Customer Reviews

War in the Blood: Sex, Politics and AIDS in Southeast Asia

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

 

 

Beyrer combines an incredible amount factual information in a very readable account of the march of HIV through SE Asia. He does best with his coverage of Thailand and Burma, the countries he knows most. He does a fine job of weaving strands of epidemiology, medicine, politics, and culture together. The book goes beyond the often one-dimensional accounts of HIV in the region and with bradth, a credible grasp of facts, and a sympathetic, personal point of view.

"War in the Blood" is my favorite Asia book of recent years. It is still the definitive work on Southeast Asia's HIV/AIDS epidemic; but it is also a beautifully wrought travel memoir, written by a compassionate & intelligent observer. I have recommended it to many people interested in Burma. It also would be a fine clear-eyed introduction to contemporary Southeast Asian culture in all of its contradictions and surprises. "War in the Blood" is by no means a depressing work of epidemiology; rather it is a call to action, and in that sense, a ray of hope.

I was genuinely disappointed by this book given the interesting subject matter and the review posted on Amazon. Beyrer often loses his focus, shifting from discussing the AID epidemic to devoting entire paragraphs to an examination of Thai architecture and the temples of Chiang Mai. I applaud his effort to try to interweave cultural themes, but unfortunately this book reads like a travel guide loosely tied together. While there are some good insights and facts, it seems Beyrer's editors provided him poor guidance to focus his writing.