GLR September-October 2023

theworld. Shapiro admits that a radio story is ephemeral, broadcast on the air and then gone. A book, on the other hand, is more en during and requires probing reflection to have a lasting impact on readers. Whatever it may lack in reflection, this book will be read because of the inspiring story it tells about its articu late, accomplished, and, yes, enviable author. ____________________________________________________ Daniel Burr, who lives in Covington, Kentucky, is a frequent contrib utor to this magazine.

Strange Meeting, Thanksgiving, 1983

It ’ s only a phase, my first boyfriend said But weeks later in New York, double-parked You describe how you came of age unmarked By fear, me not knowing what placards meant Around Sheridan Square, near the Stonewall Tavern, or signing petitions I should Have read, or owning why many men would And had already died, tables of stalled Mouthy activists looked past as you lock Your car and we climb up six flights of stairs To my unmade, twin-sized bed where you hold And suck me off, my dormmate either shocked Or sleeping, my schooling as laissez-faire Men to bag before I could be as bold.

Intrigue at AIDS, Inc.

W ILLIAM B URTON

DEATH IN THE SAUNA by Dennis Altman Clouds of Magellan Press. 229 pages, $20.99

I N 1982, Australian activist and academic Dennis Altman published a widely read book of nonfiction titled The Ho mosexualization of America: The Americanization of the Ho mosexual , one of several works of nonfiction that have covered aspects of the worldwide LGBT rights movement and other top ics (including his Homosexual: Oppression and Liberation in 1993and QueerWars in 2016). With the publication of Death in theSauna , Altman has delved into fiction with a murder mystery that calls upon his expertise in HIV research, gender, and sexu ality, creating a story of murder, deception, rivalry, and greed. The novel opens as a major international AIDS conference is about to take place in London, but on the eve of its opening day, the conference chair, Pomfrey Lister, is found dead in a gay sauna. Lister, a closeted gay man, was also the founder and pres ident of the Global AIDS Trust, which is sponsoring the con ference. When a sauna attendant is cleaning out the cubicles, he discovers the body and immediately calls his boss, the owner, Joe Tripaldi, who recognizes the dead man and, finding no phys ical signs of violence and not knowing the cause of death, dis misses the attendant. He then calls Spencer Carson, who was Lister ’ s partner in organizing the conference, to come help him deal with the body. The death has to be reported, but Carson wants to avoid any scandal that could affect the conference or cause any un necessary distress to Lister ’ s wife, Mary. Carson calls Mary Lister and informs her of the shocking discovery that her hus band had been found dead in a gay sauna. He proposes that to avoid any scandal, it would be best if the body were brought home and cardiac arrest listed as the cause of death. Dr. Ale jandro Herrera, a trusted research partner of Lister, becomes complicit in the coverup when he agrees to sign the doctored death certificate. Upon hearing the news of his death, Lister ’ s faithful assis tant Sylvie and his newly acquired secret lover Noel immedi ately become suspicious of the reasons put forth for Lister ’ s death. The two conspire to find out what really happened. As Sylvie and Noel search for answers, they encounter a world of

J OHN B ARTON

deception and slowly uncover the truth that Lister was mur dered. But how, and by whom? Their list of possible suspects grows ever longer, taking us into the rivalry between Lister and Herrera, each on a different path to discovering a vaccine for AIDS, the unusual ties between the Global Trust and the gay sauna, and the rivalry for the leadership of the Trust between Mary, Carson, and others. Death in the Sauna exposes the political, financial, and in ternational world of AIDS research, showing that not all such organizations are as altruistic as they appear: greed and cor ruption rear their ugly heads. It also brings to light the homo phobic forces working against these organizations, which force men like Lister to remain in the closet to keep the funding flowing. Altman has written a well-grounded narrative, delivering in teresting plot twists and motivations for each of the major char acters. However, he fails to create a high-stakes drama by not delivering enough tension and danger as the story moves along. This is especially true of Sylvie and Noel. Altman doesn ’ t pro vide reasons for us to care about them or what they stand to gain or lose in their search for answers to the murder of Lister. Nev ertheless, the novel engagingly explores how, even in the world of AIDS research, capitalism can spawn greed and a quest for power, exacerbating the imbalances already inherent in our healthcare system. However lofty an organization ’ s or its mem bers ’ ideals may be, they can be distorted and diminished by an intolerant and selfish world. ____________________________________________________ William Burton is a regular G&LR contributor who ’ s based in Jensen Beach, FL.

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