Customer Reviews

Race Against Time: Searching for Hope in AIDS-Ravaged Africa (CBC Massey Lecture)

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Stephen Lewis is an amazing articulator of the imperative race against time to fight the AIDS epidemic. His book is at times angry, hopeful, practical and inspiring. I can't imagine the grief he has seen and experienced to write with such power and urgency. The book is an easy read yet so powerful, definitely recommend it for everyone who is interested in learning more about the HIV/AIDS pandemic and why it is so imperative for the global community to respond and care.

In June 2005, the new deputy prime minister of Namibia said that the nation was "on its knees." In Race Against Time, Stephen Lewis discusses the causes of the African AIDS epidemic. Through wrenching personal stories, he describes the problem and how horrible its effects are to individuals and to communities in Africa. He faults individuals and organizations who place their own economic or moral agendas ahead of ending the suffering and then offers suggestions to get both the international community and private groups involved to end the epidemic. This book will frustrate you over what little has been done so far, yet it still offers hope for the future of Africa.

The credentials of the author add a unique dimension to the subject of the pandemic of aids in Africa. He puts a tender "face" on the problem. He did an interesting job of presenting the political aspects of the situation by weaving in the personal stories of those directly affected by the decisions made by the governing bodies. I was persuaded to help the suffering. My family and some friends (29 of us in all) are organizing a trip to SA in October 2007 to volunteer our help with the situation.

This book was required for a course that I took. The course was an absolute bust as the instructor was inept and incompetent. The book was excellent. It is divided appropriately for the five one hour lectures that are part of the CBC Radio Massey Lectures. Stephen Lewis has an engaging writing style, where he can take some of the political situations that would look as though they are just the typical way of conducting business and yet in one swoop make the occasion look ridiculous as he points out the absurdities that are taking place. Is there a real "Race against Time" in the battle to fight AIDS in Africa? Absolutely! It is horrendous to see this situation occurring and Stephen Lewis gives us a first hand look just as if we are there.

The other aspect of this book is how the UN operates. Stephen Lewis gives the reader a snapshot of the inner sanctum of the UN and how it operates. What is very impressive is his willingness to point out some of the absurdities in how women are treated in the inner circles of international power brokers and the lack of willingness by many of the African countries to recognize women as partners in the future of their country. Women in much of Africa are truly second class citizens and this is reflected in the power circles of the African countries and the UN hierarchy. Wow!

The biggest culprit in the AIDS epidemic is actually the World Bank and its catering to the multinational corporations. These corporations are not only supported by the World Bank in efforts to control a developing country's resources but also by the G-8 governments. There is enough blame for everyone. Whether you agree or disagree with Stephen Lewis's politics or even my political views doesn't matter. What matters is you are getting a "front row seat and view" to the operation and business of the UN and how the World Bank influences policy in developing African nations. You also get to see how some of the UN agencies operate in conjunction with charities and other Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs). Some of the practices and the bureaucrats of these agencies will drive someone batty but you will also get to meet people who really do care. You will be surprised at the ingenuity these folks have.

This book is a worthwhile read. I wish Stephen wrote more about the possible solutions to the problems encountered in Africa. Maybe he can update his book again! Enjoy and read this worthwhile book.

This is an in-depth look at the root causes of the African AIDS epidemic, including the effects of structural adjustment policies of the World Bank and the IMF. Stephen Lewis makes the issue real through stories of individuals who are living the nightmare. His true love of the African people is as clear as his impatience with national and international organizations and individuals who place their own economic or moral agendae ahead of the alleviation of human suffering. This book is also most interesting for its exposure of internal workings of the UN. The final chapter provides a series of suggestions which could become the foundation of campaigns to get the international community acting as soon as possible to end the epidemic.

I haven't read the book yet, but it is in perfect condition and it was here in no time!

This book was a riveting read. I think the combination of Stephen Lewis's excellent oratory skills mixed with a pertinent topic has created a powerful, compelling book. In this book the author takes the reader inside major organizations such as the UN, WHO, etc. showing the reader the workings and failures of the international response to Africa's needs and crisis's concerning famine and HIV. He successfully intertwines his professional and personal experiences in the UN and Africa.

I really enjoyed reading this book for a number of reasons. First of all, Stephen Lewis has such a vast and unique perspective on Africa the UN as well as HIV/AIDS. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about what is going on with the G8 concerning Africa as well as the Millennium Development Goals. Don't get me wrong, I was horrified to hear the unfortunate details, I was just intrigued as well as enlightened by his narration of current day events. I also whole-heartedly agree with his perspectives on women and his desire to see an international representation of women's rights.

What gives Stephen Lewis such authority to adequately articulate this tragedy is his incredible 30 years of international experience, he is the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, a former Canadian ambassador to the UN, as well as former deputy executive director of UNICEF. Although I did not agree with all of his policy views on solutions, I did agree with the vast majority of his perspectives and highly recommend this book for insight into Africa and the horrendous impact of HIV/AIDS.

This is a powerful account of how the world is failing to accomplish the Millennium Development Goals, which aimed to reduce poverty, hunger, AIDS, etc. by a certain amount by 2015. This book really made me want to do something about it, which I think is the ultimate sign of success. I'd recommend this book to anyone.

I have to admit that the fourth chapter dragged a bit--Lewis didn't really convince me that complete equality for women was as important as preventing starvation and death by disease, though he claimed repeatedly that without equality it wouldn't be possible to achieve the rest of the goals--but overall, the book was very readable and the message was certainly worth it.

In superb English, Stephen Lewis proposes general, high-level solutions to the AIDS pandemic and makes a strong case for the increased recognition and empowerment of women world-wide. Here Here! Bold and sometimes scathing comment reveals how the wheels turn (or don't turn) in relevent UN departments. I was hoping for a bit more 'on the ground' stuff, although the very 'human' moments shared amongst devastating statistics are profound and sustaining. A good fast read.

I could not put this book down. You could hear the author screaming out from the pages; his stories had me feeling angry and on the verge of tears at the same time. An excellent depiction of the UN organizations' role in fighting HIV/AIDS, their failures and what we could do to fight this disease. A must read for anyone interested in HIV/AIDS, Africa, activism or infectious diseases.