All The Young Men Post One

All the Young Men Post One


I’m currently 72% of the way through All the Young Men by Ruth Coker Burks, according to my iPad. I chose this book for, perhaps, a really superficial reason--it takes place in Arkansas. My best friend is from Arkansas. It is based on a woman’s experience as she cares for patients that have HIV/AIDS and have nowhere else to go in a town that is deeply ingrained in their southern and religious roots. This seemed like an extremely interesting premise, and I really wanted to read about her life experience and how she became involved in the epidemic without any personal interest. I wanted to learn more about the epidemic, as most of what I know is from Rent. I think it is important to learn about people’s experiences revolving around caring for and helping others, as it can inspire you to be a better person. I also think it just puts life in perspective when you see everything that other people have to go through. I hope I can come out of this book with a new viewpoint on how I could be living my life and determined to touch the lives of more people to make a positive impact. 


While I’ve been learning more about the state of the country during the epidemic, I’ve been struck by both how terrible the people were and the convenience of some of Burks’ situation. Burks is clearly an extremely empathetic person. She saw how awful people were treating AIDS patients in the hospital--taping off their rooms, refusing to bring food to them, and not giving them proper medical attention--and immediately started taking steps to support and care for them. I am also amazed that she was working essentially on her own for so long and would put herself in tight financial spots to take care of men she hadn’t known a week prior. The convenience of Burks’ situation was also something that surprised me. While she lacked financial resources, she had two resources that really stood out as almost absurd. She owns 262 plots at a cemetery that she inherited from her mother and could use to bury the men she took care of. The absurdity of that fact seems to speak for itself. She also is childhood friends with Bill Clinton, so has easy communication with the governor throughout her story. While I am enjoying reading about her experience, some aspects of her life are so interesting they’re almost hard to believe. I originally thought I would struggle reading the book, because I usually take forever to read nonfiction. However, this book is very engaging and is super easy to read and follow. 


Overall, I am excited to read the rest of the book but am not excited for the inevitable sobbing that I will be doing when I finish it.


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