HIV Law: A Survival Guide to the Legal System for People Living with HIV.

By Paul Hampton Crockett (Crown, $12.95)

Nearly 1 million Americans are HIV-positive. Because the disease crosses so many demographic boundaries, its victims differ in profound ways. But they face the same complicated and troubling legal questions. Paul Hampton Crockett, a lawyer with HIV, provides the answers in his easy-to-understand guidebook HIV Law.

Surprisingly few books have as their primary focus the legal system as it concerns people with HIV, and Crockett's entry may be the most effective so far. He never resorts to bewildering legalese; instead, he concentrates on simple legal strategies and solutions.

HIV Law covers a lot of medical, legal, and psychological ground, simplifying the merry-go-round ride through a legal system that can often complicate an HIV diagnosis. Crockett takes on such issues as guardianship, how and when to name a health care proxy, and the vagaries of "do not resuscitate" orders. His appendixes alone are worth the cover price: They Include a glossary of terms, a primer on legal representation, and a national resource list.

Crockett writes that most of the examples he cites here are the real-life experiences of people in his life and confesses that the death of his lover from AIDS complications was his inspiration for writing the book. His sympathetic, human approach to all this daunting information makes HIV Law an accessible text that's not only informative but also empowering.