Hold Tight Gently

Michael Callen, Essex Hemphill, and the Battlefield of AIDS

By: Martin Duberman

Write A Review

Paperback | 1 March 2016

At a Glance

Paperback
386 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
14.7 x 22.7 x 2.4

Paperback

RRP $34.99

$33.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $8.50 with

Ships in 3 to 5 business days

In December 1995, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the release of protease inhibitors, the first effective treatment for AIDS. For countless people, the drug offered a reprieve from what had been a death sentence; for others, it was too late. In the United States alone, more than 318,000 people had already died from AIDS-related complications—among them the singer Michael Callen and the poet Essex Hemphill.

“Relevant and heartbreaking” (Bay Area Reporter), “incisive, passionate, and poetic” (New York Journal of Books), and “engaging” (Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide), Hold Tight Gently is Martin Duberman’s poignant memorial to two of the great unsung heroes of the early years of the epidemic. Callen, the author of How to Have Sex in an Epidemic and co-founder of the popular a cappella group the Flirtations, was a leading figure in the fight against AIDS in the face of willful denial under the Reagan administration. Hemphill, a passionate activist and the author of the celebrated Ceremonies, was a critically acclaimed openly gay African American poet of searing intensity and introspection.

A profound exploration of the intersection of race, sexuality, class, and identity and the politics of AIDS activism, Hold Tight Gently captures both a generation struggling to cope with the deadly disease and the extraordinary refusal of two men to give in to despair.

Industry Reviews

Winner of a Lambda Literary Award
Honor Book at the 2015 Stonewall Book Awards
Finalist for the Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction
One of NPR's Guide to 2014's Great Reads

"A meticulously researched, nuanced, empathic and insightful portrait of two important artistic and political figures."
-San Francisco Chronicle

"A powerful book that displays both the malice and the nobility of our species."
-Kirkus Reviews

"Insightful...A vivid, complex snapshot."
-Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"An important and, unfortunately, still timely book."
-Booklist

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.