The AIDS Reader

This omnibus is a rational and straightforward antidote to the hysteria that AIDS often generates. Editors Clarke and Potts (coauthors of AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Family Planning) offer eloquent introductions, short and clear articles, and a well-organized synthesis of material that spans a broad range of sources and voicesphysicians, scientists, politicians, journalists and actors. The reader is apprised of letters to editors of medical journals as well as the victim's tragic world: ``My first reaction was to put a pillow over the baby's face and to blow my brains out,'' says Laura after learning that she and her newborn are infected. Transmission and prevention, treatment, testing, government ineptness and disregard, and AIDS in Africa are considered. The editors' ability to see beyond this epidemic (approximately as many American men have died of AIDS as women die in childbirth in India every three months, they remind us) makes their discussions of the disease even more gripping. ``Dare we hope that policy makers, professionals and people in general will become more interested in all aspects of preventive medicine because of AIDS?'' they ask. (May)