The Fight of Our Lives: AIDS in America

Debut author Duckels teams up with Levithan (Wide Awake Now) to deliver an emotionally resonant portrait of the AIDS epidemic in the U.S. Compiling profiles of key figures from the era, firsthand experiential accounts, archival reportage, and narrative poetry across nonlinear chapters, the creators accessibly detail the impact of the virus, highlighting both the intensity of its influence on society and culture as well as important aspects of its history and present-day status. Reportorial prose chronicles the stories of well-known individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, including Indiana high schooler Ryan White, Cuban American AIDS activist and Real World cast member Pedro Zamora, actor Rock Hudson, and former basketball player Magic Johnson, and explore the subsequent shift in public perception and understanding of—and rise in education about—the virus. Juxtaposing, alternating sections compassionately showcase the experiences of queer, nonwhite, and non–public figures who also contended with the condition, sharing how stigma surrounding the virus affected marginalized communities. Throughout, timelines distill pivotal historical moments, such as the first documentation of the virus while additional multimedia elements, including a collection of obituaries, telegraph the epidemic’s spread. It’s a comprehensive and powerfully informative work about the pain, loss, and hard-won hope of the advocates, patients, and families of those affected. Ages 14–up. (Apr.)