The Fight of Our Lives: AIDS in America

Levithan, David; Duckels, Gabriel

ISBN 10: 0593710932 ISBN 13: 9780593710937

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2026

Synopsis

A thoughtful, poignant look at the AIDS crisis in the United States that includes primary source interviews, history, medical research, and cultural touchpoints.

The AIDS crisis in America is complex and composed of countless individual stories of grief, love, and advocacy. Its history shows the power of youth activism, how creativity and community can be vehicles for social change, and how bigotry and misinformation led to inequality in care.

The early days of the AIDS crisis saw LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities making strides in the fight for equality. As many people in positions of power were slow to act or actively didn't pay attention until their own communities were affected, the fight for equality turned into a fight for their lives. Grassroots efforts filled in gaps where mainstream medicine and politics failed, and over time, a cultural shift of awareness emerged, which led to more research and more treatments. And while the disease has transitioned from a death sentence to one that people can live full lives with, there are still people dying of HIV/AIDS today because they can't access the care they need. The fight may have begun decades ago, but is not yet over.

Award-winning author David Levithan and University of Cambridge PhD Gabriel Duckels detail a brief history of the epidemic, touching on key moments and figures, such as Ryan White, ACT UP, Larry Kramer and Anthony Fauci, Pedro Zamora from MTV's The Real World, and the Names Quilt. Threaded throughout are poems, essays, and other creative works, in addition to first-person interviews and narratives. The most important takeaway is that we must remember. We need to know what happened and why. Our voices are powerful, and they can make a difference.

About this title

About the Author

David Levithan is the author of several books for young adults, including Lambda Literary Award winner Two Boys Kissing; Every Day; Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (co-authored with Rachel Cohn); Will Grayson, Will Grayson (co-authored with John Green); and Boy Meets Boy. In 2016, David received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for his significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature.

Gabriel Duckels holds a PhD in Education at the University of Cambridge as a Harding Distinguished Postgraduate Scholar. He is an interdisciplinary researcher working at the intersection of children's literature and childhood studies; queer youth studies in popular culture and education; HIV/AIDS sociology; and the study of aesthetics, culture, and pedagogy.

Edition details

• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593710932
• ISBN 13: 9780593710937
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 512