Black Death: AIDS in Africa (Paperback)

~ Susan Hunter (Author) "The early morning bustle of Kyotera town, in the heart of the Uganda's district of Rakai, had already begun..." (more)
Key Phrases: colonial medicine, venereal syphilis, United States, World War, Black Death (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Hunter's writing is brilliant. The tapestry she weaves is compassionate, groundded in history, and extraordinarily real." -- -Paul Zeitz, Executive Director of the Global AIDS Alliance

"One of the most important books on AIDS to be published... The book is chillingg and fascinating in equal measure." -- -Stephen Lewis, UN Special Envoy for AIDS

"The long needed AIDS primer ... Buy this book, read it, then give it to ten friiends." -- -Eric Sawyer, Co-Founder, ACT UP New York

"This book opens many new perspectives on what has become the largest epedemic iin human history." -- -Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS

"[An] insightful and compassionate account of AIDS in Africa... A must-read." -- -Robert Bilheimer, Academy Award nominee and director of A Closer Walk

Review

"This book opens many new perspectives on what has become the largest epidemic in human history. More importantly, it gives us insight into the human tragedy and triumph that is the daily bread of people and communities in the areas most affected by AIDS throughout the world."
-Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS

"Hunter...uses personal anecdotes to detail the story of a growing epidemic."
-Library Journal

"the most up-to-date account for the lay reader of the impact of the epidemic." -- London Times

"One of the most important books on AIDS to be published... The book is chilling and fascinating in equal measure." (-Stephen Lewis, UN Special Envoy for AIDS )

"This book opens many new perspectives on what has become the largest epedemic in human history." (-Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS )

"This book opens many new perspectives on what has become the largest epedemic in human history." (-Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS )

"The long needed AIDS primer ... Buy this book, read it, then give it to ten friends." (-Eric Sawyer, Co-Founder, ACT UP New York )

"Hunter''s writing is brilliant. The tapestry she weaves is compassionate, grounded in history, and extraordinarily real." (-Paul Zeitz, Executive Director of the Global AIDS Alliance )

"[An] insightful and compassionate account of AIDS in Africa... A must-read." (-Robert Bilheimer, Academy Award nominee and director of A Closer Walk )

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (September 9, 2004) Language: English ISBN-10: 1403967172 ISBN-13: 978-1403967176 Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #137,854 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #35 in  Books > Health, Mind & Body > Disorders & Diseases > AIDS

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More About the Author

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
The early morning bustle of Kyotera town, in the heart of the Uganda's district of Rakai, had already begun. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
colonial medicine, venereal syphilis

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
United States, World War, Black Death, West Africa, South Africa, World Bank, Middle East, New World, Save the Children, South America, Fitz Roy, North Africa, Native Americans, East Africa, Little Africa, Paul Ewald, Cape Verde, Central Intelligence Agency, Hong Kong, Lake Victoria, Control Program, David Livingstone, Southeast Asia, Tirailleurs Sénégalais, World Health Organization

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 73 books:

• Epidemics and Ideas: Essays on the Historical Perception of Pestilence (Past and Present Publications) by Terence Ranger in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
• The Encyclopedia of Infectious Diseases (Facts on File Library of Health and Living) by Carol Turkington in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
• Plague Time: The New Germ Theory of Disease by Paul Ewald in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
• Imperial Medicine and Indigenous Societies (Studies in Imperialism) by David Arnold in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
• The Descent of Man (Great Minds Series) by Charles Darwin on page 182, and Back Matter

See all 73 books this book cites

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	55% buy the item featured on this page: Black Death: AIDS in Africa 3.5 out of 5 stars (2) $14.04
	22% buy The Invisible Cure: Why We Are Losing the Fight Against AIDS in Africa 4.3 out of 5 stars (7) $10.88
	12% buy 28: Stories of AIDS in Africa 4.8 out of 5 stars (12) $10.87
	6% buy The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels and the Business of AIDS 4.9 out of 5 stars (13) $11.53

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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews 5 star:  (1) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:  (1) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 3.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 25 of 28 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST-READ for anyone interested in the HIV / AIDS crisis, February 19, 2004 By  L. KlineCapelle (Venice, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: Black Death: AIDS in Africa (Hardcover) In the first few pages of her book, Susan Hunter explains that HIV / AIDS is the first new disease on our planet since the 1400s; it is the leading infectious disease threat in the world today, outpacing tuberculosis and malaria by 2:1. It is the first disease to be considered a global threat to both national and international security. By 2010, the global human death toll from this disease will be higher than the COMBINED casualties of WWI, WWII, the Civil War, the Bolshevik Revolution, the first Chinese Communist War, the Spanish Civil War, the Taiping Rebellion, the Great War in La Plata and the partition of India. Every 18 months, more people die from HIV / AIDS than during the Holocaust. In some parts of Africa, they literally are running out of land to bury the bodies. Ms. Hunter, with her years of experience working with the UN on Africa, is in a unique position to offer an assessment of the effects of this disease on that continent as well as predictions of its spread globally. In the United States, many have become complacent about HIV / AIDS, believing that this is a disease which can be controlled with a few pills -- and as a result, HIV / AIDS infection is on the rise in the U.S. once again. Ms. Hunter's descriptions bring the realities of HIV / AIDS back into sharp, painful focus. This remains a terminal illness: in the U.S., HIV / AIDS mortality is back on the rise, as many develop complications with / from their medication treatments. Ms. Hunter's book reminds us that if we do not take action in the areas of disease prevention, education, and access to basic health care, we will face a Holocaust each year as a result of HIV / AIDS. Even in the U.S. where many have access to the medications, HIV / AID has become the leading cause of death among 18-34 year olds, as well as the third leading cause of death AMONG ALL AGE GROUPS in the U.S. READ THIS BOOK! 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 2.0 out of 5 stars Read with a grain of salt, May 21, 2009 By  C. Gentry "UW student" (WA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This review is from: Black Death: AIDS in Africa (Hardcover) This is one of five books I've read for a Geography of Health and Disease class at the University of Washington, and by far the least informative of all. Quite a few of the statements in this book are contradictory, if not flat out wrong; the errors I found were on secondary issues (facts that Ms. Hunter states about other diseases, such as River Blindness) but it makes me wonder how accurate the rest of her data is. Because of the way information is cited in the book (no citations within paragraphs, but a very long bibliography at the end) it is also difficult to see exactly where some of her data is coming from and whether it is still accurate. This book was written several years ago, and though a few of her predictions have come true, the majority have not and the reader should keep this in mind if they desire a truly accurate, up-to-date picture of this crisis. I agree that this disease, and especially the plight of those in Africa, should be of serious concern to us in the USA. I do not think that this book is the best source of information about how to deal with this crisis, but rather a good snapshot of one person's opinion about who is to blame for it. One of the biggest downfalls of the book, in my opinion, is her use of generalizations and fictional characters. I highly recommend Helen Epstein's "The Invisible Cure" as she writes as an actual scientist with a much more scholarly approach, cites her sources more clearly, and presents some real data on programs that have (and haven't) actually worked in Africa. She also points the finger and leaves the reader with much to consider, but does so in a more credible way, with fewer generalizations and, I believe, much more real data and interviews to inform the reader. Thanks!		Ad feedback   Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (September 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1403967172
• ISBN-13: 978-1403967176
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #137,854 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #35 in

  Books > Health, Mind & Body > Disorders & Diseases > AIDS

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST-READ for anyone interested in the HIV / AIDS crisis, February 19, 2004

By	L. KlineCapelle (Venice, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Black Death: AIDS in Africa (Hardcover)

In the first few pages of her book, Susan Hunter explains that HIV / AIDS is the first new disease on our planet since the 1400s; it is the leading infectious disease threat in the world today, outpacing tuberculosis and malaria by 2:1. It is the first disease to be considered a global threat to both national and international security. By 2010, the global human death toll from this disease will be higher than the COMBINED casualties of WWI, WWII, the Civil War, the Bolshevik Revolution, the first Chinese Communist War, the Spanish Civil War, the Taiping Rebellion, the Great War in La Plata and the partition of India. Every 18 months, more people die from HIV / AIDS than during the Holocaust. In some parts of Africa, they literally are running out of land to bury the bodies.

Ms. Hunter, with her years of experience working with the UN on Africa, is in a unique position to offer an assessment of the effects of this disease on that continent as well as predictions of its spread globally.

In the United States, many have become complacent about HIV / AIDS, believing that this is a disease which can be controlled with a few pills -- and as a result, HIV / AIDS infection is on the rise in the U.S. once again. Ms. Hunter's descriptions bring the realities of HIV / AIDS back into sharp, painful focus. This remains a terminal illness: in the U.S., HIV / AIDS mortality is back on the rise, as many develop complications with / from their medication treatments.

Ms. Hunter's book reminds us that if we do not take action in the areas of disease prevention, education, and access to basic health care, we will face a Holocaust each year as a result of HIV / AIDS. Even in the U.S. where many have access to the medications, HIV / AID has become the leading cause of death among 18-34 year olds, as well as the third leading cause of death AMONG ALL AGE GROUPS in the U.S.

READ THIS BOOK!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Read with a grain of salt, May 21, 2009

By	C. Gentry "UW student" (WA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Black Death: AIDS in Africa (Hardcover)

This is one of five books I've read for a Geography of Health and Disease class at the University of Washington, and by far the least informative of all. Quite a few of the statements in this book are contradictory, if not flat out wrong; the errors I found were on secondary issues (facts that Ms. Hunter states about other diseases, such as River Blindness) but it makes me wonder how accurate the rest of her data is. Because of the way information is cited in the book (no citations within paragraphs, but a very long bibliography at the end) it is also difficult to see exactly where some of her data is coming from and whether it is still accurate.

This book was written several years ago, and though a few of her predictions have come true, the majority have not and the reader should keep this in mind if they desire a truly accurate, up-to-date picture of this crisis.

I agree that this disease, and especially the plight of those in Africa, should be of serious concern to us in the USA. I do not think that this book is the best source of information about how to deal with this crisis, but rather a good snapshot of one person's opinion about who is to blame for it. One of the biggest downfalls of the book, in my opinion, is her use of generalizations and fictional characters.

I highly recommend Helen Epstein's "The Invisible Cure" as she writes as an actual scientist with a much more scholarly approach, cites her sources more clearly, and presents some real data on programs that have (and haven't) actually worked in Africa. She also points the finger and leaves the reader with much to consider, but does so in a more credible way, with fewer generalizations and, I believe, much more real data and interviews to inform the reader.

Thanks!