‘The Great Believers’ : An epic tale by two narrators on the effects of the AIDS crisis

I would like to begin by thanking Bill Schafer for allowing me to share all the great items and programs the Library District offers to the LGBTQ+ community. I would also like to congratulate Rob Schlegel for jumping back into the publishing fi eld and thank him for allowing me to continue to write for the Las Vegas Spectrum.

“The Great Believers” by Rebecca Makkai as narrated by Michael Crouch – This is an epic tale told by two narrators, Yale and Fiona. Yale’s tale takes place in Chicago in the 1980s at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. And, Fiona’s story takes place in Paris in the 2010s. These are two fascinating stories that at first seem to have little in common, but both describe the effects of the AIDS crisis. Yale’s life is filled with funerals and loss, including Nico, Fiona’s brother. Yale is also trying to acquire an art collection from Fiona’s aunt, which provides some great stories. Fiona is a survivor of the AIDS crisis. She did not have the disease but she spent much of her early life caring for those who did, putting her life on hold to do so. Makkai is a great writer and her book is up for numerous awards. She shows the effects of the AIDS crisis both short term and long term. “The Great Believers” is available in many formats, but remember to have a tissue handy.

These materials and events, and thousands more like them, can be accessed through www.lvccld.org with a valid library card and pin number. If you need a library card, simply stop by your local branch and present a valid, government-issued, picture ID or apply online. I would love to hear from you! Please send your feedback and ideas for this column to ClonanS@ LVCCLD.org.

Scott Clonan, Branch Manager, Sunrise Library