Country of Absence Book

Hugely influential text for me when I was deeply involved in HIV prevention, a harm reduction neophyte, and before I was in the struggle for sex worker rights. Some of the material and language may feel dated but this was a Trail blazing book that really helped me chart my path and laid out some serious truths that the public health community needed to hear.

When PREP became a thing (that's Pre Exposure Prophylaxis, or HIV medication to prevent an infection) I had to nod to Stoller. This breakthrough didn't come from doctors or epidemiologists, it came from those on the ground at risk for HIV who hypothesized that if antiretrovirals worked and Post Exposure Prophylaxis (medication you take after a high risk exposure but before an infection has occurred) worked, that taking a HIV meds should also work. They were right, but sadly they'll never see recognition or profit from their accurate theory. In fact, it falls in line with history when junkies, whores, and queers turned to the streets and the medical libraries and each other and halted an epidemic. A must read for those who believe in the power of acting up.