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Book ReviewsThere Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey To Rescue Africa's Children |
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Book: There Is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey To Rescue Africa's Children
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Publisher: Amazon
Average Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5
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One Small Candle of Light in Ethiopia's AIDS Problem
Rating:
5 / 5
Sub-Title: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children
There was a time a few years ago when the AIDS story was on the front page. Movies like HBO's 'And the Band Played On' were being shown about the people dying. Along came the proper drugs and education as to the causes and while still a problem it isn't a major one in the first world.
That's not the case in the third world. AIDS is rampant and increasing at an ever faster rate. As the author of this book says, 'It's beyone mastery even by the leaders of global health organizations, the presidents of nations, the richest philanthropists.'
She is right.
As best I can tell, the UN has basically written off Africa, although they deny this.
The author concentrates her story on Ethiopia's young AIDS orphans. She personifies the 'light one little candle' approach. She had adopted two AIDS orphans herself, she has worked to establish a clinic in Ethiopia.
Other countries are hit worse than Ethiopia, in South Africa the HIV prevalence rate among pregnant women goint to the hospital to give birth was 30.2%. (The president of South Africa says that he wasn't convinced that HIV caused AIDS so was opposed to the medicine.)
And this is just the African story. Asia is next, the epidemic is just getting started.
I wish Ms. Greene the best. I just wish I felt that there was even a slim chance of turning things around.
Incredible Story
Rating:
5 / 5
My wife and I just finished this book. We both were moved by the story, of a situation unfolding during our time that we paid so little attention to. Melissa Fay Greene does a masterful job of bringing this book full circle and touching upon the many factors that make this story possible.
Few write about the issues of our time as well.
Rating:
5 / 5
THERE IS NO ME WITHOUT YOU is a triumph of compassion and analysis. Melissa Fay Greene has created a jarring tapestry, weaving together the stories of the individuals gripped by the injustices of AIDS and poverty with reportage of the greed of international pharmaceutical conglomerates and governments who have condemmed so many African children to lives of suffering and premature death. Her magnificent prose pushed me beyond my usual limits of joy, sadness, hope and despair--my heart just cracked open. I know I will hearken back the inspiration of Haregewoin's transformation, contradictions, and unquestioning commitment again and again in my life.
This book should be required reading for every politician and pharmaceutical executive.
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