And the Band Played on

This book is a meticulous and engaging narrative that explores the initial outbreak and spread of AIDS in the early 1980s.

It delves into the personal stories of those affected, the scientific community's efforts to understand the disease, and the often inadequate and politicized responses from government and public health officials.

Shilts' work is a critical examination of how societal attitudes, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and personal biases impacted the handling of the epidemic.