How to Survive a Plague

The Inside Story of How Citizens and Science Tamed AIDS

By: David France

Narrated by: Rory O'Malley

A New York Times 2016 Notable Book

The definitive history of the successful battle to halt the AIDS epidemic—from the creator of, and inspired by, the seminal documentary How to Survive a Plague.

A riveting, powerful telling of the story of the grassroots movement of activists, many of them in a life-or-death struggle, who seized upon scientific research to help develop the drugs that turned HIV from a mostly fatal infection to a manageable disease. Ignored by public officials, religious leaders, and the nation at large, and confronted with shame and hatred, this small group of men and women chose to fight for their right to live by educating themselves and demanding to become full partners in the race for effective treatments. Around the globe, 16 million people are alive today thanks to their efforts.

Not since the publication of Randy Shilts’s classic And the Band Played On has a book measured the AIDS plague in such brutally human, intimate, and soaring terms.

In dramatic fashion, we witness the founding of ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group), and the rise of an underground drug market in opposition to the prohibitively expensive (and sometimes toxic) AZT. We watch as these activists learn to become their own researchers, lobbyists, drug smugglers, and clinicians, establishing their own newspapers, research journals, and laboratories, and as they go on to force reform in the nation’s disease-fighting agencies.

With his unparalleled access to this community David France illuminates the lives of extraordinary characters, including the closeted Wall Street trader-turned-activist, the high school dropout who found purpose battling pharmaceutical giants in New York, the South African physician who helped establish the first officially recognized buyers’ club at the height of the epidemic, and the public relations executive fighting to save his own life for the sake of his young daughter.

Expansive yet richly detailed, this is an insider’s account of a pivotal moment in the history of American civil rights. Powerful, heart-wrenching, and finally exhilarating, How to Survive a Plague is destined to become an essential part of the literature of AIDS.

If you're into this topic do not miss this

as someone who was already very interested in the topic oh, I could not get enough of this book. it might be overkill for anyone who is not interested in this level of detail.

Powerful

This is an amazing story. It filled in many of the bits and pieces I remembered from my youth. I love the combination of memoir, epidemiology, and history, especially about the power of activism.

Amazing story of perseverance and activism

This audiobook is an extremely compelling story especially, given that I came of age after the epidemic and for me AIDS/HIV have always been a medical condition that while scary was never a death sentence.
Hearing the stories of clothes on the front lines told in such a heartbreaking and such a humanizing way opened my eyes and sparked a new interest it also elicited tears, anger and astonishment at the profound failures of the United States government. This performance brought it all home communicating the gravity of the tragedy as well as the frustrations experience by those on the front lines. Providing a perspective on history that is glossed over or not covered at all. While at times the plethora of names, organizations and various stores was difficult to follow the overall tale of sorrow neglect pain and heroism was clear. I strongly recommend this audiobook regardless of those difficulties because of its cultural importance to a community so often marginalized and as an ode to a generation that died so that we do not have to live under the shadow of the plague in the United States gay or straight.

Must listen/read

There was very few books that I have consumed that I can say were truly life changing, but this is one of them. My perspective on many things is changed and I’m grateful to David France for having the courage to give us this history.

Comprehensive overview of AIDS crisis

After 29 hours of this book I feel like there is little more to say. Excellent history, well written, and well-read. Left wondering if so many people had to die except for somewhat uncaring politicians and drug companies and Fauci....love to read a book on him. And this book resonates after the speed with which vaccines were developed for Covid. no holdups there.