Bill Hayes takes readers on a whirlwind tour of the history of blood -- from bloodletting in ancient Rome to the discovery of blood types in the early twentieth century -- while offering an intensely personal memoir of how this vital fluid shaped his life, from growing up in a strict Catholic household with five menstruating sisters to ultimately settling down with an HIV positive partner in San Francisco. "This beguiling brew of fascinating scientific facts and illuminating, poignant anecdotes makes Five Quarts something like blood itself- vital and pulsing with energy." -Entertainment Weekly From ancient Rome, where gladiators drank the blood of vanquished foes to gain strength and courage, to modern-day laboratories, where machines test blood for diseases and scientists search for elusive cures, Bill Hayes takes us on a whirlwind journey through history, literature, mythology, and science by way of the great red river that runs five quarts strong through our bodies. Hayes also recounts the impact of the vital fluid in his daily life, from growing up in a household of five sisters and their monthly cycles to his enduring partnership with an HIV-positive man. As much a biography of blood as it is a memoir of how this rich substance has shaped one man's life, Five Quarts is by turns whimsical and provocative, informative and moving.