Date: Tue, 24 Feb 1998 08:13:12 CST Reply-To: "H. Robert Malinowsky" Sender: AIDS Book Review Journal From: "H. Robert Malinowsky" Subject: AIDSBKRV 42 A I D S B O O K R E V I E W J O U R N A L University of Illinois at Chicago H. Robert Malinowsky Editor Number 42 ISSN 1068-4174 February, 1998 An electronic journal reviewing books, videos, journal titles, and other materials covering AIDS, safer sex, sexually transmitted diseases, and other related materials, published irregularly by the University of Illinois at Chicago Library. Editorial offices: PO Box 8198 M/C 234, Chicago, IL 60680. AIDS Book Review Journal is free of charge and is available only in electronic form. Opinions expressed in the reviews are those of the editor or reviewers. To subscribe over INTERNET: send note to listserv@listserv.uic.edu with note: sub AIDSBKRV your first and last name. An AIDSBKRV backfile of all issues is available at the following URL: http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/aidsbkrv/. All materials in the journal are subject to copyright by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and may be reprinted or redistributed for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other reprinting, redistribution, or translation, address requests to H. Robert Malinowsky, University of Illinois at Chicago Library, PO Box 8198, Chicago, IL 60680 or electronically to hrm@uic.edu. **************************************************************************** It is the hope that this journal will be able to alert individuals about new and noteworthy older publications, videos, journal titles, and other print and non-print materials pertaining to AIDS, safer sex, STDs, and other related topics. AIDS is a devastating disease that is everyone's concern. New advances for treatment and education are constantly being developed. Information specialists need to be alerted to these new materials so that they can educate everyone from the school child who needs a picture book about AIDS to the layperson who needs general information on the disease or a novel with an AIDS theme to the researcher looking for a synopsis of research to those who are HIV+ needing comfort and support through the writings of those who have AIDS or are HIV+. The Editor welcomes comments that can be sent to him at hrm@uic.edu. If any reader also is a publisher of any AIDS-related material and would like it considered for review in this journal, please send items to H. Robert Malinowsky, AIDS Book Review Journal, 1250 W. Grace 1st Fl, Chicago, IL 60613, so that the material can be considered. AIDS Book Review Journal URL: http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/aidsbkrv/ ====================================================================== 787. Youths Living with HIV: Self-Evident Truths, by G. Cajetan Luna. 788. New Sexual Agendas, edited by Lynne Segal. 789. In Changing Times: Gay Men and Lesbians Encounter HIV/AIDS, edited by Martin P. Levine, Peter M. Nardi, John H. Gagnon. 790. Nutritional Abnormalities in Infectious Diseases: Effects on Tuberculosis and AIDS, edited by Christopher E. Taylor. 791. Least of These My Brethren: A Doctor's Story of Hope and Miracles on an Inner-City AIDS Ward, by Daniel Baxter. 792. Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine, revised and expanded edition by Lester Grinspoon, James B. Bakalar. 793. Penis Book: An Owner's Manual, by Margaret Gore. 794. AIDS and the National Body, by Thomas E. Yingling. 795. AIDS Law, by Margaret C. Jasper. 796. Farewell Symphony: A Novel, by Edmund White. 797. AIDS: Activism and Alliances, edited by Peter Aggleton, Peter Davies, Graham Hart. 798. Tao of Immunology: A Revolutionary New Understanding of Our Body's Defenses, by Marc Lappe. 799. AIDS, Fear, and Society: Challenging the Dreaded Disease, by Kenneth J. Doka. 800. InfoPack v.7, no.4, December, 1997, by Community Prescription Service. 801. POZ, November, December, 1997; January, 1998. ====================================================================== 787. Youths Living with HIV: Self-Evident Truths, by G. Cajetan Luna. 1997. Harrington Park Press, 10 Alice St., Binghamton, NY 13904-1580. 195p., bibliog., index. (Haworth Gay and Lesbian Studies). ISBN 0-78990-0176-4, 1-56023-904-2pbk. $39.95, $14.95pbk. (Descriptors: Case Studies; Young Adults) This interesting book is a collection of documented interviews of youths living with HIV during 1992 and 1993. The individuals who were interviewed were male and female youths between the ages of nineteen and twenty-five; self-identified as bisexual, gay, heterosexual, or transgendered; all racial groups; both urban and suburban; most had high school diplomas or equivalency; and many were pursuing higher education. Four central thematic areas were explored: "The background that led up to infection," "Their beliefs on how and why their infection occurred," "Their experiences associated with the HIV test and notification," and "Their experiences subsequent to testing HIV positive." The book provides a picture of the past and present struggles that young people with HIV and AIDS face on a daily basis. "The issues that concerned the majority studied were incest, abuse, rape, sexuality or sexual expression, imbalanced relationships, and especially the achievement of respectability and stability." "The narratives illustrate the insights and dignity of young people confronting less-than-positive life challenges and circumstances." This is an important piece of research that looks into the lives of our young people infected with this virus. It provides us a chance to try and understand how these people feel about themselves, people around them, and especially their past sexual experiences and the people with whom they shared these experiences. This is a highly recommended book for all school libraries and should be a major background source of information for academic research libraries. New Sexual Agendas, edited by Lynne Segal. 1997. New York University Press, Washington Square, New York, NY 10003. 278p., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-8147-8076-8, 0-8147-8075-Xpbk. $45.00, $17.95pbk. (Descriptors: Psychology of Sex; Sexuality in Popular Culture; Prevention; Moral and Ethical Aspects) (Contributors: Lucy Bland, Bob Connell, Martin Durham, Simon Forrest, Stephen Frosh, Lesley Hall, Graham Hart, Jill Lewis, Mary McIntosh, Mandy Merck, Frank Mort, Shirley Prendergast, Lynne Segal, Andrew Samuels, Alan Sinfield, Anna Marie Smith, Leonore Tiefer, Jane M. Ussher, Jeffrey Weeks, Ine Vanwesenbeeck, Carla Willig) This book is based on a conference that was held at Middlesex University in July, 1995. "The novelty of the 1995 conference, and the discussions it generated, all in its attempt to tackle some of the urgent practical and conceptual challenges in the sexual arena by crossing all the customary practical and theoretical divisions." There are those who believe that sex is a natural happening brought about by our inner urges or instinctual forces. Others believe that sex is no more than a fictional unity. "The essays in this volume engage directly with the intersecting debates and controversies stimulated by these conflicting perspectives, while trying to map a way forward for understanding and living with the diversity of people's sexual lives today." The papers are grouped into three areas: "Historical Roots, New Shoots," "Medicine and Morality," and "Sexual Subjectivities, Social Conflicts." In the first group are seven papers: "Heroes or Villains? Reconsidering British fin de siecle Sexology," "Thinking Sex Historically," "Psychoanalytic Challenges: A Contribution to the New Sexual Agenda," "Sexual Values Revisited," "Sexual Revolution," "Feminist Sexual Politics and the Heterosexual Predicament," and "Conservative Agendas and Government Policy." The second grouping of papers on medicine and morality include: "Medicine, Morality and the Public Management of Sexual Matters," "Yes, But Does It Work? Impediments to Rigorous Evaluations of Gay Men's Health," "Trust as Risky Practice," "Therapy as Think Tank: From a Man's Internal Family to New Political Forms," and "The Case of the Lesbian Phallus: Bridging the Gap between Material and Discursive Analyses of Sexuality." The final group includes: "The Context of Women's Power(lessness) in Heterosexual Interactions," "Hieroglyphs of the Heterosexual: Learning About Gender in School," "Queer Identities and the Ethnicity Model," "Seeing the World from a Lesbian and Gay Standpoint," "The Good Homosexual and the Dangerous Queer: Resisting the New Homophobia," "Death Camp: Feminism vs Queer Theory," and "So How Did Your Condom Use Go Last Night, Daddy? Sex Talk and Daily Life." This is a very worthwhile book that presents ideas that many have thought about but dared not to talk about. The last sentence of the book sums it up: "From marriage bed to brothel, economic need to leisure, singles clubs to religious orders, military regiments to syndromes of domestic sexual abuse, from holiday resorts to refugee camps, homes to rented rooms: the virus is moving...and its context needs, somehow, to be talked about much, much more." A recommended book for all libraries. 789. In Changing Times: Gay Men and Lesbians Encounter HIV/AIDS, edited by Martin P. Levine, Peter M. Nardi, John H. Gagnon. 1997. University of Chicago Press, 5801 S. Ellis Ave., Chicago, IL 60637. 313p., illus., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-226-27856-5, 0-226-27857-3pbk. $55.00, $17.95pbk. (Descriptors: Social Aspects; Gay Men; Lesbians) (Contributors: Barry D. Adam, Lourdes Arguelles, Rafael Miguel Diaz, John H. Gagnon, Gilbert Herdt, Gregory M. Herek, Nan D. Hunter, Martin P. Levine, Peter M. Nardi, John L. Peterson, Anne Rivero, Gayle S. Rubin, Beth E. Schneider, Nancy E. Stoller) The papers in this book were the result of a conference that was held in December, 1992, in California. Much of what has been studied focused on the biomedical emphasis, looking at such things as : "How many partners men had, whether they had anal sex, and what their serostatus might be." No one has thought about the impact HIV/AIDS has had on the practices and culture of gay and lesbian communities, how it has literally reshaped these communities into something different. These are very interesting papers that provide much to think about. The one thing that comes out very clearly is: "AIDS-related activities promoted an intergenerational discourse and structural changes that have altered the coming out and identity-formation processes in a new generation of American youth." The eleven papers cover: "Mobilizing Around AIDS: Sites of Struggle in the Formation of AIDS Subjects," "Censorship and Identity in the Age of AIDS," "Friends, Lovers, and Families: The Impact of AIDS on Gay and Lesbian Relationships," "Spiritual Emergencies and Psycho-Spiritual Treatment Strategies among Gay/Homosexual Latinos with HIV Disease," "Elegy for the Valley of Kings: AIDS and the Leather Community in San Francisco, 1981-1996," "Owning an Epidemic: The Impact of AIDS on Small-City Lesbian and Gay Communities," "From Feminism to Polymorphous Activism: Lesbians in AIDS Organizations," "The HIV Epidemic and Public Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men," "Latino Gay Men and Psycho-Cultural Barriers to AIDS Prevention," "Intergenerational Relations and AIDS in the Formation of Gay Culture in the United States," and "AIDS-Related Risks and Same-Sex Behaviors among African American Men." A very well written book that should be in all academic and medical libraries as well as in the larger public libraries. 790. Nutritional Abnormalities in Infectious Diseases: Effects on Tuberculosis and AIDS, edited by Christopher E. Taylor. 1997. Haworth Medical Press, 10 Alice St., Binghamton, NY 13904-1580. 58p., bibliog., index. (Journal of Nutritional Immunology, v.5, no.1). ISBN 0-7890-0019-9. $17.95. (Descriptors: Nutritional Aspects; Tuberculosis; Malnutrition Complications; Immunity; Nutrition Disorders, Nutrition) (Contributors: Christopher E. Taylor, David N. McMurray, J. Chan, K. Tanaka, C. Mannion, D. Carroll, M. Tsang, Y. Xing, C. Lowenstein, Barry R. Bloom, A. Catharine Ross, Steven D. Douglas, Susanna Cunningham-Rundles, Lenora M. Noroski, Joseph S. Cervia, Gwen A. Huitt, Gerald T. Keusch, Frank M. Collins) It is estimated that tuberculosis will claim more than 30 million lives in the coming decade. Some of this is the result of multi-drug resistant strains and the lack of patient adherence to therapy. It is evident that some drastic changes have to be made. "The eventual outcome of the host-mycobacterial interaction depends on several complex factors including genetic, environmental, and nutritional conditions." The eight papers in this publication cover: "Nutritional Determinants of Resistance to Tuberculosis," "Effects of Protein Calorie Malnutrition on Mice Infected with BCG," "Vitamin A Nutritional Status--Relationship to the Infection and the Antibody Response," "Modulation of Phagocyte Function by Nutrition," "Malnutrition as a Co-Factor in HIV Disease," "Clinical Aspects of Nutrition in Tuberculosis," "Malnutrition and AIDS in the Developing World," and "Tuberculosis and the Nutritionally Disadvantage." Although this is a small book it has much to offer to researchers. It is recommended for all medical and academic libraries. 791. Lest of These My Brethren: A Doctor's Story of Hope and Miracles on an Inner-City AIDS Ward, by Daniel J. Baxter. 1997. Harmony Books/Crown Publishers, 201 E. 50th St., New York, NY 10022. 254p. ISBN 0-517-70699-7. $24.00. (Descriptors: Patients; Hospital Care; Moral and Ethical Aspects) In this day of AIDS, the homeless, the drug users, and the poor are more often than not overlooked when they are infected with the HIV virus. Dr. Baxter has written a moving book that tells what it is like to be on an AIDS ward on a typical day where there is chaos, squalor, sorrow, triumphs, joy, "and the profound lessons on life and living that these dying patients have to teach us." Although the stories that the patients have to tell are heart-wrenching and graphic, Dr. Baxter's compassion and insight provide the reader a moving and inspirational experience. "These patient stories--many of which are graphic and, at least on the surface, undeniably sad--serve a larger purpose of helping readers examine their own concerns about living and dying, since, as simple reflection tells us, we are all ultimately HIV-positive in this cumbersome experience called life." A highly recommended book for all libraries. 792. Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine, revised and expanded edition by Lester Grinspoon, James B. Bakalar. 1997. Yale University Press, PO Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040. 296p., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-300-07085-3, 0-300-07086-1pbk. $35.00, $16.00pbk. (Descriptors: Marijuana; Therapeutic Use of Marijuana; Social Aspects; Law and Legislation) "In the years since this book was first published, it has become clear that cannabis is a remarkable versatile as well as a safe medicine." The book provides more support to making the use of medical marihuana legal. The case histories that were included in the original book have been updated. After presenting a history of Cannabis, the major part of the book describes the medical use of marihuana in treating a wide range of maladies, including cancer chemotherapy, glaucoma, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, quadriplegia, AIDS, chronic pain, migraine, rheumatic diseases, pruritus, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, labor pains, depression, asthma, insomnia, nausea, dystonias, adult attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, systemic sclerosis, Crohn's disease, diabetes gastroparesis, pseudotumor cerebri, tinnitus, violence, post-traumatic stress disorder, phantom limb pain, alcoholism, and terminal illness. This is a very informative book that speaks to the positive uses of marihuana in a medical setting. It is recommended for private libraries as well as all other libraries. Keep in mind, however, there will be some who will object to having this book available since it advocates something that is illegal to have. 793. Penis Book: An Owner's Manual, by Margaret Gore. 1997. Allen & Unwin, 89p. ISBN 1-86448-329-6. $10.95. (Descriptors: Penis Care and Hygiene; Male Generative Organs; Health and Hygiene; Sex Instruction for Men) Although this book is by a women, it does contain some no-nonsense information that every male should know. Since men are keen on reading owner's manuals, Gore felt that men would read her Penis Book if it was called an owner's manual. Myths and facts are presented on all aspects of the penis and its use. The ten chapters cover: "Sex, Lies and Video Tapes," "The Plumbing--How the Penis and Testes Work," "Puberty Blues," "Contraception for Men," "What You Should Know About HIV/AIDS," "Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases," "What Happens When You Go to a Sexual Health Centre," "Sexual Problems and Solutions," "Sex as You Grow Older," and "The Most Commonly Asked Questions About Sex." This is an interesting book that is full of much information. Every male should at least glance at this book. There is definitely something in it for them, even if they think they know everything there is to know about their penis. A highly recommended book for all libraries. It should be in all school libraries, but this reviewer knows that will never happen. 794. AIDS and the National Body, by Thomas E. Yingling, edited by Robyn Wiegman. 1997, Duke University Press, PO Box 90660, Durham, NC 27708-0660. 194p., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-8223-1977-2, 0-8223-1973-Xpbk. $49.95, $16.95pbk. (Descriptors: Social Aspects) (Contributors: Thomas E. Yingling, Michael Awkward, Robert L. Caserio, Stephen Melville, David Roman, Robyn Wiegman) The major part of this book is by Tom Yingling who died of AIDS in 1992. The manuscripts for his part of the book were found by his friend Robyn Wiegman. "These previously published and unpublished essays, nonacademic prose, poetry, and letters are a powerful testimonial to the intellectual legacy left by Yingling." Yingling was a leading figure in gay and lesbian studies, and a prominent theorist of AIDS and cultural politics. He delved into such issues as canon formation, poetic theory, and the rhetoric of the body in American popular culture. This is a serious book to read and one that will be difficult for some. It is, however, an extremely important book for all researchers to read in order to understand Yingling's inner most thoughts in which he contemplates "the contradictions of individual identity from within a human body adapting to and living within a collective national culture." The material written by Yingling include: "The Oncology of Ontology," "Wittgenstein's Tumor: AIDS and the National Body," "AIDS in America: Postmodern Governance, Identity, and Experience," "Hope," "How the Eye is Caste: Robert Mapplethorpe and the Limits of Controversy," "Sexual Preference/Cultural Reference: The Predicament of Gay Culture Studies," "AIDS, Confession, and Theory: The Pedagogical Dilemma," "Fetishism, Identity, Politics," "Untitled," "Theory and the Debate over Canon," "The Stuttering I: Lyric Subjectivity and Excess," and "Something." A remarkable collection and recommended for all academic libraries. 795. AIDS Law, by Margaret C. Jasper. 1996. Oceana Publications, Inc., 75 Main St, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522. 103p., bibliog. ISBN 0-379-11227-2. $22.50. (Descriptors: Legal Aspects) "This almanac provides the historical background of the emergence of AIDS in the United States, and the presently known medical aspects of the disease. A discussion of the individual's legal rights in areas such as employment, education, and health care are also considered, as well as AIDS-related legislation." This is a book for the layperson. It is very brief and to the point with as little legal jargon as necessary. Some may say that the text is too brief, but there needs to be a book such as this that covers the highlights of AIDS and the law, leaving the more detailed discussions to other more extensive works. The first chapter briefly puts AIDS into an historical perspective. This is followed with a general discussion of legislation under which AIDS would fall. The next six chapters provide brief legal information in regards to the medical and social aspects, health care and insurance, education, employment, the United States military, and the prison system. Again, it should be stressed that the information is very brief. There is a chapter on AIDS litigation that outlines the kinds of litigation that can happen in such instances as abandonment, battery, defamation, homicide, rape, and prostitution. A final chapter describes the Names Project Foundation that was started in 1987 through the creation of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. There is a glossary and a bibliography, but of greatest use are the 8 appendices: "Directory of National AIDS Organizations," "Directory of State Organizations Concerned with AIDS Issues," "Directory of Federal Agencies Concerned with AIDS Issues," "Selected Provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990," "Criteria Used to Screen Donors of Blood and Tissue as Recommended by the Centers for Disease Control," "Table of State Laws Regarding Conditions for HIV Testing," "Table of State Employment Anti-Discrimination Laws," and "Directory of the National Chapters of the Names Project Foundation." This is an excellent book to have available in all libraries from school to research. It is not intended to give answers, but rather guide the reader to organizations and sources of information through its directories. Recommended for all libraries. 796. Farewell Symphony: A Novel, by Edmund White. 1997. Alfred A. Knopf, 201 E 50th St., New York, NY 10022. 413p. ISBN 0-679-43477-1. $25.00. (Descriptors: Novel) This is the final volume of Edmund White's autobiographical trilogy with the other two titles being A Boy's Own Story and The Beautiful Room is Empty. This final volume is named after Haydn's symphony in which instrumentalists leave the stage throughout the performance until there is only a single violin. White envisions himself as that last person left among his circle of friends, most of who have died of AIDS. He writes about his happy days at the beginning of the Stonewall Riots and about the sad times of the ravages of AIDS. It is not a quick-read book because there is so much to "soak up" and think about. His lover died of AIDS and this prompted him to write of the remembrances that brought him out of the closet into the real gay world to become a highly respected writer. He is witty in relating what has happened to him as well as being erotic when he describes the wild scenes in the notorious back rooms of some of New York's famous establishments. It is a book for all gay men who came out shortly after the Stonewall Riots. Anyone who experienced this during that time will be able to relate to many of the stories that White tells. You will laugh, cry, think, be angry, and be sad. To be sure, every gay man will be able to find something in this book that is really a picture of himself. A highly recommended book for public and academic libraries with the knowledge that there are descriptions of sexually explicit events. 797. AIDS: Activism and Alliances, edited by Peter Aggleton, Peter Davies, Graham Hart. 1997. Taylor & Francis, Inc., 1900 Frost Road, Ste 101, Bristol, PA 19007. 250p., bibliog., index. (Social Aspects of AIDS). ISBN 0-7484-0575-5. $72.00. (Descriptors: Social Aspects, Drug Use, Prevention, Political Aspects) (Contributors: Derek Adam-Smith, Peter Aggleton, Anthony Bainbridge, Maura Banim, Michael Bartos, Nigel Beail, Sue Beardsell, Luan Bruce, Sharon Cahill, June Crawford, Colm Crowley, Peter Davies, Katie Deverell, Mark Edwards, Rayah Feldman, Paul Flowers, Fiona Goss, Alison Guy, Graham Hart, Roger Ingham, Emily Jaramazovic, Peter Keogh, Susan Kippax, Sonia Lawless, Krista Maxwell, Anne-Lise Middelthon, Kate Philip, Paschal Sheeran, Janet Shucksmith, Neil Small, Gary Smith, Jonathan A. Smith, Diane Stevens) Many of the papers that appear in this book were presented at the 8th International Conference on the Social Aspects of AIDS in London, September, 1995. One of the goals of this conference was to create an alliance in the health service arena with the demands of the AIDS activists throughout the world. It has been shown that the more the health providers understand the demands of the AIDS activists the better the health care. This can definitely be seen today with the faster approval of new AIDS treatments by the FDA, mainly the result of activists demanding that the testing of the drugs not be over a period of years before the drug is approved. Some countries are faster than others, resulting in individuals going to those countries for their treatments with some success. The 14 papers in this book provide a wealth of information on a wide range of topics: "Positive Women and Heterosexuality: Problems of Disclosure of Serostatus to Sexual Partners," "Suffering in Silence? Public Visibility, Private Secrets and the Social Construction of AIDS," "Opportunity Lost: HIV/AIDS, Disability and Legislation," "AIDS Policy Communities in Australia," "Constraints in the Development of Sexual Health Alliances," "I don't Know What I Need to Know: A Peer Sexual Health Project by Young Disabled People," "Doubly Deviant? Women Drug Injectors and Their Use of Drug Problem Services," "Sexual Debut and the Risk of HIV Infection Among Young Gay Men in Norway," "HIV Services for Women in East Longon: The Match between Provision and Needs," "Professionalism and Sexual Identity in Gay and Bisexual Men's HIV Prevention," "Towards Targeted HIV Prevention: An Ethnographic Study of Young Gay Men in London," "Identities and Gay Men's Sexual Decision-Making," "State-Sponsored Gayness: Ghettoization as a Response to HIV/AIDS," and "Sexual Negotiation Strategies of HIV-Positive Gay Men: A Qualitative Approach." This is an excellent book that provides much information on topics that are critical in today's efforts to educate everyone about AIDS. It is highly recommended for all libraries from large public to research. 798. Tao of Immunology: A Revolutionary New Understanding of Our Body's Defenses, by Marc Lappe. 1997. Plenum Press, 233 Spring St., New York, NY 10013-1578. 317p., bibliog., index. ISBN 0-306-45626-5. $27.95. (Descriptors: Immune System, Immunology, Autoimmunity) The immune system has come under attack not only by disease but by the researchers who are trying to find cures for diseases. It was believed that the immune system kept you from getting sick. Now, we hear how ineffective the immune system is and how it is attacked by AIDS, cancer, and other diseases. We know what makes the immune system work but we still do not know why it works as it does. The immune system is not a fail-safe system but it "is indeed an essential and most often highly effective buffer zone between a largely sterile body interior and a noxious, teeming universe of microbial pathogens." Lappe proposes that "the most desirable type of immune system is not highly reactive, but moderate and balanced." He embraces the sense of harmony found in the Tao Te Ching so that our body can achieve a balance. Much of what he talks about is controversial and scoffed at by the medical profession, but much merits more serious recognition. He attempts to show a link between impaired immunity and the ultraviolet radiation and chemicals that are all around us, as well as the increased stresses that invade our space on a daily basis. He applies his theory to a wide range of life-threatening and debilitating diseases such as cancer, heart disease, AIDS, arthritis, diabetes, Epstein-Barr virus, asthma, hepatitis, lupus, meningitis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatic fever, allergies, and reactions to implants and organ transplants. In his discussion of HIV he states that "in some cases that where immunity is pushed to control the virus, the results can be counterproductive." Some researchers have found that AIDS patients who put out the smallest quantities of T cells against HIV fare far better than those who mount a massive response. What he proposes is that a Tao-like philosophy of therapy should be maintained "one that turns on mutual accommodation rather than annihilation and balance instead of the extremes of traditional notions of cure." This is a very interesting book to read and one that researchers should be looking at as a possible aid in combating diseases that attack our immune system. A recommended book for all medical and academic libraries. 799. AIDS, Fear, and Society: Challenging the Dreaded Disease, by Kenneth J. Doka. 1997. Taylor & Francis, 1900 Frost Road, Ste 101, Bristol, PA 19007-1598. 187p., bibliog., index. (Series in Death Education, Aging, and Health Care). ISBN 1-56032-248-9, 1-56032-681-6pbk. $39.95, $19.95pbk. (Descriptors: Social Aspects, History, Epidemiology) Mankind has been faced with dreaded disease from the beginning of time. Such things as the bubonic plague, tuberculosis, syphilis, and cholera have all evoked fear, stigmatizing the victims, and, in some cases, preventing families to admit the cause of death for fear of being an outcast. How true this has been with AIDS. In the early days of AIDS, the cause of death was always hidden, not only because the family was afraid of the disease itself, but because, in many cases, it made them admit that their loved one was gay and they did not want the rest of society around them to know. As the disease has progressed and people became more understanding of gays, this denying the cause of death has slowly gone away, but not completely. There are still some ethnic groups that hide their family members who have AIDS and do not seek help for fear of someone learning what that individual was suffering from. They would rather the individual die a quiet death and be remembered as they want him to be remembered. How sad, but true. This book delves into all of these aspects of AIDS as a dreaded disease. It stresses that until we look at AIDS in the same way as other life-threatening illnesses, rather than in fear, society will continue to judge the individuals differently, resulting in different policies, legislation, and actions that can be counterproductive to fighting the disease. The book also points out that diseases are profound social events that forever change the way society functions. The 8 chapters cover: "Crisis and Contagion," "Shame and Stigma," "Lessons Unlearned: The Dreaded Diseases in History," "The Nature and Origin of AIDS," "Promises and Problems: The Medical Encounter with AIDS," "Policies, Politics, and Public Health," "AIDS as a Social Disease," and "Creating a Humane Future." Doka points out in his conclusion that we have to "decathexize" the HIV/AIDS epidemic. "By that it is meant that public health agencies should take a significant role in education and advocacy that will reduce the levels of both fear and stigma associated with the disease." As long as HIV infection generates fear, policies to combat HIV will be driven by the fear, even though they may be wrong. Education, education, education, and more education will be needed to combat this fear. There has been progress, but there is much to be done. We need leadership from all areas--political, religious, educational, medical, and scientific. They need to work together and not against each other. This is a highly recommended book for all libraries. It is an extremely interesting book to read, making you think about what is happening. 800. Community Prescription Service InfoPack, v.7, no.4, December, 1997. Community Prescription Service, 349 W 12th St., New York, NY 10014. 15p. free. (Descriptors: Treatments) This newsletter continues to provide up-to-date information about new HIV treatments and related topics. Of interest in this issue: "If AIDS Doesn't Kill Me, the Hepatitis C Will," "Karposi's Sarcoma, Gone, But not Forgotten," and "Nutrition: The Looking-Glass Paradigm." A highly recommended newsletter for all libraries. 801. POZ, November, 1997, December, 1997, January, 1998. POZ Publishing, 349 W 12th St., New York, NY 10014-1721. ISSN 1075-5705. $24.95 per year. (Descriptors: Social Aspects, Legal Aspects, Treatments, Popular) This highly successful publication continues to provide pertinent information for those who are HIV positive. The articles are entertaining and the information is timely. It is the only periodical where the advertisements are targeted to those who are HIV positive. The lead articles in the November issue were: "Elizabeth Taylor Tells the Truth," by Kevin Sessums; "Common Lives, Uncommon Art: A British Playwright Explains Why His AIDS Oeuvre Isn't about AIDS," by Neil Bartlett; "London's Burning: A Pocket Guide for the Compleat Traveler," by Michael Adams; "The Symphony Plays On," by Pat Califia (see entry 796 above--Farewell Symphony, by Edmund White); and "Spiritual Ecology," by Steven Greco. The December issue provides: "Wild Kingdom," by Judith Lewis; "Rx Marijuana," by Stacie Stukin; "Gender Matters," by Karen Ocamb (concerns HIV drug testing for women); and "The Fabulous One: The Magically Real World of Alfredo Ceibal," by Stephen Greco. Finally in the January issue you will find: "Michael Jeter Takes on Hollywood," by Peter Kurth; "Bastard Nation: Adopted PWAs line up for the Ties that Find," by Andrew Katz; "The Eyes Have It?: The Protease Era brings PWAs less CMV Retinitis," by Mark Mascolini; and "Their Own Private Africa," by Kire Godal (Photographer Kire Godal looks at the big picture of AIDS in Kenya). This continues to be a highly recommended publication that should be in all libraries.