Quilt for David

In the early 1990s, eight people in a small conservative Florida town accused Dr. David Acer of infecting them with HIV. His gayness and sickly appearance made him a scapegoat and victim of mob mentality. Steven Reigns' book "A Quilt for David" recovers the life and death of this man, who represents many lives destroyed by HIV and a diseased society that used stigma against the most vulnerable. It is a hauntingly poetic narrative that questions the fervor of his accusers and recuperates a gay life previously shrouded in secrecy and shame.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 132 pages
\n Publication date: 23 September 2021
\n Publisher: City Lights Books
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In the early 1990s, a vulnerable gay man named Dr. David Acer found himself at the center of a shocking and controversial story that would become tabloid fodder. Eight individuals living in a small conservative Florida town claimed that Acer had infected them with HIV. The combination of Acer's gayness and his sickly appearance due to his AIDS-related illness made him an easy target for mob mentality and widespread discrimination. During the early years of the AIDS epidemic, when transmission was poorly understood and homophobia was rife, people like Acer were villainized and blamed for the spread of the disease. Accuser Kimberly Bergalis even landed a prominent cover story in People magazine, while others went on talk shows and made front-page news.
Steven Reigns, in his book "A Quilt for David," sets out to recover the life and death of this man, who represents the countless lives devastated not only by HIV but also by a society that perpetuated stigma against the most vulnerable. Reigns approaches the story with a poet's eulogistic and psychological intensity, delving into the complexities of David's life and the circumstances that led to his downfall. He explores the connections between David's story and the twenty-first century pandemic, which has also been defined by medical misinformation and cultural bias.
Through years of investigative research, Reigns has pieced together a hauntingly poetic narrative that retraces American history, questioning the fervor of David's accusers and recuperating a gay life that had been previously shrouded in secrecy and shame. The book sheds light on the societal pressures and prejudices that led to David's persecution and explores the ways in which he fought back against the accusations.
"A Quilt for David" is a powerful testament to the resilience and perseverance of individuals with AIDS and serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights and equality. It is a posthumous journal of vindication, a way for David to reclaim his dignity and reputation after facing such relentless persecution.
The book has received widespread acclaim from authors and critics alike. Brontez Purnell, author of "100 Boyfriends," praised it as a "stunning homage to people with AIDS." Sarah Schulman, author of "Let the Record," described it as a "hugely important book that reclaims the history of AIDS and the lives of those who were erased or marginalized."
In conclusion, "A Quilt for David" is a must-read for anyone interested in LGBTQ+ history, social justice, and the human experience. It is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of fighting against stigma and discrimination. Through the story of Dr. David Acer, Reigns has given us a glimpse into a hidden history that deserves to be remembered and honored.

\n Weight: 172g\n
Dimension: 140 x 208 x 12 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780872868816\n \n