O'Brien describes the coping strategies that long-term survivors of HIV employ to promote positive quality of life. She also explores the impact of the virus on family members, friends, and caregivers; their strategies for dealing with HIV are identified as well. This book has two unique features. First, the creative coping strategies developed to deal with HIV are explored primarily through the words of those living and/or working with the virus. O'Brien utilized more than 350 hours of tape-recorded interviews to glean the insightful and poignant anecdotes which describe their walk with HIV. Second, the HIV-positive individuals described are long-term survivors of the virus. Although that population consists primarily of gay men, the case is made that they are the first group of people with HIV to experience long-term survival; thus, their coping strategies and those of the people close to them provide a model for others moving into the survivor category. An important resource for nurses, social workers, chaplains, others in fields working with HIV/AIDs patients, and their families and friends.

The Recipient’s Son is a coming-of-age story set at the US Naval Academy in the 1990s. By the author of Proximity, it tells the story of Donald Durago, a young man whose father was killed in the Vietnam War. For his heroic actions under fire, his father was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. His father’s heroism also provides Durago with an appointment to the US Naval Academy, since it is as a benefit offered to children of Medal of Honor recipients. However, his father’s legacy also carries with it the burden of being worthy of his bravery, honor, and sacrifice. Durago struggles through his plebe year, and his poor performance leads to restriction over Christmas leave. During this time, Master Chief Strong helps the young midshipman learn to identify with his father’s sacrifice, his naval heritage, and the challenges of academy life. Under his guidance, Durago grows into a model midshipman. In the spring of his senior year, however, he is accused of harassment. Concerned that he will be kicked out of the academy, Durago is forced to realize that he has not completely dealt with his father’s death, including nightmares of being a POW during times of stress. He leans on his roommate, James “Slim” Warren, and his budding relationship with JAG officer Lieutenant Junior Grade Jan Meyer. The Recipient’s Son highlights all the major facets and phases of life at the US Naval Academy. Equally important, it forces the reader to consider questions about leadership, concepts of honor, and the balance between service and personal sacrifice. It is a story of a young naval officer’s coming to terms with his legacy as the son of a celebrated war hero. The Recipient’s Son is a stirring tale of a young man coming to grips with the heroism of his father and overcoming his self-doubts to accept the challenge of serving his country on his own terms.

Incident Command: Tales From the Hot Seat presents a unique examination of the skills of the on-scene or incident commander who is in charge of an emergency or major incident. Experienced commanders from the police and fire services, the armed forces, civil aviation and the prison service give personal accounts of their command experiences, discuss their dilemmas and the pressures they faced, and reveal the demands of leading under extreme conditions. They share intimate details of cases where their command skills were tested, ranging from industrial fires, riots, hostage taking, warfare, peacekeeping, to in-flight emergencies. Each case ends with lessons learnt and tips for the developing commander. Additional chapters present expert accounts of the art of incident command, incident command systems, competencies for command, as well as reviews of the latest psychological research into decision making and team work under pressure. The book is an essential compelling text that captures the essence of incident command by analyzing command experiences across a range of professions.