And the Band Played On Author:Randy Shilts Triangle Classics — When And the Band Played On was published in 1987, it was praised by the New York Times as "a heroic work of journalism on what must rank as one of the foremost catastrophes of modern history." The book stands as the definitive chronicle of the first five years of the AIDS epidemic, "not only required reading for those intere... more »sted in politics, medicine, science, civil rights and liberation movements of various kinds, but also for those just liiking for a good read" (The Washington Post Book World). Shilts, who has reported on AIDS since 1983 for the San Francisco Chronicle, seamlessly interweaves the stories of public health authorities, political leaders, and government officials who allowed the disease to rage out of control through inaction, infighting, and intolerance. But in the face of this tragedy, Shilts also incovers a handful of people-scientists, doctors, nurses, gay leaders, and people with AIDS-whose acts of courage ultimately transform a tale of cowardice and despair into one of compassion, inspiration, and redemption.« less