Taking Turns is a graphic novel that explores HIV/AIDS Care Unit 371 at the Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago during the peak of the AIDS epidemic. Through archival records, oral histories, and MK Czerwiec’s first-hand experiences as a nurse on the ward, the novel sheds light on the challenges and resilience of the community during this critical period. With simple illustrations and a practical four-panel format, “Taking Turns” delivers a direct and accessible narrative, offering readers an opportunity to not only absorb the history easily, but prompting empathetic reflection for each member of the community – patients, families, and medical staff. This novel could provoke discussions about caregiver narratives, and the efficacy of graphic novels in communicating narrative.
Access
Details
Language: English
Type of Story: Book
Medium: image and written
Contributed by: Emily Larabee
Citation:
Czerwiec, M. K. (2017). Taking turns: Stories from HIV/AIDS care unit 371. Penn State University Press.