc., 630 Oakwood Ave., Ste. 119, West Hartford, CT 06110-1529. 227p., index. (Kumarian Press Books for a World that Works) ISBN 1-56549-041-X. $14.95. (Descriptors: Social Aspects) (Contributors: Elizabeth Reid, Marvellous M. Mhloyi, Ana Vasconcelos, Shyamla Nataraj, Nick Deocampo, Jomar Fleras, Deborah K. Raditapole, Marie St. Cyr-Delpe, Robert E.S. Mugemana, Joan Ross-Frankson, Eka Esu-Williams, Mechai Viravaidya, Godfrey Sealey, Omari Haruna Kokole, Aimee Mwadi, Letitia Laniyonu, Adeola Peters, Coyin Oke, Margaret Mwangola, Rose Mulama, Patricia Burke, Prateep Ungsongtham Hata, Ian Campbell, Noerine Kaleeba, Theresa J. Kaijage, Herbert Daniel) This book was published in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme. It is a collection of reflections on the impact of AIDS and of the epidemic itself in the Third World countries. It "highlights the strengths: empathy, courage, compassion, commitment, intelligence, solidarity, faith." The reflections come from many backgrounds, experiences and concerns. One extremely important result of this book is the underscoring of the importance of language when it comes to talking about HIV and AIDS. The contributors "tell their own stories of how language can fuel intolerance and misunderstanding or, alternatively, foster compassion and acceptance." Countries covered include Zimbabwe, Brazil, India, Philippines, Lesotho, USA, Norway, Jamaica, Nigeria, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Zaire, Nigeria, Kenya, West Indies, Zambia, Uganda, and Tanzania. Some of these reflections are very revealing and may be shocking to some parts of the world. The important thing is that they have been put down in writing as a beginning to try and understand how to cope with AIDS in areas where politics and public morality play an important role, where "One billion people live in households too poor to obtain the food necessary for sustaining normal work. Half a billion live in households too poor to obtain the food needed for minimal activity. One-third of all households in the developing world are headed by women and, by 1990, at least a quarter of the women heading households were elderly." This is also where 80 per cent of new HIV infections are occurring and, it is estimated, that by the year 2000, 90 per cent of all new infections will occur in these countries. A very frightening fact. This is a highly recommended book. It is not a research-oriented book, but rather a book to introduce the reader to the problems of HIV and AIDS in these countries through the eyes of some of the individuals who have lived, are living, and may have died there. 409. Art of AIDS, by Rob Baker. 1994. Continuum Publishing Co., 370 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10017. 255p., illus., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-8264-0653-X. $24.95. (Descriptors: AIDS and the Arts) The book jacket includes a subtitle: From Stigma to Conscience. "When I began this book I assumed that my writing about AIDS was about my own grieving, my own coming to terms with memories of those I have lost and fears for those (including myself, of course) who are at risk, at war." Baker lost his lover of nine years and a cousin to AIDS, but he also lost another cousin to alcoholism and suicide and an 80-year old mentor to leukemia. "AIDS itself is not just about dying, not just about finding a cure, not just about its own demise. Ultimately, AIDS is not even just about itself, but about how we are, what part of us is sick and what part is well, what part of us can be better, what part can care for ourselves, for others." The art of AIDS is "a voice full of contradictions: sometimes soft, sometimes shrill, full of hope and full of despair, struggling to make meaning out of its own meaninglessness." Thus the background for this interesting book that covers AIDS from the point of view of art. Part one is film with 3 chapters: "Being in Philadelphia, Interlude: Another Philadelphia Story," "Hollywood Silence vs. Independent Voices," "Three Iconoclasts: Derek Jarman, Cyril Collard and John Greyson; Interlude: Halloween 198l." The next part, television and video has 4 chapters covering "Bringing the Message Home: And the Band Played On and A Time of AIDS," "From An Early Frost to Today: Dramatizing AIDS on TV," "Common Threads and other AIDS Documents, and "Rock and Roll Television; Interlude: Pete's Mix." Music and dance contains 3 chapters: "Anthems and Mourning Songs," "Dance: At the Vanishing Point," "Music: Of Rage and Remembrance, Interlude: Quilts." The next section, art, has 5 chapters: "The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt," "Confrontations and Critical Gendas, Interlude: Critics and Spectators," "What the camera saw: Mapplethorpe and other Photographic Responses," "Frank Moore: Canvases from an Epidemic," and "Days Without Art." The final section, theater, covers: "Early Stage: Larry Kramer, William M. Hoffman and Robert Chesley," "Further Confrontations Across the Proscenium Arch," "Allowing Laughter: Jeffrey and Pterodactyls," and Alchemy and Angels in America." Baker analyzes each of these arts in view of what has been produced and by whom. He points out that there are many differences and even though much of what is produced has a somewhat depressing effect on the audiences, some is uplifting and light. For example, not all of the dances being made by persons with AIDS are about death and dying and not all of the AIDS dances are choreographed by persons with AIDS. It has pushed those in the arts into a "new awareness and conscience." In the visual arts, all stops are pulled with the result that some of the art is definitely not for the squeamish or faint at heart. It is hoped that through a book such as this where AIDS is discussed in light of everyday visual contact through the arts, we can make a dent in educating not only those who think they are already educated but those who are uneducated or ill-educated about AIDS. The arts can have an extremely powerful impact. "Hatred, discrimination, and fear thrive on ignorance. Once the word is out about the facts and truths of this condition--and its transmission--such misrepresentations and misinterpretations begin to loose their force." "Once AIDS is seen as a medical and personal problem, not social stigma, the Great Work can begin..." This book certainly points out how the arts are helping. Highly recommended for all libraries. 410. Home for the Day: A Novel, by Anderson Ferrell. 1994. Alfred A. Knopf, 201 E. 50th St., New York, NY. 147p. ISBN 0-394-58094-X. $20.00. (Descriptors: Fiction, Gay Men, Death) A beautiful, moving story of a man's trip back to the place where his lover's remains were laid to rest. The recounting of visiting his parents and remembering his lover who had died in his arms, are all moving, keeping you wanting to read on and on. Although not an AIDS specific story, it is a story of two men's love for each other and how one tried to continue without causing too many problems for his family. Sometimes humorous, sometimes sad, this is a must book for all gay men who are in a relationship, especially for those who have lost a partner to AIDS. Recommended for academic and public libraries. 411. Gynecological Sourcebook, by M. Sara Rosenthal. 1994. Lowell House, 2029 Century Park East, Ste. 3290, Los Angeles, CA 90067. 462p., index. ISBN 1-56565-123-5. $23.95. (Descriptors: Gynecology, Women) This is a well written book for the layperson providing information needed to become an active participant in gynecologic health care. It covers a wealth of topics with straight forward narrative that is free of highly technical jargon. There are "discussions of normal physiology, infectious diseases (including AIDS, herpes, and other sexually transmitted diseases), hysterectomy (and how to determine when it is indicated), pregnancy, contraception, and other issues of common interest." Two chapters are of particular interest--"Safe Sex and Contraception" and "Women and AIDS." The chapter on safe sex covers all aspects, including "the difference between contraception and safe sex," "high-risk behaviors," practicing safer sex during normal sexual activity," "all about condoms," "preventing pregnancy" including discussions of norplant, depo-provera, and oral contraceptives, and "permanent contraception: sterilization." The chapter on AIDS is excellent. It presents the facts in a way that is not threatening but forceful enough to be read and hopefully to create concern. It makes a point of stressing that all women are at risk for HIV infection, especially if they are sexually active. Just because you are white, a professional or homemaker, in a long-term monogamous relationship, and are upper middle-class and wealthy does not make you any more exempt than if you are a woman of color, lower income bracket, single mother, and living in a high-crime area. The discussions cover everything from testing to gynecological health and HIV. Also included in this chapter are very good presentations on traditional STDs, AIDS-defining illnesses, and serious HIV-related illnesses. This is a highly recommended book for home use but should be available in all libraries from school to academic. It is up-to-date and full of extremely useful information that is sometimes overlooked in most books. With AIDS affecting more and more women, it is important that there are books such as this that can educate them in how to live a normal life and still enjoy sexual pleasures. 412. Immunobiology: The Immune System in Health and Disease, by Charles A. Janeway, Jr., Paul Travers. 1994. Current Biology Ltd./Garland Publishing Inc., 717 Fifth Ave., Ste. 2500, New York, NY, 10022. 1v., various paging, illus., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-8153-1497-3, 0-8153-1691-7pbk. $60.00, $33.95pbk. (Descriptors: Immune System, Physiology, Physiopathology, Immunotherapy) "This book is intended as an introductory text for use in immunology courses for medical students, advanced undergraduate biology students, and graduate students. It attempts to present the field of immunology from a consistent viewpoint, that of the host's interaction with an environment containing myriad species of potentially harmful microbes." The book consists of 5 parts: "An Introduction to Immunobiology," "The Recognition of Antigen," "The Development of Lymphocyte Repertoires," "The Adaptive Immune Response," and "The Immune System in Health and Disease." Since this is a textbook, each chapter builds on the previous chapter. An understanding of advanced biology is necessary. For those individuals with this advanced knowledge, this book is an excellent survey of immunobiology. It is very thorough with illustrations that help in the explanations discussed in the text. Anyone who is doing research in AIDS will want to have as a reference text, a book such as this one. It is very clear and up-to-date, especially the material on T-cells. Highly recommended for medical and academic libraries. 413. Telling: Confessions, Concessions, and Other Flashes of Light, by Marion Winik. 1994. Vintage Books, 201 E. 50th St., New York, NY 10022. 213p. ISBN 0-679-42859-3. $10.00. (Descriptors: Baby Boom Generation, Maturation, Psychology) Marion Winik has based this book on her regular National Public Radio program "All Things Considered." In her own words "She used to be a Suburban Teen on Acid." In this small, fast paced book, she touches on a myriad of topics including religion, breast-feeding, drugs, abortion, AIDS, sexuality and self-image. She is candid, witty, and serious, all at the same time, making her stories extraordinary. Her husband died of complications due to AIDS, so she is no stranger to the dreaded disease. A recommended book for any library but especially a book for those looking for words of strength and wisdom from an individual who has seen the good and bad parts of life. 414. You Don't Have to Die: Unraveling the AIDS Myth, by Leon Chaitow, James Strohecker, Burton Goldberg Group. 1994. Future Medicine Publishing, Inc., 10124 18th St., Court East, Puyallup, WA 98371. 319p., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-9636334-4-9. $14.95. (Descriptors: Alternative Treatment) "This book is intended as an educational tool to acquaint the reader with alternative methods for the treatment of AIDS and HIV infection." "This book should not be substituted for the advice and treatment of a physician or other licensed health professional, but rather should be used in conjunction with professional care." The first part of the book is a general discussion of AIDS, discussing some of the myths, causes of AIDS, lifestyle influences, and the prognosis for the future. "Effectively dealing with AIDS first requires a changed attitude, an acceptance of responsibility for our own health status and the choices we make, based upon a clear understanding of the issues which surround the disease." The second part of the book covers alternative treatments for AIDS. These include diet and nutritional supplements, herbal medicine, acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, naturopathic medicine, mind/body medicine, oxygen therapy, hyperthermia, and massage and touch therapies. The final part contains success stories of long-term survivors. Although many will scoff at some alternative medicines, the fact is that, in some cases, they seem to work. For those who are infected with the virus, there is always the searching for that one treatment, one medication, one word that will give hope for a longer life. Using alternative medicines with your physicians knowledge can help. Having a positive outlook on life is always better than living in a doomsday world. A recommended book for all libraries. 415. Now Dare Everything: Tales of HIV-Related Psychotherapy, by Steven F. Dansky. 1994. Harrington Park Press/Haworth Press, 10 Alice St., Binghamton, NY 13904-1580. 332p., bibliog., index. (Haworth Social Work Practice) ISBN 1-56024-398-8, 1-56023-037-1pbk. $44.95, $22.95pbk. (Descriptors: Patients, Mental Health, HIV Infections, Psychological Aspects, Psychotherapy, Counseling of Patients) This book "is a collection of tales of HIV-related psychotherapy involving those persons affected by the HIV retrovirus." "HIV-related literature preserves historical and personal reality against the cultural and individual defense mechanisms of denial. These narratives also serve a political function to promote change by asserting the humanity of PWAs (who often confront discrimination) and by promoting the dignity of personal relationships and community." The 10 chapters are "The Phenomenology of Contagion," "The Metaphysics of a Pandemic," "Beyond Good and Evil," "A Chronology of Exile," "Hocus Pocus is Coming," "The Silent Epidemic," "Another Voice," "Frankie," "Jose," and "The Substance of Dandelions." In each of these chapters a different aspect of the disease is brought forward such as sexuality, antibody testing, long term hospitalization, the chronicity of the disease, women and the underserviced, suicide, and somatization. This is a highly recommended book for anyone working with persons who are HIV positive. It is very moving with much for anyone who reads about these experiences. All can be summed up with the author's statement: "To resound Kramer's phase of urgency, I attest to the urgency to keep alive those who died and those who live." Every library should have a copy of this book. 416. Diving for the Moon, by Lee F. Bantle. 1995. Macmillan Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster, 1230 Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. 163p. ISBN 0-689-80004-5. $14.00. (Descriptors: Fiction, Friendship, Juvenile Literature) This is a warm story of a young girl named Carolina Birdsong and her best friend Josh who became HIV positive from tainted blood. It is a delightful story full of fun and love between two sixth graders. Being positive did not spoil their friendship but there were some changes. An excellent book for children ages 9-12. Recommended for school and public libraries. 417. AIDS Update 1994-1995: An Annual Overview of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, by Gerald J. Stine. 1995. Prentice-Hall/Simon & Schuster, 113 Sylvan Ave., Rte. 9W, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632. 381p., illus., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-13-317918-4. $19.60. (Descriptors: History, Epidemiology, Testing) "The purpose of this text is to present an understandable scientific explanation of what has been learned about HIV/AIDS over the last 14 years. In addition, it is particularly important to provide students with a conceptual framework of the issues raised by the HIV/AIDS pandemic so that they will be better able to deal with the challenges posed by this disease." The book is intended for college-level courses on AIDS as well as supplementary reading for all branches of the medical profession and counseling. It provides many answers to questions that people have about the AIDS virus and how it affects the immune system. This book is also an alternate version of the author's Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome published in 1996 by Prentice-Hall. The 13 chapters cover "Discovering the Disease, Naming the Illness," "What Causes AIDS: Origin of the AIDS Virus," "Characteristics of the AIDS Virus," "The Immunology of HIV Disease/AIDS," "Opportunistic Infections and Cancers Associated with HIV Disease/AIDS," "A Profile of Biological Indicators for HIV Disease and Progression to AIDS," "Epidemiology and Transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus," "Preventing the Transmission of HIV," "Prevalence of HIV Infection and AIDS Cases in the United States," "Testing for Human Immunodeficiency Virus," "Counseling for HIV Testing, HIV Disease, and AIDS," "AIDS and Society: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior," and "Legal Aspects of HIV/AIDS: A Review of Legislation and Court Decisions in the United States." Each chapter begins with chapter concepts and ends with a summary, review questions, and references. The text is well written and readily understandably by the undergraduate student as well as the educated layperson. A glossary and the answers to the review questions are also included at the end of the book. "There is great hope that at some point during the 1990s, the diagnosis of HIV infection will not indicate the almost certain destruction of the immune system, the onset of AIDS, and death. It is hoped that before the 1990s are out, HIV will be just another controllable viral infection." We have to be optimistic in order to survive. This is a recommended book for all libraries. It goes a long way in presenting the facts in an understandable way. 418. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: Biological, Medical, Social, and Legal Issues, 2nd ed., by Gerald J. Stine. 1996. Prentice Hall, 113 Sylvan Ave., Rte. 9W, Englewood Cliffs, New York, NY 07632. 511p., illus., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-13-356890-3. $45.00. (Descriptors: History, Epidemiology, Counseling, Social Issues, Legal Issues, Medical Issues) "This text reviews important aspects of HIV infection, HIV disease, and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. It presents a balanced review of factual information about the biological, medical, social, economic, and legal aspects of this modern-day pandemic." This book is, also, almost word for word, the same book as the previously reviewed book above, number 417--AIDS Update 1994-1995. The main difference being the title and the fact that number 417 is a paperback with the idea being that it would be an annual publication updating AIDS and HIV research and other developments. The other difference is that this book has more and better illustrations. Keeping that in mind, libraries may want to consider this one over the paperback edition because it will hold up to heavier use. Other than that, if one already owns AIDS Update 1994-1995, there is no need to purchase this title. Each is highly recommended but no need to have both. 419. Investigating Disease Patterns: The Science of Epidemiology, by Paul D. Stolley, Tamar Lasky. 1995. Scientific American Library/W. H. Freeman, 41 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10010. 242p., illus., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-7167-5058-9. $32.95. (Descriptors: Epidemiology, Epidemiologic Methods, Disease Outbreaks) In true fashion of all Scientific American books, this one is beautifully produced with excellent photographs and a text that the educated layperson can understand. It provides some insight on what epidemiology is, "an underappreciated branch of medical science." A clinician is interested in diagnosing and treating an individual, whereas an epidemiologist is interested in the same thing but for an entire population or community. They are sometimes at risk in doing their research, particularly in the area of infectious diseases but it is a fascinating field that can and does provide many answers to why diseases act the way they do. Modern medicine depends on "epidemiologists to evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts." The 9 chapters cover: "Epidemics and Science," "The Beginnings of Epidemiology," "Lung Cancer: New Methods of Studying Disease," "Heart Disease: Untangling the Risk Factors," "Hazards in the Environment: Finding Safe Levels," "Medicines that Backfire," "Screening Populations: Costs, Risks, and Benefits," "Health Care Services: What Works?," and "The Future of Disease and Epidemiology." This is an easily read book, suitable for high school students and up. In all of the literature pertaining to AIDS, the term epidemiology appears. Here is a book that explains the importance of that term and why more and more individuals are pursuing a career as epidemiologists. Probably the one statement that we should think about more than anything is in the last chapter--"The disease patterns of the future will be so dependent on the world political situation that one must project two scenarios: one for a relatively peaceful world of restrained population growth; the other for a world of constant strife and armed conflict as well as soaring population growth." Obviously we are still in the second scenario. Highly recommended book for all libraries. 420. Loving Testiomony: Remembering Loved Ones Lost to Aids; an Anthology, edited by Leslea Newman. 1995. Crossing Press, P.O. Box 1048, Freedom, CA 95019. 406p., illus. ISBN 0-89594-752-8. $14.95. (Descriptors: Patients, Literary Collections, Biography, Family, Grief) ( Contributors: Daniel J. Barone, Judith Black, Maureen Brady, James Breeden, Marisa Brown, Jill Cagan, C.A. Carmel, Kim Christensen, Cynthia Lee Clark, Louie Crew, Donna Decker, Helen Decker, Denise Duhamel, Ms. Dutkowsky, Alice E., Jenna A. Felice, Miriam Finkelstein, Carie Ford-Broecker, William H. Foster III, Suzanne Fried, Jane Futcher, Joyce Gallegos, David Garnes, Kimberly Gerould, Harry Gipson, Jewelle Gomez, Norman C. Greenough, Robert H. Gross, Marny Hall, Nels P. Highberg, Paul E. Hoffman, Evelyn Horowitz, Kathryn Udetiz Hulings, Terence K. Huse, David Israels, Donna Jenson, Robert Kaplan, Sylvia Kimmelman, Gabe Kruks, Stephen Kyle, Jay Ladin, Laura Rivero Marcy, William L. McBride, John McFarland, Stephen W. McInnis, Martin McKinsey, Margaret McMullan, Dorothy Merton, Victor Mingovits, Beverly Mire, Michael Kiesow Moore, J. Fraser Nelson, Leslea Newman, Allison J. Nichol, Nina, David O'Steinberg, Felice Picano, Darrell A. Pittman, Hernan Poza III, Marcia Rose, Susan Rosenberg, Suzanne Sablan, Susan Schulman, Diane Seuss-Brakeman, John R. Sharkey, Marcy Sheiner, Simon Sheppard, Deborah Shouse, Charles Spaeth, Su Stout, Jean E. Swallow, Diana Tokaji, Jack Veasey, Megan Wells, Laura Whitehorn, Brooke Wiese, Marti Zuckrowv) This book is the result of the author needing to do something to overcome the grief of the loss of her dear friend to AIDS. "I couldn't bring Gerard back, but I could help other people who had lost loved ones by putting together a book that gives voice to our experiences. I know, from being a writer and a reader, the healing power of sharing stories. Knowing that other people have gone through the same thing, at the very least, makes one feel less alone, and that somewhere, someone understands." The number of manuscripts that were received after a call for papers was made, was overwhelming. Stories came from parents, children, siblings, spouses, lovers, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. "Editing this book reminded me that anyone can contract HIV and develop AIDS, and anyone who does is not guilty of anything, except perhaps one thing: being a human being." This is a book that is filled with sorrow and grief, anger and rage, compassion and courage, and, above all, love. It will open your eyes to what this terrible disease does to individuals around the world. It will definitely make you cry. This is a book that you will read only bits and pieces at a time. There is a story or poem that you can relate to if you have ever known anyone who has died of AIDS. Above all, this is a book of remembrances, a book to let those who have gone be remembered, and a book for those who are living with the virus to not be forgotten. The last part of a poem by Leslea Newman says it all: "Oh baby, there are no condoms in heaven. There are no hospital beds, wheelchairs, or catheters in heaven. There is no AZT, DDI, KS or PCP in heaven. Only all those pretty pretty boys like you who went through hell to get there." Some day, soon, we will not have to go through hell to get there! A highly recommended book for all libraries. 421. AIDS Challenge: Breaking Through the Boundaries, by Mary Elizabeth O'Brien. 1995. Auburn House, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881. 152p., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-86569-247-5. $49.95. (Descriptors: Psychological Aspects, Adjustment) "This book describes the successes and positive strategies those living with HIV employ to promote survival and a positive quality of life. The AIDS Challenge celebrates strength and courage. It pays tribute to the tenderness and compassion of people with HIV and those who support and care for them." The personal stories that are given here are positive responses to each ones realization that they have a life-threatening disease. These are stories of learning to cope and learning to live each day to its fullest. For some individuals, keeping a positive outlook has proven to be more beneficial than some drugs. One individual states: "There are all kinds of reasons to be grateful for having a life-threatening illness. You're more thankful for one more day. What you can do is turn it around; take all those days and make each one special and let HIV be a positive in your life, not a negative." This book reports on a wide variety of experiences including hospital, physical needs, loneliness, healthy denial, and sharing. Some of the titles of sub-chapters are: "Dare you to call it stigma," "Life is like a bungee cord," "Learning to drive the bus of grief," "I don't cry alone," and "God is love." O'Brien sums it up in the last paragraph of the book: "The purpose of this book about long-term survivors of HIV, however, is to celebrate their hope, their strength, and their courage. These are the gifts they have shared with me as a nurse researcher. These are the gifts I believe they would wish to be shared with the world." Unlike the previous book above, this one is intended to give courage and stamina to those who are positive so that they can lead lives that are productive, exciting, and fulfilling. A recommended book for all libraries. 422. AIDS: In Search of a Killer, by Suzanne Levert. 1987. Julian Messner, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, 10020. 147p., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-671-65662-7. $12.98. (Descriptors: Juvenile Literature) Although this is a 1987 book, it is still a good general description of AIDS for young readers. It looks at "where and when AIDS started, what it does to the body and why, and whom it can infect and how." Chapters include "Our Immune System," "The Ravages of AIDS," "What is a Risk Group," "The African Connection," and "Hope for the Future." A recommended book for all school and public libraries. 423. Your Decision, by Neal Starkman. 1988. Comprehensive Health Education Foundation, 22323 Pacific Highway South, Seattle, WA 98198-7253. 58p., illus. ISBN 0-935529-10-1. $13.00. (Descriptors: Juvenile Literature) This is a unique book that is written either for an individual who chooses a male for a date or for an individual who chooses a female. Reading the book one way is for the male and turning it upside down and reading it from the back it is for a female. The book is about decisions on drugs and sex. The reader chooses the story line and puts himself or herself in each situation. It asks you what you would do and covers drugs, liquor, sex, unprotected sex, and all of the other intimate decisions that a teenager has to make. It is one of the better books about safer sex for young people to read. Recommended for school and public libraries. 424. Z's Gift, by Neal Starkman. 1988. Comprehensive Health Education Foundation, 22323 Pacific Highway South, Seattle, Washington 98198-7253. 52p. illus. ISBN 0-935529-08-X. $7.00. (Descriptors: Juvenile Literature) "This book was written to help children understand that AIDS is not easily transmitted and to help them develop some empathy for people who have been infected with the virus." The illustrations are multicultural and the text is well written and accurate. A highly recommended book for all school and public libraries. 425. AIDS, Health, and Mental Health: A Primary Sourcebook, by Judith Landau-Stanton, Colleen D. Clements, Robert E. Cole, Ann Z. Griepp, Alexander F. Tartaglia, Jackie Nudd, Elisabet Espaillat-Pina, M. Duncan Stanton. 1993. Brunner/Mazel, Ind., 19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003. 343p., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-87630-688-1. $39.95. (Descriptors: Social Aspects, Psychological Aspects) This is a book about personal and professional struggles with HIV infection and its prevention. The contributors try to normalize and mainstream the disease so that it is understandable to a wide range of individuals. It "incorporates the application of systems theory as a tool for therapy and a means of better understanding HIV disease." It also provides a "normal historical sense of HIV disease and a systemic view of ethical and policy questions." The material for the book is based on actual experiences. Part 1--"Applied Systems Principles in AIDS Prevention," covers "Correcting AIDS Metaphors and Myths with a Systems Approach," "Identifying the Systems Impacted by AIDS," "Individuals, Families, and Populations at Risk," "Health Care Providers at Risk," and "Staying Abreast of HIV Disease." The second part--"Biopsychosocial Intervention: Clinical Management" covers "Epidemiology, Transmission, and Medical Management," "The Neuropsychiatric Aspects of HIV Infection and Patient Care," "Psychotherapeutic Intervention: From Individual Through Group to Extended Network," "Spiritual, Cultural, and Community Systems," and "Doing the Right Thing: Systems Ethics and AIDS." An excellent book for those in the health and mental professions providing a wealth of information. Although it is two years old, what has been learned in the past helps with new methods of treatment and coping. A recommended book for all medical and academic libraries.