Randy Shilts - And the Band Played on: Politics, People, And the AIDS Epidemic

Pros: a Herculean epic of investigative reporting
Cons: written by an investigative reporter

Two things strike you while reading this tome: it is a Herculean epic of investigative reporting, and it is written by an investigative reporter. Shilts' training in journalism is painfully evident in this dense, hard to digest timeline of the unfolding...

Pros: none
Cons: convoluted, dishonest, long-winded

It is alarming that some people consider this historical novel to be sound reporting, let alone reliable history! The book is a combination of Victorian melodrama (with a few pristine heroes fighting for the truth, cynical villains, and a host of minor...

Pros: intelligent, well layered, makes science understandable
Cons: long, sometimes too political

AIDS may seem like an outdated subject as it is not nearly as publicized as an epidemic in the United States the way it is in say Africa. However, millions of dollars still go into research for a cure every year and new drug treatments (though AZT still...

Pros: Very, very good book.
Cons: None

I loved this book. It's one of only ten or so that I have strived to keep on my shelf rather than give away once I'm done reading. I have read this about six times, and each time there is something new.

This is the story of how AIDS got so far so fast. It's an engaging read, while at the same time being quite harrowing. I only wish Randy Shilts were alive to write the sequel.