effective at preventing AIDS at the level of an individual

effective at preventing AIDS at the level of an individual. Obviously we can infer that being a member of any of the higher-risk groups should be avoided, but this is nowhere really spelled out not even commented upon. This might due to the fact that this book is more aimed at describing AIDS as a phenomenon, rather than influencing individual behavior, but on the other hand the author is quick to pass judgment on governments and other groups for their approach to the problem of AIDS.
* The author shows clear bias in favor of some AIDS-prevention programs and measures and in opposition to others, but at no point in this book are we given any justification (quantitative or otherwise) for this particular set of attitudes. Many of these attitudes expressed by the author have been promoted extensively in the media, and most of them do make sense, but it would have been useful in a book like this one to be more precise and give a justification for those attitudes that goes beyond what some interest group may be advocating.
* My background is in natural science, and I would have liked if more room had been given to the scientific description of the HIV virus itself - its shape, form, what makes it so virulent, and why have all attempts at creating a successful vaccine failed so far. Even in a very short introduction aimed at the general audience more scientific information would have been useful.
* The book oftentimes swerves outside of the core topic of AIDS, often offering opinions on topics such as climate change, sustainability, sexuality, big-government programs, etc. In some of these cases there is some tangential relationship to AIDS, but more often than not one gets an impression that these are just some of the author's pet concerns and he was unable to resist the urge to put them in.
Despite its many shortcomings, this is still a very informative and important book and a useful first resource in understanding of the global AIDS epidemic.