Our kind of people : a continent's challenge, a country's hope

In 2005, Uzodinma Iweala stunned readers and critics alike with __Beasts of No Nation__, his debut novel about child soldiers in West Africa. Now his return to his native continent has produced __Our Kind of People__, a nonfiction account of the AIDS crisis that is every bit as startling and original. Iweala embarks on a remarkable journey in his native Nigeria, meeting individuals and communities that are struggling daily to understand both the impact and meaning of the disease. He speaks with people from all walks of life—the ill and the healthy, doctors, nurses, truck drivers, sex workers, shopkeepers, students, parents, and children. Their testimonies are by turns uplifting, alarming, humorous, and surprising, and always unflinchingly candid. Beautifully written and heartbreakingly honest, __Our Kind of People__ goes behind the headlines of an unprecedented epidemic to show the real lives it affects, illuminating the scope of the crisis and a continent’s valiant struggle. In 2005, Uzodinma Iweala stunned readers and critics alike with Beasts of No Nation , his debut novel about child soldiers in West Africa. Now his return to his native continent has produced Our Kind of People , a nonfiction account of the AIDS crisis that is every bit as startling and original. Iweala embarks on a remarkable journey in his native Nigeria, meeting individuals and communities that are struggling daily to understand both the impact and meaning of the disease. He speaks with people from all walks of life—the ill and the healthy, doctors, nurses, truck drivers, sex workers, shopkeepers, students, parents, and children. Their testimonies are by turns uplifting, alarming, humorous, and surprising, and always unflinchingly candid. Beautifully written and heartbreakingly honest, Our Kind of People goes behind the headlines of an unprecedented epidemic to show the real lives it affects, illuminating the scope of the crisis and a continent’s valiant struggle.

Iweala Embarks On A Remarkable Journey Through His Native Nigeria, Meeting Individuals And Communities That Are Struggling Daily To Understand Both The Impact And Meaning Of Hiv/aids. The The Ill And The Healthy, Doctors, Nurses, Truck Drivers, Sex Workers, Shopkeepers, Students, Parents, And Children-- Their Testimonies Are By Turns Uplifting, Alarming, Humorous, And Surprising, And Always Unflinchingly Candid. A Deeply Personal Exploration Of Life, Love, And Connection In The Face Of Disease, And An Incisive Critique Of Our Existing Ideas Of Health And Happiness. Jerome -- Aids Is Real -- Stigma -- Sex -- Death -- Speaking Of Aids -- Healing -- Aids Is Not My Identity. Uzodinma Iweala. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 223-228) HIV/AIDS has profoundly affected life in sub-Saharan Africa. It has been reported as one of the most destructive diseases in recent memory - tearing apart communities and ostracising the afflicted. But the emphasis on death, despair and destruction hardly captures the many and varied impacts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Embarking on an extraordinary journey through Nigeria, a doctor recounts the stories of the communities and individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS--all of whom are trying to make sense of life, love, and their connections to each other in the face of an unprecedented epidemic