AIDS: The Ultimate Challenge

by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

AIDS
"None of us is so unique as to be exempt from the human condition."
As the numbers of reported AIDS cases continue to climb, and the disease continues to take more and more lives, those who have to deal with the complexities of this problem continue to "How do we care for these terminally ill?"
Using letters from patients, questions and answers between patient and doctor, and other compassionate tools, Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, the world's foremost expert on death and dying, shows us how to comfort the seriously ill and help AIDS patients through the critical "stages of dying" She addresses the stigma surrounding AIDS as a "gay disease" and makes a special plea for prisoners with AIDS, for women and children with AIDS, and for babies with AIDS. This remarkable book is warm and informative on one of the most important subjects of our time.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, History

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross was a Swiss-American psychiatrist, a pioneer in near-death studies, and author of the internationally best-selling book, On Death and Dying (1969), where she first discussed her theory of the five stages of grief, also known as the "Kübler-Ross model".
Kübler-Ross was a 2007 inductee into the National Women's Hall of Fame, was named by Time as one of the "100 Most Important Thinkers" of the 20th century and was the recipient of twenty honorary degrees. By July 1982, Kübler-Ross had taught 125,000 students in death and dying courses in colleges, seminaries, medical schools, hospitals, and social-work institutions. In 1970, she delivered an Ingersoll Lecture at Harvard University on the theme On Death and Dying. The New York Public Library also named, "On Death & Dying" as one of the "Library's Books of the Century."

Reviews

[Jill H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Late in her career the world's expert on death and dying turned her attention to the particular problems of people living with AIDS. Since this book was written, the use of antiretroviral (ART) drugs has allowed many sufferers to live a longer and more fulfilling life but the book is still applicable. Dr. Kubler-Ross uses interviews, personal stories, and her empathy for those who are facing death from this disease as a guideline for dealing with the problems that arise during the final stages of AIDS. She pays particular attention to the needs of the caregiver and how (s)he can cope with the impending death. She also takes a harsh stand against those who have created the stigma of AIDS as being a "gay disease".

This is an important book which helps the reader understand AIDS and one does not have to know a person living with AIDS to appreciate the dedication of the author as she offers comfort to those affected in order to ease their way.

[Petra Hermans · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do not think, so.

[Nathaniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I was interested more in the virology and epidemiology of the AIDS epidemic, but it's more focused on the sociology of the disease and (for lack of a better term) the human factor. That sort of stuff is usually grating, and tying it to one of the deadliest diseases the world is trying to deal with was....off-putting.

The writing style leaves a lot to be desired. The chapters vary wildly in length and content. Some are relatively normal non-fiction material, but several consist mainly of meeting transcripts, interviews, and letters from various people.

It was quite emotionally-moving but really didn't help me understand HIV/AIDS as a disease. Then again, we understand it a lot better now than then, and the stigma around AIDS patients is lower than it was then. If you'd like a relatively quick introduction to what life was like for AIDS patients in the 1980s, then this might be a good book, but for other aspects you're probably better off with Wikipedia.