The Gifts of the Body the patients and the caregiver. The book contains ten short stories, the titles of each being associated with "gifts" which are various functions of the body, both physical and emotional: sweat, wholeness, tears, skin, hunger, mobility, death, speech, sight, hope, and mourning. The caregiver experiences each "gift", as he/she deals with patients who have AIDS, showing the different shared relationships in each case. Each patient is a distinct case, differing in terms of age, financial situation, attitude toward the illness etc., showing the reader that this disease affects all types of people. The book is written in the "no-frills style"
The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter Ritter self-referentially uses it in the lyrics of "Empty Hearts," suggesting that the songs on the CD may have an interrelated design. In regards to "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter", "Paste Magazine" described Ritter as the poster-boy of Americana music. As with previous albums, Ritter was compared to the great American songwriters like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. All songs written by Josh Ritter. The strings were written and arranged by Sam Kassirer, and the horns by Sam Kassirer and Zack Hickman. Initial copies of the album included a limited-edition bonus EP CD containing "four little tracks - interesting