{"id":8157554508013,"title":"The Other Pandemic","handle":"the-other-pandemic","description":"\u003ch1\u003eThe Other Pandemic\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAn AIDS Memoir\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003eComing June 6, 2023. Pre-order today!\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/lynn-curlee\"\u003eLynn Curlee\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe speak their names so they shall not be forgotten.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore COVID-19 made \u003cem\u003epandemic\u003c\/em\u003e a household word in 2020, there was the AIDS pandemic of the 1970s through the 1990s. Author Lynn Curlee explores the parallels and differences as he recounts life in New York and Los Angeles when this disease silently took hold of the gay community. As it became a full-blown public health crisis, Curlee watched in horror as HIV\/AIDS, divisive politics, and discrimination cost many people their lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith honesty and heart, Curlee tells the stories of the many friends and loved ones that he lost to the disease, including his own life partner. LGBTQ+ rights and access to health care are still under threat today. \u003ci\u003eThe Other Pandemic \u003c\/i\u003eis a stark reminder of how history speaks to the present, and this window to the past is a valuable tool for understanding our current cultural landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“HEARTBREAKING! This memoir of the AIDS plague is a powerful reminder to those of us who miraculously lived through it—and a valuable eye-opener for younger generations who can never allow this to happen again. With the COVID pandemic on everyone’s radar, there couldn’t be a more teachable moment. Author Lynn Curlee grabs this pulpit by the throat and fearlessly makes the case that we must never forget.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Sam Irvin, co-executive producer of \u003ci\u003eGods and Monsters,\u003c\/i\u003e author of \u003ci\u003eKay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Reading \u003cem\u003eThe Other Pandemic\u003c\/em\u003e was a very personal journey for me. I lost my stepfather to AIDS in 1993 when he was just 44 years old. The way Lynn shares his own life experiences a gay man living during this historic time of loss and perseverance is so insightful, and incredibly important to share with those who were not there firsthand to experience it.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Carol Bennett, daughter of Tim Bennett, a major character in \u003cem\u003eThe Other Pandemic\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThe Other Pandemic\u003c\/i\u003e is a poignant and raw examination of the AIDS crisis that highlights how much the past shapes our present. Lynn Curlee has accomplished something beautiful here—I could not put it down. I am grateful he chose to share his loved ones with the world.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Leo Rocha, journalist and GLAAD \"20 under 20\" honoree\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Reading \u003ci\u003eThe Other Pandemic: An AIDS Memoir\u003c\/i\u003e is akin to settling in with a dear, dear friend for a long-overdue catchup. Lynn Curlee’s effortless and evocative prose is much more than a poignant account of a not-distant-past epidemic that galvanized the LGBTQ+ community. It is a deeply personal and brave story of chosen families, political deafness, and hard-fought resolve. Curlee both broke my heart and mended it.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Jeffrey Dale Lofton, author of \u003ci\u003eRed Clay Suzie\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Heartfelt, essential reading about the ways the past echoes into and informs the present—\u003ci\u003eThe Other Pandemic\u003c\/i\u003e deftly and personally brings to light a time and people that remain important, valued, and vital today.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Rhiannon Wilde, award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eHenry Hamlet's Heart\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eWhere You Left Us\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-great-nijinsky\"\u003eThe Great Nijinsky\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/rise-up-the-art-of-protest\"\u003eRise Up! The Art of Protest\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/other-pandemic-spread.jpg?v=1681485061\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/other-pandemic-cover.jpg?v=1673619266\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/other-pandemic-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1673619266\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/the-other-pandemic-discussion-guide.pdf?v=1676306009\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Discussion Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLynn Curlee, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLynn Curlee has a master's degree in art history and has both written and illustrated more than a dozen books for children, including \u003cem\u003eTrains, Skyscraper, Ballpark: The Story of America's Baseball Fields, Capital, \u003c\/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e The Great Nijinsky,\u003c\/em\u003e a YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults finalist. His work has been exhibited in Los Angeles, New York City, and Long Island.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/lynn-curlee\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Lynn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThis heartbreaking memoir by Curlee (The Great Nijinsky) chronicles “how it was to grow up and live as a gay man in the United States” before and during the HIV\/AIDS crisis. Taking an elegiac tone, Curlee describes his childhood in 1960s North C arolina. Quick-moving subsequent chapters recall Curlee’s experiences participating in the disco scene on Fire Island, his impulsive move to California in 1979, and his return to N.Y.C. in the early 1980s, where he and his friends struggled to understand why so many gay men were “dying horrible, gruesome deaths.” While perceived comparisons to Covid-19, as outlined in an introduction, are minimally explored, Curlee briefly covers their medical and social differences and similarities, as well as the pervasive impact they each had on society. Sidebars about HIV\/AIDS succinctly detail the facts, and Curlee’s straightforward prose capably conveys the era’s worsening bias and fear. Most powerful of all, however, is the novel’s focus on Curlee’s inner circle and the people he lost to the crisis, including his partner, making for a thought-provoking history about what it was like to live during that time, and a good start for further exploration. Extensive back matter concludes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eA firsthand account of living through the AIDS pandemic as a young, gay man in the U.S.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProlific author for young readers Curlee introduces teens to this topic by starting with Covid-19 as an empathic entryway to the past. He describes being a teenager in 1960s North Carolina, setting the scene in terms of technology and daily life and painting a picture of a time when sex was a secret kept by adults and homosexuality was only mentioned in joking or insulting ways. He goes on to chronicle how movements seeking equality across gender, sexuality, and race were interconnected and how the Stonewall uprising set the stage for a dazzling period of freedom and falling in love during the 1970s disco era in New York City. That fun-filled time came crashing down as many of Curlee’s vibrant friends began to die sudden, mysterious deaths. As the book progresses, educational, historical, and scientific content in text boxes increasingly supplements the narrative, although its placement and layout are sometimes distracting. It can also become difficult to track all the different individuals who are introduced. However, Curlee’s memoir, illustrated with personal photographs, is intimate and resonant as it presents the thrill of coming out and living openly and the fear and pain that followed when so many people he loved were taken from him too soon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompelling and important. (important people, the origins of AIDS, author’s note, musical references, source notes, select bibliography, image credits, index)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-350-1\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 12 and up\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 176\u003cbr\u003e6 x 9\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2023-04-14T11:19:49-04:00","created_at":"2023-04-14T10:56:35-04:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Young Adult","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Nonfiction","Browse by Format_Novel","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Art\/Music\/Theater","Browse by Subject_Diversity","Browse by Subject_History \u0026 Biography"],"price":1999,"price_min":1999,"price_max":1999,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":44059418329325,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"43501","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":{"id":38701559808237,"product_id":8157554508013,"position":1,"created_at":"2023-04-14T11:16:15-04:00","updated_at":"2023-04-14T11:16:16-04:00","alt":null,"width":600,"height":888,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/other-pandemic-cover.jpg?v=1681485376","variant_ids":[44059418329325]},"available":true,"name":"The Other Pandemic - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":1999,"weight":601,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":10,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"978-1-62354-350-1","featured_media":{"alt":null,"id":31297238991085,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.676,"height":888,"width":600,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/other-pandemic-cover.jpg?v=1681485376"}},"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[],"quantity_rule":{"min":1,"max":null,"increment":1}}],"images":["\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/other-pandemic-cover.jpg?v=1681485376"],"featured_image":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/other-pandemic-cover.jpg?v=1681485376","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":null,"id":31297238991085,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":0.676,"height":888,"width":600,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/other-pandemic-cover.jpg?v=1681485376"},"aspect_ratio":0.676,"height":888,"media_type":"image","src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/products\/other-pandemic-cover.jpg?v=1681485376","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003ch1\u003eThe Other Pandemic\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAn AIDS Memoir\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003eComing June 6, 2023. Pre-order today!\u003c\/h6\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/lynn-curlee\"\u003eLynn Curlee\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe speak their names so they shall not be forgotten.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore COVID-19 made \u003cem\u003epandemic\u003c\/em\u003e a household word in 2020, there was the AIDS pandemic of the 1970s through the 1990s. Author Lynn Curlee explores the parallels and differences as he recounts life in New York and Los Angeles when this disease silently took hold of the gay community. As it became a full-blown public health crisis, Curlee watched in horror as HIV\/AIDS, divisive politics, and discrimination cost many people their lives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith honesty and heart, Curlee tells the stories of the many friends and loved ones that he lost to the disease, including his own life partner. LGBTQ+ rights and access to health care are still under threat today. \u003ci\u003eThe Other Pandemic \u003c\/i\u003eis a stark reminder of how history speaks to the present, and this window to the past is a valuable tool for understanding our current cultural landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“HEARTBREAKING! This memoir of the AIDS plague is a powerful reminder to those of us who miraculously lived through it—and a valuable eye-opener for younger generations who can never allow this to happen again. With the COVID pandemic on everyone’s radar, there couldn’t be a more teachable moment. Author Lynn Curlee grabs this pulpit by the throat and fearlessly makes the case that we must never forget.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Sam Irvin, co-executive producer of \u003ci\u003eGods and Monsters,\u003c\/i\u003e author of \u003ci\u003eKay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Reading \u003cem\u003eThe Other Pandemic\u003c\/em\u003e was a very personal journey for me. I lost my stepfather to AIDS in 1993 when he was just 44 years old. The way Lynn shares his own life experiences a gay man living during this historic time of loss and perseverance is so insightful, and incredibly important to share with those who were not there firsthand to experience it.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Carol Bennett, daughter of Tim Bennett, a major character in \u003cem\u003eThe Other Pandemic\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThe Other Pandemic\u003c\/i\u003e is a poignant and raw examination of the AIDS crisis that highlights how much the past shapes our present. Lynn Curlee has accomplished something beautiful here—I could not put it down. I am grateful he chose to share his loved ones with the world.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Leo Rocha, journalist and GLAAD \"20 under 20\" honoree\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Reading \u003ci\u003eThe Other Pandemic: An AIDS Memoir\u003c\/i\u003e is akin to settling in with a dear, dear friend for a long-overdue catchup. Lynn Curlee’s effortless and evocative prose is much more than a poignant account of a not-distant-past epidemic that galvanized the LGBTQ+ community. It is a deeply personal and brave story of chosen families, political deafness, and hard-fought resolve. Curlee both broke my heart and mended it.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Jeffrey Dale Lofton, author of \u003ci\u003eRed Clay Suzie\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Heartfelt, essential reading about the ways the past echoes into and informs the present—\u003ci\u003eThe Other Pandemic\u003c\/i\u003e deftly and personally brings to light a time and people that remain important, valued, and vital today.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e—Rhiannon Wilde, award-winning author of \u003ci\u003eHenry Hamlet's Heart\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eWhere You Left Us\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: \u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-great-nijinsky\"\u003eThe Great Nijinsky\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/products\/rise-up-the-art-of-protest\"\u003eRise Up! The Art of Protest\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/other-pandemic-spread.jpg?v=1681485061\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e \u003cscript type=\"text\/javascript\" async=\"\" defer data-pin-shape=\"round\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"medium-cover\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/other-pandemic-cover.jpg?v=1673619266\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/other-pandemic-cover-hires.jpg.zip?v=1673619266\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/the-other-pandemic-discussion-guide.pdf?v=1676306009\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Discussion Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLynn Curlee, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLynn Curlee has a master's degree in art history and has both written and illustrated more than a dozen books for children, including \u003cem\u003eTrains, Skyscraper, Ballpark: The Story of America's Baseball Fields, Capital, \u003c\/em\u003eand\u003cem\u003e The Great Nijinsky,\u003c\/em\u003e a YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults finalist. His work has been exhibited in Los Angeles, New York City, and Long Island.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/lynn-curlee\"\u003eRead more \u003c\/a\u003eabout Lynn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThis heartbreaking memoir by Curlee (The Great Nijinsky) chronicles “how it was to grow up and live as a gay man in the United States” before and during the HIV\/AIDS crisis. Taking an elegiac tone, Curlee describes his childhood in 1960s North C arolina. Quick-moving subsequent chapters recall Curlee’s experiences participating in the disco scene on Fire Island, his impulsive move to California in 1979, and his return to N.Y.C. in the early 1980s, where he and his friends struggled to understand why so many gay men were “dying horrible, gruesome deaths.” While perceived comparisons to Covid-19, as outlined in an introduction, are minimally explored, Curlee briefly covers their medical and social differences and similarities, as well as the pervasive impact they each had on society. Sidebars about HIV\/AIDS succinctly detail the facts, and Curlee’s straightforward prose capably conveys the era’s worsening bias and fear. Most powerful of all, however, is the novel’s focus on Curlee’s inner circle and the people he lost to the crisis, including his partner, making for a thought-provoking history about what it was like to live during that time, and a good start for further exploration. Extensive back matter concludes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eA firsthand account of living through the AIDS pandemic as a young, gay man in the U.S.\u003c\/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eProlific author for young readers Curlee introduces teens to this topic by starting with Covid-19 as an empathic entryway to the past. He describes being a teenager in 1960s North Carolina, setting the scene in terms of technology and daily life and painting a picture of a time when sex was a secret kept by adults and homosexuality was only mentioned in joking or insulting ways. He goes on to chronicle how movements seeking equality across gender, sexuality, and race were interconnected and how the Stonewall uprising set the stage for a dazzling period of freedom and falling in love during the 1970s disco era in New York City. That fun-filled time came crashing down as many of Curlee’s vibrant friends began to die sudden, mysterious deaths. As the book progresses, educational, historical, and scientific content in text boxes increasingly supplements the narrative, although its placement and layout are sometimes distracting. It can also become difficult to track all the different individuals who are introduced. However, Curlee’s memoir, illustrated with personal photographs, is intimate and resonant as it presents the thrill of coming out and living openly and the fear and pain that followed when so many people he loved were taken from him too soon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompelling and important. (important people, the origins of AIDS, author’s note, musical references, source notes, select bibliography, image credits, index)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-62354-350-1\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 12 and up\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 176\u003cbr\u003e6 x 9\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}