And The Band Played On

In the book, what do the bathhouses represent and why are there such strong opinions surrounding them? Consider the meaning bathhouses incite around love, sexuality and health among the different factions of society (e.g., gay, medical, business, etc.)

Is Gaetan Dugas vilified as Patient Zero in the book? Was he deserving to be anointed as an early source in the spreading of AIDS? How does his representation affect how the LGBTQ community is portrayed?

According to Shilts, which sectors failed in the prevention and alleviation of the AIDS crisis and how?

Shilts writes, “That San Francisco had managed the best response to the AIDS epidemic in the United States was the pride of the city; that San Francisco had managed the best response to the AIDS epidemic in the United States measured the shame of the nation.” Discuss the ways in which the city had better infrastructure and support and explain why it succeeded.

How and when did it become apparent that AIDS could be spread through means other than homosexual activity, such as blood transfusions, intravenous drug usage, and heterosexual sex?

During the discovery of AIDS, what were the problems that created tensions among the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Dr. Robert Gallo and the National Cancer Institute (NCI),and the team at the Pasteur Institute?

The book is divided into parts, each of which begin with an excerpt. Describe the relationship of the excerpt to the theme of the part and how it prepares the reader for the subsequent narrative.

The Reagan era proved to be fatal for the management of the AIDS crisis and the US’s approach to the epidemic. Consider their failed opportunities and its effects.