This beautifully written and constructed book weaves together sophisticated social theory, philosophy, art work, and vivid biographical narratives to offer insights into how HIV/AIDS patients have learned to live a meaningful existence in the pre- and post-antiretroviral eras while negotiating a terminal illness. Basing his book on 20 years of work with adults living with HIV/AIDS in New ... Read moreYork, visual anthropologist Irving has carried out a compelling anthropological study of the complex inner world of those who struggle, cope, fight, and ultimately come to terms with their own impending deaths. The author draws on philosophical writings and social theories to contextualize his results, but is at his best when allowing his subjects to speak for themselves. The evocative words of subjects like artist Albert Velasco provide fascinating insights into the ways that dying persons with HIV/AIDS grapple with the mundane, like keeping medical appointments, as well as the profound reckoning with their own mortality and purpose. An engaging read that will enrich upper-level and graduate collections on death and dying, ethnographic methods, and HIV/AIDS. Highly recommended.
Choice Show Less