by Paul Monette
First published 1990
Paul Monette watches his longtime companion Roger Horwitz grow weaker each day. The AIDS diagnosis has turned their life together into a medical odyssey. They visit specialist after specialist, trying experimental treatments and grasping at hope wherever they can find it. Roger's body fails him gradually, but his spirit remains fierce. Paul becomes caregiver, advocate, and witness to suffering he never imagined. Each doctor's appointment brings new possibilities and fresh disappointments. The couple fights not just the disease but a medical system unprepared for the epidemic ravaging their community. As Roger's condition worsens, Paul must confront the approaching loss while celebrating the depth of their bond. This memoir captures both the intimate details of caregiving and the broader tragedy facing gay men in the early years of the AIDS crisis.
Genres: medical, 20th-century, memoir, biography-memoir, lgbt, gay
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, medical-trauma
Period: Early AIDS Crisis
342 pages · Trade Paperback · Avon
Content warnings: death, terminal-illness