Overview

At age 28, Martina Clark was told she had HIV and five years to live. With a sense nothing to lose, she dove into activism and, unexpectedly, fell into an international career starting as the first openly HIV-positive person to work for UNAIDS. A mix of personal memoir, travel, humor and an up-close look at the squishy underbelly of the United Nations, My Unexpected Life follows her personal journey-emotional and physical-interwoven with her professional path. From diagnosis to starting treatment, surviving an abusive marriage and fostering a teenage daughter, Martina's memoir adds an insider's view to the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Throughout, she draws parallels to the COVID pandemic, reflecting on her experiences as she journeys through life with an incurable illness, a well-stamped passport, and a stubborn determination that keeps her alive to bear witness to the human condition.

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9781950668113

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I've read several HIV/AIDS-related memoirs over the years, but this is the first time I've ever seen an inside day-to-day account of an activist's work -- with the UN, no less! It's a terrific read. -- Hank Trout, Senior Editor, A&U: America's AIDS Magazine Martina Clark defied the odds and became a worldwide champion for those who struggle against the stigma of HIV. Her memoir, My Unexpected Life, arrives during an equally lethal pandemic, and offers incisive storytelling, the often-overlooked history of women with HIV, and a refreshing dose of hope. - Martin J. Smith, author Going to Trinidad: A Doctor, a Colorado Town, and Stories from an Unlikely Gender Crossroads What's not to like about a book that features a wooden penis and a silicone vagina? - Patty Marx, staff writer, THE NEW YORKER Sprinting between past and present, Martina Clark takes us on a fascinating journey that begins with her unexpected diagnosis of HIV and ends with her encounter with Covid. We travel around the globe on the wings of a United Nations AIDS program and at the same time we are offered rich insights into Martina's emotional world, her insecurities and her need of being accepted. This is a story of incredible resilience told with humor and profound sensitivity. - Susan Mailer, author of IN ANOTHER PLACE

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