--- product_id: 221233 title: "Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir" price: "€ 32.46" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.gr/products/221233-borrowed-time-an-aids-memoir store_origin: GR region: Greece --- # Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir **Price:** € 32.46 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir - **How much does it cost?** € 32.46 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.gr](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/221233-borrowed-time-an-aids-memoir) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir [Monette, Paul] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir Review: Incredibly powerful memoir - Shattering, engrossing, pointillistic memoir. A glimpse back in time, re-creating the fear and overwhelming terror that was AIDS in the 1980s. Monette is a brilliant writer. Beyond the evocative and moving depictions of caring for his soulmate, he also offers a glimpse into a world now quite unimaginable except in memoir. By this I mean not only the experiences of a youngish people utterly devastated by a then-incurable disease, but also the erudite world of gay men in the 1980s. Not to generalize too much (there were plenty of airheads then too), but it was more common then for gay men, like Monette and his circle, to pride themselves for their role as culture-bearers, and by that I don't mean "culture" as in Taylor Swift. It's difficult to describe in full, until you read it, the time capsule this memoir opens up. It's written with a brutal honesty that was rare for a gay memoir of the era, with an unflinching and unapologetic look into the intricacies of gay relationships, which didn't then and don't know automatically play by the same rules as the heterosexual majority. As someone who was a teenager in 1980s California, and who was tangentially connected to one of the characters (long dead) in this book, I had a feeling of sense-memory opening up that I don't think I can adequately convey. Somehow I didn't read this book until 2022, but it brought me back to 1985 and 1986 so vividly. All I can say is read this memoir. It's incredibly sad, but such a worthwhile experience to understand what it was like to live in a time and under a cloud that younger gay men really can't fully comprehend. Reading this memoir is but one small step into comprehension. Review: beautiful and so heartbreaking - This was a beautiful and heartbreaking memoir by Paul Monette, about the diagnosis and death of his lover, Roger Horwitz, of AIDS in the mid 80’s. Given the subject matter, of course this is a sad story, but it’s also a story of hope and complete, all encompassing love. Paul starts the story during the good days for him and Roger, right before AIDS became an epidemic. These early chapters show them with dear friends and traveling, living a beautiful life together. Once both men came out, they refused to be closeted, and after a few hiccups became not only accepted but celebrated by their families. Paul writes about the AIDS virus forcing people to come out again, a concept I’d never thought of. When so many had finally come out as gay, now they had to decide how and when to come out as being infected. Paul was absolutely dedicated to Roger and his health, watching him get sick and get better in several cycles over 18 months until his death. He’s very raw about his emotions, admitting to being angry, depressed, anxious, and optimistic to a degree of fantasy. He spoke candidly about not being able to imagine life without Roger, and how scared he became every time things got worse. My heart broke for both of them, especially knowing that Paul himself died of AIDS about a decade after Roger did. This is a very realist story of what it’s like to watch a loved one go through a terminal illness. Though this book is very sad, it’s not all doom. There are some very stunning moments between Paul and Roger. I think this is a really important story, and many will relate to Paul’s experience. Rest in Peace Paul and Roger, and thank you for putting this story into the world ❤️ ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #200,508 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #103 in LGBTQ+ Demographic Studies #133 in LGBTQ+ Biographies (Books) #5,989 in Memoirs (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 451 Reviews | ## Images ![Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91MWKb7x6WL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Incredibly powerful memoir *by R***6 on October 25, 2022* Shattering, engrossing, pointillistic memoir. A glimpse back in time, re-creating the fear and overwhelming terror that was AIDS in the 1980s. Monette is a brilliant writer. Beyond the evocative and moving depictions of caring for his soulmate, he also offers a glimpse into a world now quite unimaginable except in memoir. By this I mean not only the experiences of a youngish people utterly devastated by a then-incurable disease, but also the erudite world of gay men in the 1980s. Not to generalize too much (there were plenty of airheads then too), but it was more common then for gay men, like Monette and his circle, to pride themselves for their role as culture-bearers, and by that I don't mean "culture" as in Taylor Swift. It's difficult to describe in full, until you read it, the time capsule this memoir opens up. It's written with a brutal honesty that was rare for a gay memoir of the era, with an unflinching and unapologetic look into the intricacies of gay relationships, which didn't then and don't know automatically play by the same rules as the heterosexual majority. As someone who was a teenager in 1980s California, and who was tangentially connected to one of the characters (long dead) in this book, I had a feeling of sense-memory opening up that I don't think I can adequately convey. Somehow I didn't read this book until 2022, but it brought me back to 1985 and 1986 so vividly. All I can say is read this memoir. It's incredibly sad, but such a worthwhile experience to understand what it was like to live in a time and under a cloud that younger gay men really can't fully comprehend. Reading this memoir is but one small step into comprehension. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ beautiful and so heartbreaking *by T***S on November 24, 2024* This was a beautiful and heartbreaking memoir by Paul Monette, about the diagnosis and death of his lover, Roger Horwitz, of AIDS in the mid 80’s. Given the subject matter, of course this is a sad story, but it’s also a story of hope and complete, all encompassing love. Paul starts the story during the good days for him and Roger, right before AIDS became an epidemic. These early chapters show them with dear friends and traveling, living a beautiful life together. Once both men came out, they refused to be closeted, and after a few hiccups became not only accepted but celebrated by their families. Paul writes about the AIDS virus forcing people to come out again, a concept I’d never thought of. When so many had finally come out as gay, now they had to decide how and when to come out as being infected. Paul was absolutely dedicated to Roger and his health, watching him get sick and get better in several cycles over 18 months until his death. He’s very raw about his emotions, admitting to being angry, depressed, anxious, and optimistic to a degree of fantasy. He spoke candidly about not being able to imagine life without Roger, and how scared he became every time things got worse. My heart broke for both of them, especially knowing that Paul himself died of AIDS about a decade after Roger did. This is a very realist story of what it’s like to watch a loved one go through a terminal illness. Though this book is very sad, it’s not all doom. There are some very stunning moments between Paul and Roger. I think this is a really important story, and many will relate to Paul’s experience. Rest in Peace Paul and Roger, and thank you for putting this story into the world ❤️ ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We Can Never Pay Back the Time We Borrow... *by T***R on June 16, 2017* I bought Borrowed Time: An AIDS Memoir by Monette because it was recommended by a class on AIDS I was taking as research for a book I'm writing. I thought the book might help me better understand the AIDS patient and even AIDS itself. Monette tells a story that is a heartbreaking mix of love, family, and loss. Not just the loss of his life partner but loss of a way of being in the world. He demonstrates eloquently the devastation fear wreaks when knowledge is minimal while showing the immense power of love to hold people together. At times, Monette's self-deprecation felt a bit too much, but it showed a glimpse into how insecurities can push us to both our best and our worst. He talked with graphic detail about the physical havoc AIDS brought not only to the bodies of those who suffer with it but to the lives and the communities where AIDS became such an accepted part of life that people talked about when instead of if. Monette talks about his and the gay community's resentment of people's ignorance and particularly their determination to remain ignorant. His love for his life partner, Roger Horwitz, is palpable throughout the book. I felt almost like an interloper in their lives in some of the more intimate portions of the book. Monette writes in a way that had me wishing for Roger to be saved even though I knew before I even began the book that was impossible. Near the end, I also found myself longing for Roger's suffering to end even though the end of that suffering meant death. Monette's description of full-blown AIDS and the suffering of not only Roger but their friends broke my heart and made me determined to support death with dignity laws. Monette downplays his own diagnosis of AIDS throughout the book. Roger is his focus because Roger is the one who is in crisis. I felt Monette's grief throughout the pages. I felt the secrecy in place to try to protect those who could offer support. I felt the love these two men shared. I felt the openness of love and compassion coupled with the anger and despair at a system not moving quickly enough to make a difference in lives. Borrowed Time is a reminder that no matter who we are, how we live our lives, or who we love, the time we have is only borrowed and it will be taken away at some point... --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.gr/products/221233-borrowed-time-an-aids-memoir](https://www.desertcart.gr/products/221233-borrowed-time-an-aids-memoir) --- *Product available on Desertcart Greece* *Store origin: GR* *Last updated: 2026-06-04*