This engaging and vivid book investigates the course of the HIV epidemic in seven countries of Southeast Asia: Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam and China's Yunnan Province. Emphasizing the impact of the cultural and political landscapes of these countries on the progress of the disease, the book is the product of both working and travelling in the area. Not merely a commentary on obfuscating government statistics, the author draws upon his encounters with people dealing with the effects of the epidemic and opponents of the regimes of the countries he describes. The epidemic is seen as being vitally linked to the general condition of human rights in the societies. Both passionate and well-informed, this book is a labour of love that discusses the HIV epidemic while giving an intimate, and ultimately celebratory account of South East Asia and asserting the real possibility for affirmative action.