Never Silent

Never Silent is a gorgeous book, or rather it's several gorgeous books all at once. It's the clear-eyed, at times shockingly honest, very funny, wildly sexy, and enormously moving memoir of one of the most important activists of our times. It's an incisive, precise, and revelatory insider's history of ACT UP and of the protean role the group played in reframing the global medical, social, and political response to AIDS. And, with his remarkable combination of radical daring, intellectual rigor and an ethically grounded pragmatism; with his capacity for joy, even in the midst of tragedy; with his breathtaking confidence that justice will come for those who fight for it, Peter Staley has written an electrifying primer for anyone who's thinking/worrying/wondering about how to change/save the world. --Tony Kushner, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Angels in America Never Silent is a reminder of the power of organizing to create change, a testament to fighting for what you know to be true even when you might stand alone, and a story that will inspire future activists to keep bending that moral arc toward justice. Staley's journey within a life-saving movement is simply a must-read. --DeRay Mckesson, cofounder of Campaign Zero and author of On the Other Side of Freedom For decades, Peter Staley's name has been synonymous with brave, determined activism on behalf of the LGBTQ community. Now, for the first time, he's telling the story of his journey from closeted Wall Street bond trader to political powerhouse. Whether you're looking for a front-row seat to history, a greater understanding of how change happens in America, or simply a book that's so candid, funny, and inspiring you won't be able to put it down, Never Silent is a timely must-read. --Hillary Rodham Clinton Forty years after the onset of the pandemic, Peter Staley's book is an important addition to the growing canon of AIDS memoirs. As a veteran organizer of many protests over the decades, I particularly enjoyed learning the intricate back stories of some of ACT UP New York's most celebrated and controversial exploits. From civil disobedience with radical activists to private dinners with the nation's leading HIV researchers and scientists, Peter shares remarkable memories from his bold, complicated, and passionate life. --Cleve Jones, author of When We Rise: My Life in the Movement In this moving and compassionate book, one of the heroes of our recent history looks back on the brilliant brashness of his youth with a wisdom won through unexpected survival. Gay men of my generation owe ACT UP our lives; with his riveting memoir, Peter Staley offers a vital account of how activism transformed fear, desperation, and rage into power. --Garth Greenwell, author of Cleanness and What Belongs to You