Customer Reviews

Sizwe's Test: A Young Man's Journey Through Africa's AIDS Epidemic

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The fundamental question that Mr Steinberg wrestles with is why people may choose not to take drugs that may preempt death. His honesty, sensitivity and tenacity enable him to explore the dynamics of a rural South African community in a way that I've not encountered. And yes, the man can write.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in HIV in Africa or South African politics more generally. In following Sizwe through his decision of whether or not to get tested for HIV, it eloquently weaves together the main character's personal life and decision with the cultural, social, and political context that shapes his decision. For many people, it is utterly inconceivable why this disease has so devastated South Africa, and in particular, why a person might choose not to get tested, even now that effective treatment exists. This book goes a long way towards explaining that. It also provides an excellent, very readable narrative about rural life in South Africa--a story that is often overlooked--and about politics all the way from the President down to the local health clinician. Steinberg mixes the self-awareness of the modern ethnographer with the prose of a top-notch journalist.

I really disagree with the reviewer who says that the book is moralistic and pro-apartheid. First of all, re: the title--this is not the original title of the book, it's the unfortunate choice of the American publisher. The original title (for the South African edition) is "Three Letter Plague," which indeed has a less moralistic connotation. I did not perceive the author to be judging the main character at all--in fact, quite the opposite. Regarding Steinberg's portrayal of post-apartheid majority rule in South Africa, yes, the author accurately depicts Mbeki's (as well as Mandela's) total failure to understand HIV and develop an adequate policy on it. In Mandela's case, he is sympathetic--new, unexpected challenge, amongst many many things needing reform. He is not so generous with Mbeki--but then, neither were most South Africans, including blacks (hence why the ANC soundly rejected his bid for presidency of the party in 2007). The most prominent HIV+ activists in the country, most of whom are not white, were incredibly frustrated with Mbeki's response to the crisis. South Africa is a country whose democracy was born out of protest movements, and the very same people who organized against apartheid are now activists on the new struggles, the biggest of which is HIV/AIDS. That Steinberg depicts this does not make him pro-apartheid.

So much more than a book about AIDS. This is a nuanced, personal, revealing account of one man (Sizwe), his interlocutor (Jonny) and a doctor who figures out how best to deliver services to HIV+ people in the countryside. It examines personalities and policies with equal depth and wisdom. There are no cartoon-character bad guys, just complicated situations, ignorance, bureaucracy, and a great deal of stigma. It is gracefully and thoughtfully written, never trite, seldom judgmental, and sharp as a new blade. I, however, will be trite: "If you read only one book on AIDS in sub-saharan Africa, this is a great choice."

Heartwrenching account of the conflicts between modern medicine and daily life in Africa in the midst of the worlds most horrific AIDS epidemic. A stirring call for action and compassion. Should be required reading for all world leaders.

Mr Steinberg has written a very interesting book which I highly recommend to readers who want to learn more about the economic, political, medical and cultural obstacles in the fight against HIV in South Africa (and I think much of what Steinberg writes about is also very relevant for other African countries).

I particularly liked the sections of the book (which are largely prevalent) where the author simply reports on events and conversations. The book becomes more speculative and in my opinion just a bit pretentious when he tries to theorize about his experiences. But this is a little downside in a very well written book which apparently (judging from the very low number of reviews and the Amazon ranking) not enough people have read. I am grateful to the author for his work, and to "Sizwe" and the other characters of this book for sharing their thoughts and experiences with us.

Two books you may be interested in reading if you liked this one are LeBlanc's "Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx" and Racine & Racine's "Viramma: Life of an Untouchable". Very different subjects for sure, but both are equally interesting and well-written books about lives of individuals in troubled environments which most readers will be only marginally familiar with.

I am a great fan of Jonny Steinberg and have read all his books. He tries and succeeds in giving the reader an insight into the lives and thoughts of his subjects while continiously being aware of his role and position in the narrative. He opens worlds which were previously closed to outsiders and treats his subjects with respect and compassion. All his books are highly recommended for anyone trying to understand Africa and specifically South Africa and it's people.

This is a great account of the complexities in treating HIV/AIDS in a setting with a complex history of colonialism, racism, and poverty. Steinberg is honest about his own biases as he tries to understand what makes for a successful or unsuccessful health intervention. A great book for anyone interested in solutions to the HIV pandemic, especially those who are approaching the disease from a western mindset.

want to know about how africa deals with AIDS, this book is a must read.

This is the best and most enlightening book on HIV available today. Steinberg outdoes himself, especially within explaining something that is otherwise inexplicable: the high infection rate of HIV in Southern Africa. Steinberg's approach is that of a true journalist, and we are left with a complex, unjudging portrait of an incredibly intricate story laced with race, history, culture, myth, belief, medicine, superstition and politics. Buy it for everyone you know...

The first half of Sizwe's Test contains some of the best first person ethnographic writing I have read in years. It is nuanced, funny, sad, truthful and horrifying to read. But about roughly half way through this book the author shifts gears and does something so despicable that it made me want to throw this book away. The ethnography of HIV in this book turns out to be a foil for the author's own struggle with the morality of HIV disease, hence the name Sizwe's Test which boldly suggests that the HIV test that the title refers to is indeed a moral one. I found this implication so repugnant and so totally in opposition to the thrust of the first part of this book it filled me with speechless anger at the author when I realized his slight of hand. This book is not about South Africa, or HIV, it is about morality in it sneakiest guise. Everything, race, poverty, sexuality, mortality, is subsumed to this drive in the author to have clarity for himself at the expense of others. Lastly, the author, who is a white South African, has a palpable hatred for his post-apartheid government, in particular Mbeki, and takes up the stick that has been used many times to use the HIV epidemic to beat and tarnish black rule in South Africa with the accusation that the malfeasance and nepotism of this government coupled with its non-scientific HIV policy-making is to blame for the deaths caused by HIV. This is a malicious distortion of a complicated public health problem that only perpetuates a host of racist and moralistic interpretations of death. I am sorry to everyone who wants to feel levity when they think of the dying world beyond their door, but there really is no Test.