The Naked Truth: Young, Beautiful, and (Hiv) Positive

The surprisingly hopeful story of how a straight, nonpromiscuous, everyday girl contracted HIV and how she manages to stay upbeat, inspired, and more positive about life than ever before

At nineteen years of age, Marvelyn Brown was lying in a stark white hospital bed at Tennessee Christian Medical Center, feeling hopeless. A former top track and basketball athlete, she was in the best shape of her life, but she was battling a sudden illness in the intensive care unit. Doctors had no idea what was going on. It never occurred to Brown that she might be HIV positive.

Having unprotected sex with her Prince Charming had set into swift motion a set of circumstances that not only landed her in the fight of her life, but also alienated her from her community. Rather than give up, however, Brown found a reason to fight and a reason to live.

The Naked Truth is an inspirational memoir that shares how an everyday teen refused to give up on herself, even as others would forsake her. More, it's a cautionary tale that every parent, guidance counselor, and young adult should read.

Marvelyn Brown is a native Tennessean who works with numerous HIV/AIDS outreach groups. She has extensive radio and television experience, including appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, MTV, BET, and The Tavis Smiley Show. She's also appeared in Newsweek, Ebony, and Real Health magazines. Her public-service announcement for Think MTV won an Emmy Award. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Courtney E. Martin is a writer, teacher, and speaker based in Brooklyn. She is the author of Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, The American Prospect, and the Christian Science Monitor, among other national publications, and she is a blogger for Feministing.com.