Joanne, my hard cover muse, lends me books that win prizes (or almost win.) Veronica by Mary Gaitskill is one of the most brutal she’s lent me. Insight like Gaitskill’s into the slow death of women with AIDS is hard to put down. Like hepatitis it taints the Saturday you read the book. It frays the couch you lie on (yes, I know I should take off my shoes.)