Love Is the Cure: Ending the Global AIDS Epidemic

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Love Is the Cure: Ending the Global AIDS Epidemic

3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 · rating details · 234 ratings · 75 reviews

In the 1980s, Elton John saw friend after friend, loved one after loved one, perish needlessly from AIDS. In the midst of the plague, he befriended Ryan White, a young Indiana boy ostracized by his town and his school because of the HIV infection he had contracted from a blood transfusion. Ryan's inspiring life and devastating death led Elton to two realizations: His own l...more

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Published July 17th 2012 by Little, Brown and Company (first published July 1st 2012)

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Mar 02, 2013 Sheila DeChantal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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In the 1980′s, in the heart of the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic, Elton John watched helplessly as friends too numerous to count, succumbed to this frightening illness. It wasn’t until he was in a waiting room one day and read an article on Ryan White, the young boy born a hemophiliac, who contracted AIDS through blood transfusions and then was attacked by the school district and parents of students who did not want him to return to school and put (as they thought at the time) their own child...more 1a6

In the 1980′s, in the heart of the outbreak of the AIDS epidemic, Elton John watched helplessly as friends too numerous to count, succumbed to this frightening illness. It wasn’t until he was in a waiting room one day and read an article on Ryan White, the young boy born a hemophiliac, who contracted AIDS through blood transfusions and then was attacked by the school district and parents of students who did not want him to return to school and put (as they thought at the time) their own children at risk of contacting AIDS.

Elton John was furious about the treatment of Ryan White. While working on cleaning up his own addiction to drugs at the time he conquered this and befriended White and his family. This began Elton Johns campaign to help others move beyond the stigma of AIDS.

Love is the Cure is about Elton’s work through The Elton John AIDS Foundation that has raised over $275 million dollars as of the date of this book to fight the disease worldwide. Impressively, Elton’s campaign has done wonders in third world countries where AIDS is extremely high due to rape, and unprotected sex.

I have huge compassion for people with AIDS. I am a part of a local camp that raises money for AIDS awareness and have met wonderful people through this. People that I am proud to call my friends.

When I seen Elton’s book I knew I had to listen to it to hear his thoughts on AIDS. For the most part, I liked what he said. It was interesting to listen to this audio, narrated (BRILLIANTLY) by him, as he talked about the early years of AIDS his lack of attentiveness, and to now all that is being done around the world and what has yet to be done.

Elton had and has powerful connections to Presidents, Musicians, and Actors. I was impressed to hear all that Bill Clinton has done in the war against AIDS. I was also saddened as Elton John talked about some of the brilliant people who lost that war, Freddie Mercury (QUEEN), Rock Hudson, Liberace, Anthony Perkins, Issac Asimov, Robert Reed, just to name very few…

Elton’s book is factual, and it is personal. I am always stunned by the numbers, 34 million people as of 2010 who has been reported as having AIDS, that number is in fact considerably greater as some states to this day do not report AIDS cases and many never seek treatment and go undiagnosed.

An eye-opening look at the battle that while not as talked about as it once was, is still being fought to this day.

For more of my reviews stop by: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/(less)

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Oct 06, 2012 Leanne Kinkopf rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: autobiographies-memoirs, non-fiction, current-events

Three stars is almost unfair. I would have enjoyed this book a lot more had it not been for a few tiny things that annoyed me throughout the book. Before I talk more about it, I'd like to say I am completely behind Elton John on everything in this book. The missing two stars does not represent the facts or the proposed solutions in this book--they are all spot on. With that settled...

Love is the Cure is part memoir, but mostly an essay on the history and current state of AIDS. The memoir bits ar

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Love is the Cure is part memoir, but mostly an essay on the history and current state of AIDS. The memoir bits are actually related to the essay bits, so it does not come across as an egotistical celebrity talking about himself instead of the issues at hand. For instance, the hands on treatment Elton John was given in rehab, and the compassionate way he was treated made him believe this was the best way to help anyone. The entire book is extremely personal--indeed that's the point of the book: to go beyond the statistics of HIV/AIDS and give real stories of real suffering. The effect is as intended--I was moved to tears, and was occasionally angered reading these individuals' stories. It really makes you feel connected.

Elton John is not a writer. I realize this. But the repetition in his writing really kept me from enjoying this book. "My dear friend," "dignity they deserve," "compassion," "As early as." The list goes on. "My dear friend" was almost always followed by a celebrity, and while I don't doubt he really is friends with many celebrities it seemed a bit name-droppy. "As early as" to me should imply that the following is the earliest date at which something could have happened. Elton John uses it obsessively to mean, "Wow, guys! Can you believe it happened this early?" The date is usually exact.

One small thing I really admired was that Elton John gives credit where credit is due. He admires the actions of men he really disagrees with on nearly every score--Republican Senators, corrupt foreign Presidents, U.S. President George W. Bush. He acknowledges their huge contributions to the fight against AIDS. Even pointing out the flaws of certain programs, like President Bush's abstinence only education, he appreciates the things that work.

I learnt a lot from this book. I thought I was fairly knowledgeable about AIDS--I wasn't. And even if you are, reading what is essentially a compilation of deeply personal, real stories of people living with HIV/AIDS will make you want to leap to action. I feel so much more connected to this cause than I did before, and I'm grateful for it. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is, as John explains, curable as long as we are willing to show kindness, love, and ignore the stigmatization of marginalized groups. Elton John is clearly very proud of his foundation, as he well should be. They're fighting to save lives, and that's a beautiful thing.

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Oct 03, 2012 Martin is currently reading it · review of another edition

The book talks about stigma and discrimination faced by certain group of people — like gays, drug users, rape victims. John enumerates with many personal poignant stories how for these people, being HIV-positive leads to double discrimination. He looks at HIV/AIDS work in many parts of the world, including USA, UK, Thailand, Haiti, South Africa, Ukraine and other countries; especially where his foundation works with local networks and partners. While the initial chapters portray a grim and hopel...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Debbie W rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Narrated by Elton John
4 stars

If you are looking for an autobiography of Elton’s eccentric life, you won’t find it here. What you will find is his personal drive on the war against AIDS. He does cover his personal love life with his partner, David, and their adopted son. He also discusses his former addictions and how his former life helped to instill his current values. Elton has suffered through the loss of several friends due to the AIDS epidemic, especially Ryan White. Once Ryan passed away,...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenges, audio, non-fiction, serious-subject-matter

Why I picked it up: Elton John wrote it. It was a guarantee that I was going to read it. And when I found out that he reads the audiobook, well, that’s like having him sit in my car with me for 5 hours!

The book starts with Elton conveying his friendship with Ryan White and how that friendship led Elton to rehab for alcohol, cocaine, and food addictions, plus bulimia. He then goes on to talk about starting his AIDS foundation, some of the organizations they have supported worldwide, and what he t...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Dominique rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read about this book at some library magazine or an online book review, don't remember exactly where. But, I was immediately determined to read it. I think what got my attention, while reading the book review, were the quotes from the book, that actually took me by surprise. I never knew Elton John was a bulimic and a drug addict. I mean, yes the majority of musicians, rock stars, celebrities have some connection to drugs or alcohol, but for some reason I never knew that about Elton John. Mayb...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Kathleen Hagen added it · review of another edition

Love is the Cure: on Life, Loss, and the end of AIDS, by Elton John, narrated by Elton John, produced by Hachette Audio, downloaded from audible.com.

Elton John gives us a candid look at his life full of cocaine and booze from 1974 until 1990. In that time period, he meets Ryan White and befriends him and his mother through Ryan’s harassment in Kokomo, Indiana where he contracts AIDS through a blood transfusion, and is treated badly by the town due to fear about, and misunderstanding of, AIDS in...more

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Jul 17, 2012 Robert rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A very moving account of events in Elton's life which sparked his work with HIV/AIDS and eventually the creation of the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF). This is not an auto-biography, but rather a memoir which focuses on Elton's AIDS work.

He begins with the story of Ryan White, the boy who inspired him to get sober and to take up the cause of HIV/AIDS. Also included are stories of Freddie Mercury, Elizabeth Taylor, and many others who have inspired his work as well as encounters with Presiden...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2012

Excellent but heartbreaking. Elton John talks about what changed his life around and sparked his Internet in the fight against AIDS. I was only five years old when AIDS was first discovered but for the 80's there was no help from the government, no research being done and anyone who had HIV was afraid to get treatment. Hospitals didn't want to touch AIDS patients and no one understood the disease.

He talks about how so many friends died a tragic death. His involvement in Ryan White's life is what...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Victoria Noe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was not the book I thought it would be. It's better.

You won't find a lot of salacious detail about his wild lifestyle in the 70s and 80s. What you will learn is how he conquered his addictions - alcohol, drugs, sex, food - and managed to remain HIV-negative.

And you'll see how he lives his life every day to honor the memory of his friend, Ryan White, the young boy from Indiana who contracted the AIDS virus through contaminated blood. Elton John's journey is dramatic and heartfelt - a life de...more

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Nov 11, 2012 LA Carlson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: non-fiction

One of the things most evident in reading this book is Elton John's humility. This is the story of how he came to fight for the cause of AIDS and it's not his memoir. Many of us are familiar with Ryan White, Elizabeth Glaser, Princess Diana and Elizabeth Taylor who have been the public face to raise awareness of AIDS. John shares a bit of where he was when the AIDS epidemic was front and center; he was anything but living in reality. However, the real story here is what he has done to raise awar...more

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Jul 26, 2012 Lesa Parnham rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-books-read

I am 50 years old and have loved, admired and been in awe of Elton John since I was in 6th grade. If I see an Elton album I buy it without even hearing, The same was true with this book The only reason why I didn't give this book a 5 is that it was apparent that someone in the foundation wrote the parts that contained precise statistics. (It was also hard to swallow the part about George W., but hey, money for HIV/AIDS research is good no matter where it comes from). The parts that were obviousl...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I recommend this book for almost all of us. I believe(d) that I keep up with the AIDS crisis - treatments, advances, etc..but there was a lot I didn't know. For people looking for a biography of Elton John - that really isn't want the book is about --- it is much more about Ej's personal journey from being an addict and really not caring much about his well-being, to one of being clean, appreciating all he has and figuring out how to "give back." He is very proud of his organization and the work...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Judith by: Peter

With the death of Ryan White, a young Indiana boy who was shunned by his town and his school because he had HIV caused by a blood transfusion, Elton John turned his life around. He realized after Ryan's death, his own life was a mess. He has dedicated himself to the research and overcoming the stigma of the dreaded disease, AIDS. This book is Elton's personal account of his life during the AIDS epidemic.
He tells the story of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the emotional force it has taken on...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Carey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I first chose to read this book just because it was written by Elton John (a fav musician in my younger years), and I wanted to hear what he had to say. I'm glad I read this informative, eye-opening account of his work with HIV/AIDS. He doesn't call himself an authority on the subject; however, I would.

The book begins with John's account of the Ryan White story, which I remembered from the early 80's. Ryan was a hemophiliac who at age 13 was diagnosed with AIDS caused from a blood transfusion....more

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May 15, 2013 Molly Mccarty rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not to be confused with a comprehensive autobiography of a famous man, this book details Elton John's mission to alieviate the suffering, both stigmatism and physical, of individuals with AIDs.
He is a celebrity, who came to the cause involved with drugs that he carried over from the 70s. He meets a young, early AIDs patient, Ryan White, and is propelled to take on the mantle of responsibility that someone in the world's limelight can do.
We hear, then, of Elton John's self development as an adv...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads-didn-t-win, nonfiction

Love is the Cure is very well written and Elton John seems to have done his research. A huge focus of this book is on the fact that HIV/AIDS has such a huge stigma attached to it that those with the disease often don't get any treatment. Most of the people who contract the disease are on the fringes of society - meaning they are not always regarded as equal (i.e. gays, prostitutes, injection drug users). In many places because of this social standing, these people are considered to be deserving...more Love is the Cure is very well written and Elton John seems to have done his research. A huge focus of this book is on the fact that HIV/AIDS has such a huge stigma attached to it that those with the disease often don't get any treatment. Most of the people who contract the disease are on the fringes of society - meaning they are not always regarded as equal (i.e. gays, prostitutes, injection drug users). In many places because of this social standing, these people are considered to be deserving of their illness. Elton John's point of view is that if everyone stops being so hateful and instead treats everyone with the same respect, AIDS will come to an end. Everyone will get access to the same necessary treatments and preventative measures and will no longer be forced to hide in shame. He proposes that through love the pandemic can end.

I actually learned an extensive amount about the disease while reading this. He's right. HIV/AIDS is something that is basically shoved into the closet and not talked about. I honestly didn't know half of the statistics, including the fact that one of the worst city-wide epidemics in the western hemisphere is in Washington, D.C. The only sort of formal education I've received in school regarding HIV/AIDS was in the 10th grade health class at my school. We had a section on STDs and had to have parental consent to attend those weeks of class due to the fact that HIV/AIDS is primarily associated with gay men. Unfortunately, due to this kind of thinking people like Ryan White have had to (and still do) suffer through the stigma of having the illness.

I am very impressed with the amount of effort Elton John put into this book. He's obviously done his research, which is critical for gaining all of the support he has for his organization EJAF. Citations are provided for each fact to prove that he's not making anything up. Usually, in my opinion, memoirs of celebrities written by those celebrities are trivial and inconsequential. They might be fun and allow a peek inside the hidden lives of the stars but they're not usually intellectual or life changing. This is. Love is the Cure is one of the best nonfiction pieces I've read in a long time. Elton John has just blown my mind away.(less)

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Nov 15, 2012 William rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought it was good but not great. He retells the stories of his life namely how Ryan White had such a profound impact on his life and soberiety. While Elton John is not a writer by profession I probably shouldn't judge this book too harshly. He's done some amazing things in the fight against AIDS and for that he should be commended. I finished the book in two days. Its alternatively depressing being reminded how our governments lack of response is to blame for the AIDS virus being spread so q...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Elisha (lishie) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I ADORE Elton, he can do no wrong... as is highlighted by this book, a personal account of why he became a ardent supporter of AIDS charity work. I knew this story well, but rereading it brought back memories & revived my feelings for helping to find a cure, & helping those who are suffering...
I was honored & blessed to meet Ryan White as well... And to have worked with Elton.
Elton: "As a child I loved Bible stories full of hope. To this day, while I do not practise any religion, I a...more

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Oct 28, 2012 Manisha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really love Elton John and what a huge activist he is for AIDS. I wasn't crazy about his writing style but love the passion and dedication he has to this cause and how knowledgeable he is on it. I also loved all the little vignettes about his own life and the lives of people that he was touched by. I would give it a 3.5ish (for mostly the repetitive writing) but because it is Elton John and how gloriously great he is, and how he doesn't really need to do anything if he doesn't want to, I have...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Marnie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

I love Sir Elton. I spent countless hours spinning his albums on my stereo back in the day, and his songs are the backdrop for most of the pivotal moments of my youth. I want to love anything he does, and I admire him so much for what he has done with his life over the past 20 years. Everyone has a right to their opinions and passions, and he's right to point out how the world at large badly bungled the first two decades of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. I do wish, however, he would have found more bala...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Britta rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Anyone who truly knows me could figure out that I would read this book the moment I saw it. I would have given one more star if it wasn't so statistic laden, but when talking about AIDS that is something that has to be put on paper and yet it's still mind boggling. I learned a lot in the reading about Elton, world views on AIDS, and how compassion is the key in healing on a personal and global scale. It was only a day after I read an article on the epidemic of AIDS in rural China due to poor pra...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2012

Part memoir of Elton John's recent years and part education about the AIDS epidemic, this book is a winner. EJ's passion for the topic comes through as he narrates the audio version. He tells us of his drug-adled days, his time with Ryan White, and his decision to set up the Elton John AIDS Foundation. There are funny stories and tales of tragedy, of surprising allies in the U.S. government (despite which side of the aisle they are on) and astonishing actions by some agencies and governments tha...more

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May 23, 2013 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book for three reasons. For one, while yes, Elton John is certainly not much of a writer, that is partly what makes this book so great. His simplistic style of writing makes this memoir incredibly accessible to all readers, no matter their age or level of education. The second, Elton uses a perfect balance of statistics and personal accounts to reveal the severity and urgency of the HIV/AIDs pandemic. This helps to effectively get his message across and inspire readers to do somethi...more

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Aug 22, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-stars-or-more

Even with the myriad facts and figures this book isn't overwhelming. The personal experience stories about Elton's life and his friends/family are fascinating. To be honest the things that kept me reading were the almost incomprehensible things I was learning, both about AIDS and about what countries around the world are doing, or not doing. For example, the fact that Washington DC has One of the fastest growing AIDS populations is wholly disturbing to me. I thought I knew a lot about the epide...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Janet rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I like Elton John, and he does express himself well. The first chapter was interesting and outlined the downward spiral of his life and the impact that Ryan White(The boy who contracted AIDS via a blood product) had on turning his life around and inspiring him to advocate for those suffering from HIV and AIDS. Beyond the first chapter the author droned on and on about his various foundations, with lots of name dropping in between.

Recommendation: Save your money. The book is boring.

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Jul 31, 2012 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads and I am extremely glad that I did! It was truly inspirational to read. Elton John writes as if he is talking through the page and into your ear as if he was right next to you! It was very interesting with many facts about AIDS, the history, and about his life. He is open in this book about some personal aspects of his life and you definitely learn a lot reading it not only about him but about HIV/AIDS. I really enjoyed this book.

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Sep 30, 2012 Pamela Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I picked this book up thinking it was an autobiography. You won't find that here. It's about Elton John's fight against Aids. It starts out wonderfully with how he became friends with Ryan White. This is a book with a lot of facts and numbers in it. I did my best to read through the whole book and pieces of it were remarkable to read. I am glad to have picked it up even though it's not what I expected. I feel I have learned valuable information in reading it and that's what was intended.

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Dec 26, 2012 Lee Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, audio-book, from-library, nonfiction

Elton John talks about his life, his foundation and the work they are doing to relieve the suffering from AIDS. Love and treating all people with dignity, removing the stigma and getting monies to erraticate the disease. We have to move past the fears and misinformation and use compassion to end this senseless holocast. A lot of redundancy in the book, but the stories are interesting and it is worth them time.

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Sep 05, 2012 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm don't usually read biographies but I'm a huge fan of Elton John's. He had me crying by page 24. There were a lot of statistics some of which I was truly shocked by but most of all I enjoyed hearing the story of how he became such a passionate advocate for AIDS/HIV and his opinion on what it would take to rid the world of AIDS. Definitely worth reading and doesn't take long.

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About Elton John

Sir Elton Hercules John CBE (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight) is an English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist.

In his four-decade career, John has been one of the dominant forces in rock and popular music, especially during the 1970s. He has sold more than 250 million albums and over one hundred million singles, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. He has more than 50 Top 40...more

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