AIDS/HIV Titles

This list of non-fiction books is on the subject of AIDS. In order to provide the most up-to-date information, all titles were published after 1996. These books are available for free loan, in recorded and/or braille formats, to all participants in the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped program. Titles for children and teens are included in this list.   RC = Recorded Cassette; BR = Braille Book.

For Adults                                                    

Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir
by Paul Monette
RC 41663 
An account of the author's final two years with his companion and beloved friend Roger Horwitz, who died of AIDS in 1986. The poet and novelist chronicles the suffering endured in the months between the diagnosis and death of his lover, with whom he had spent more than ten years. 1988. Prequel to Becoming a Man (RC 41664).

The Guide to Living with HIV Infection Developed at the Johns Hopkins AIDS Clinic, 5^th Edition
by John G. Bartlett and Ann K. Finkbeiner
RC 52878 
A definitive guide for patients and their families in dealing with HIV infection. Offers practical medical, emotional, and financial advice as well as social and legal guidance. Includes information on available research, drugs, and tests. 2001.

The HIV Wellness Sourcebook: An East/West Guide to Living Well with HIV/AIDS and Related Conditions
by Misha Ruth Cohen
BR 12097
A San Francisco doctor of oriental medicine explains how HIV and AIDS patients can combine Chinese and Western medicine and why she believes this is the most effective approach. Includes targeted treatment plans for common disorders and infections related to the disease. 1998.

Illness as Metaphor and AIDS and Its Metaphors
by Susan Sontag
RC 50695 
Two previously published works about perceptions of disease. In the first, an American intellectual discusses punitive or sentimental fantasies "concocted" about being seriously ill--especially suffering from cancer. The second, a sequel, deals specifically with social attitudes toward AIDS. 1990.

The Least of These My Brethren: A Doctor's Story of Hope and Miracle on an Inner-City AIDS Ward
by Daniel J. Baxter
RC 44652 
An account of life and death amid the squalor of New York City's largest AIDS center. Relates the difficulties of providing care for uncooperative drug addicts, prostitutes, and other social outcasts. In spite of the hardships and frustrations, the author affirms his belief in the value of every human life. Strong language. 1997.

This Wild Darkness: The Story of My Death
by Harold Brodkey
BR 10993
A novelist chronicles his passing life and the indignities of his infirmity as he lies dying with AIDS. He ponders his youthful experiences with homosexuality, his devotion to his wife, his love for his writing career, and his "passage into nonexistence." Strong language. 1996.

Journeys Across the Rainbow: Inspirational Stories for the Human Race
edited by Dale Colclasure and David Jensen
RC 53458                                                      
A collection of almost eighty stories and personal accounts of being gay or lesbian by authors from around the world and from various walks of life. They focus on such areas as love, business, friends and family, HIV/AIDS, coming out, and spirituality. Includes biographical notes on the authors. 2000.

The Best American Science Writing 2001
edited by Timothy Ferris 
RC 53343 
Twenty-three articles explore science's ever-expanding role in human life. Richard Preston describes the race to decode the human genome, Joel Achenbach speculates about extraterrestrial life, John Terborgh reflects on wild animals showing emotional attachments to people, and Helen Epstein discusses AIDS in South Africa. 2001.

HIV, Mon Amour: Poems
by Tory Dent 
BR 12830  
An articulate cry from the heart depicting a woman's ongoing battle with HIV. In the section titled "Cinéma Vérité," she refers to memorable movie scenes to convey an anguished message to a dead lover. 1999. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. James Laughlin Award.

Viral Sex: The Nature of AIDS  
by Jaap Goudsmit 
RC 45898, BR 11473 
A history of the AIDS epidemic by a leading researcher in the field. Tracing the origins of the virus from ancient times and its transfer from animals to humans in the twentieth century, the author maintains that disruptions of Africa's rain forests led to the global spread of the disease. 1997.

For Children and Teens

AIDS: An All-About Guide for Young Adults
by Alvin and Virginia Silverstein and Laura Silverstein Nunn
RC 49988 
A concise account of the AIDS virus. Includes a definition and research update on the disease, as well as information about the history, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the illness. 1999. For senior high and older readers.

The Science, Spread, and Therapy of HIV Disease:Everything You Need to Know, But Had No Idea Who to Ask 
by Michael A. DiSpezio
RC 46966 / BR 11787 
In question-and-answer format, the book explains what the AIDS virus is and how to treat it. Includes tests for each segment and a list of Internet sites that provide further information. 1998. For senior high and older readers.

When Plague Strikes: The Black Death, Smallpox, AIDS  
by James Cross Giblin
RC 43426
Profiles three epidemics--the bubonic plague, smallpox, and AIDS--that killed hundreds of thousands of people and wreaked havoc on the stricken societies. Portrays the suffering of the victims and the tendency to make them scapegoats. Tells how each plague led to advances in the treatment of disease. 1995. For grades 5-8 and older readers.

AIDS and HIV: Risky Business
by Daniel Jussim
RC 47995 
Victims of the HIV virus speak out about their experiences with a top killer of young American adults. Discusses the prevention and treatment of AIDS and HIV. Offers practical advice on protecting oneself from contracting the disease. 1997. For junior and senior high and older readers.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases
by Christine Perdan Curran
RC 50772 
Examines the history, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases--both bacterial and viral--as well as other contagious problems such as lice, scabies, and fungi. Includes information on syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes, AIDS, and hepatitis. 1998. For junior and senior high and older readers.