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57th out of 395 books
—
188 voters
April Fool's Day
Bryce Courtney's beloved son Damon, a haemophiliac, died from medically-acquired AIDS on Aprils Fool's day 1991, at the age of 24. In this book, he celebrates his life, but he condemns the medical approach taken towards AIDS, and how he and his family coped with Damon's haemophlia and early death.
449 pages
Published
(first published 1993)
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Wow! I know my eyes are still red from crying as I finished this book this morning before heading to work. Obviously that was not a good choice but what do you do? This is a book so full of courage and love that my words won't do it justice.
Bryce Courtenay writes his son's story of growing up as a haemophiliac who acquires AIDS from a blood transfusion during the time when AIDS was just hitting the news in the states. Damon grew up in Australia so no one really new what it was all about until i...more
Bryce Courtenay writes his son's story of growing up as a haemophiliac who acquires AIDS from a blood transfusion during the time when AIDS was just hitting the news in the states. Damon grew up in Australia so no one really new what it was all about until i...more
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This book, written by Bryce Courtney, is unusual because it is a non-fiction book. Sadly it is a true story about his young son who developed AID’s as a result of an infected blood transfusion, which he received because of his hemophiliac disease. The story is set in Australia, his native home. The narrative is told from different perspectives...Bryce, the father, the mother, the victim Damon and his girlfriend, Celeste. Each adds their own voice to the unfolding of this deadly disease.
It is a s...more
It is a s...more
I have long wanted to read this book. It is a most compelling read and an interesting insight into not just Damon's life but that of the plight of those with AIDS. I felt there were strong similarities between "The Mighty Damon" and the main character, Peekay, of the Power of One (who I found to have little credibility and to not be a very believable character). That aside I thoroughly enjoyed the book and as always when reading a biography I find the complex dynamics of the family and friends a...more
Jan 30, 2011
Jennifer (JC-S)
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Jennifer (JC-S) by:
fionnabhair@bigpond.com
‘Trust Damon to die on April Fool’s Day.’
Damon Courtenay was born on 4 November 1966, and died on 1 April 1991. This is his story, written by his father and published in 1993. Damon was the third son of Bryce and Benita Courtenay and was born with classic haemophilia.
‘Its not a disease, so you must put the idea of a cure from your minds immediately. Haemophilia is caused by a factor missing in your child’s blood, the ingredient which causes it to clot.’
‘It’s not something we can ever fix.’
In 1...more
Damon Courtenay was born on 4 November 1966, and died on 1 April 1991. This is his story, written by his father and published in 1993. Damon was the third son of Bryce and Benita Courtenay and was born with classic haemophilia.
‘Its not a disease, so you must put the idea of a cure from your minds immediately. Haemophilia is caused by a factor missing in your child’s blood, the ingredient which causes it to clot.’
‘It’s not something we can ever fix.’
In 1...more
2 likes · like · see review
This is my all time favourite book!
I read it after having lived in Australia so the context of the narrative was alive to me. A truly moving account as told by the father of a haemophiliac son in the days when the world was first experiencing the Aids epidemic. This is a beautiful story of love, family and never ending faith in humanity.
Unfortunately a really difficult book to get hold of now or I'd buy it for all my friends as a must read!
I read it after having lived in Australia so the context of the narrative was alive to me. A truly moving account as told by the father of a haemophiliac son in the days when the world was first experiencing the Aids epidemic. This is a beautiful story of love, family and never ending faith in humanity.
Unfortunately a really difficult book to get hold of now or I'd buy it for all my friends as a must read!
1 like · like · see review
April Fool’s Day, by Bryce Courtenay, narrated by Humphrey Bower, produced by Bolinda Audio Books, downloaded from audible.com.
This was my first, definitely not my last, Courtenay book. This is the story and tribute to his son, Damon, who was born with hemophilia in 1967, at a time when, at least in Australia, no one was allowed to give transfusions at home. This resulted in Damon suffering many injuries to his joints due to “bleeds” and to much crippling of his legs and arms. Finally, legislati...more
This was my first, definitely not my last, Courtenay book. This is the story and tribute to his son, Damon, who was born with hemophilia in 1967, at a time when, at least in Australia, no one was allowed to give transfusions at home. This resulted in Damon suffering many injuries to his joints due to “bleeds” and to much crippling of his legs and arms. Finally, legislati...more
I read this book about 15 years ago when I was a teenager. I was so emotionally moved (weeping mess) by the story that it was several months before I wanted to read again. This is saying something because as a teenager I could devour a novel in 2-3 days and was often reading more than one at a time. I remember regularly turning my light of at 3am on a school night because I had became so ingrossed in whatever I was reading at the time.
I plan on reading this again, and I will definitely update...more
I plan on reading this again, and I will definitely update...more
Jan 26, 2008
Tanya
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Tanya by:
Simone
I'm not close to done but felt compelled to say ... wow!
Now that's I've finished it ... still wow! Definitely an inspiring story of love and devotion under impossible circumstances. I also enjoyed the Australian "flavor" (for lack of a better word).
If anyone in SD is interested in this, the Central library branch has a copy. It'll be back there within the week, after I turn it in.
Now that's I've finished it ... still wow! Definitely an inspiring story of love and devotion under impossible circumstances. I also enjoyed the Australian "flavor" (for lack of a better word).
If anyone in SD is interested in this, the Central library branch has a copy. It'll be back there within the week, after I turn it in.
2 likes · like · see review
An admittedly poignant story told in a very bloated fashion. I found myself skipping a lot of digressions and trivia. This is not of course a commentary on the life, pain and experiences the family went through, which are touching in an exceptional way. The amount of medical malpractice they went through is infuriating and saddening. For myself, I simply prefer more conciseness and deliberate focus when it comes to carving a path or a perspective through a story. Depositing everything into a hug...more
I don't normally like biographies, auto or not. But April Fool's Day was different, it had a special touch, a personal note, a true story written by an author whose style of writing I admire. An insight, and educational one at that, about the debilitating disease of haemophilia and the scourge of HIV/AIDS. The story was unrelentless in every aspect with lots of emotions, and filled with pain, guilt, blame, and suffering yet showed love, understanding and family memories. The only thing that let...more
Damon was dead. The book starts with his death, so there is no surprise at the outcome. This is the story of Damon Courtney, a hemopheliac who contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion and died at age 24. It is beautifully and sensitively told by his father, one of Australia's best known writers, his girlfriend Crystal, and his mother. I learned more about hemophelia and AIDS than I ever knew and at the end I was sobbing at Damon's death.
This isn't a book you actually "enjoy" but it is an import...more
This isn't a book you actually "enjoy" but it is an import...more
2 likes · like · see review
This is a book about dying of AIDS in the 1990's, and it is as hard to read as you can imagine. Is this still happening? I don't know, I hope not. But it did. Adam (my son) says that death will come for all of us, and it will be painful, degrading and messy. If and when we ever feel sorry for ourselves, let this book be an example of how much worse it could be, and of the heroic people who survived it with their humanity intact.
My work colleague died of AIDS. After a long absence, he came back t...more
My work colleague died of AIDS. After a long absence, he came back t...more
only three stars because it wasn't enjoyable. actually a very amazing book. however, the honest and brutal content was so difficult to read that i literally had to force myself through many if not most sections, much less chapters. i highly recommend for everyone because we could all use a little empathy and understanding of what those who are living with HIV, those who love them, and those who have died, or are dying, of AIDS have undergone. also an amazing story for the conveyance of the poten...more
After having an allergy misdiagnosed as Asthma when I was a child, I avoided doctors as much as I could. I had been prodded with various needles for 4 years and was sick of being sick. The idea of donating blood after all that was not something I felt like volunteering for... Until I read this book. Mr Courtenay didn't pull any punches when it came to describing his own part in the story, which made it all the more powerful. I've been donating blood for the past couple of years now, and will con...more
It is a sad but interesting story and Damon sounds like a very cool guy. It is hard to listen as his condition deteriorates. I agree that the medical profession was somewhat responsible but feel they have taken steps to decrease the exposure to AIDS tainted blood products. Don't know what the situation is currently in the Australian medical field.
I give lots of credit to Bryce for carrying out Damon's wish to write a book about his experiences. Just wish it could have been edited a little more t...more
I give lots of credit to Bryce for carrying out Damon's wish to write a book about his experiences. Just wish it could have been edited a little more t...more
I chose this for my English Oral at school. We have to read a autobiographical narrative and select an issue to talk about using quotes from the book.
I talked about the stigma related to those with disabilities (being a citizen of Australia also) and found it hard to create sympathy because Bryce rights it as though Damon is just another person. Which is wonderful because that's how it should be but annoying if you're trying to do an assignment. People with disabilities shouldn't be treated diff...more
April Fool’s Day was a book I wasn’t sure that I wanted to read initially for several reasons – I don’t read as much non-fiction as fiction, surely Bryce Courtenay’s talent lay in fiction and it was probably out of print. Enter a Popular Penguin edition and an edict from my mother that I must read this book and she knew I would enjoy it immensely. I started reading this on my daily commute but soon I was hooked. Such a powerful story – all completely true, you can’t make up this sort of thing an...more
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The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay is one of my favorite books of all time, but since he's not big in the U.S., it's difficult to find other books by him. I found April Fool's Day in a used book store, and was excited to read it.
This was a great book, but not in the traditional sense. It's got the same great story-telling feel that Power of One had, but it's completely different because this is the true story of his son Damon's struggle with haemophilia. To stop his "bleeds" he needed regular b...more
This was a great book, but not in the traditional sense. It's got the same great story-telling feel that Power of One had, but it's completely different because this is the true story of his son Damon's struggle with haemophilia. To stop his "bleeds" he needed regular b...more
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This book is overly long and tedious in its level of detail. I understand that it is an attempt to make sense of the death of a greatly loved son, but 639 pages filled at times with the minutiae of serious illness does become a challenge to finish.
It is also somewhat dated now, but does serve to show us how things have changed in both attitudes to, and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Hopefully for the better.
(This review is of course not meant in any way to belittle what the family went through, and my...more
It is also somewhat dated now, but does serve to show us how things have changed in both attitudes to, and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Hopefully for the better.
(This review is of course not meant in any way to belittle what the family went through, and my...more
1 like · like · see review
"Damon with the sticky up hair". This book touched my heart and is one of the best books I've ever read. Bryce captures so much of Damon's love and fire for life while being brutally honest about how haemophilia and AIDS affects their whole family as well as Damon's lifetime love Celeste. I think I would have been intimidated by Damon's passion and drive but I wish I had been able to know him. Bryce is truly a gifted writer, and finds relevance in the smallest details.
It took me a while to get through this book - parts of it do not make easy
reading - but I came away glad I had made the effort.
The subject matter - a life-long hemophiliac who, through treating that condition was diagnosed as having "medically acquired AIDS" at 18 and died in his early twenties - is also the author's son.
The biography, which is composed of the older brother, mother and ( most poignantly his one and only true love who stayed with him until the end and never lost hope) girlfrie...more
reading - but I came away glad I had made the effort.
The subject matter - a life-long hemophiliac who, through treating that condition was diagnosed as having "medically acquired AIDS" at 18 and died in his early twenties - is also the author's son.
The biography, which is composed of the older brother, mother and ( most poignantly his one and only true love who stayed with him until the end and never lost hope) girlfrie...more
This is my least favourite of his books so far, and I do feel a little guilty as Bryce passed away as I was getting to the end of it.
But the story was a good one, and because it was a true one it did tend to waffle and repeat throughout, and as his emotions got twisted around the story it sent it of almost into a lecture or tirade about the inadequacies of the Australian Medical System.
I empathize with the Courtenay family and hope I never have to go through such a trauma in my life, I cried at...more
But the story was a good one, and because it was a true one it did tend to waffle and repeat throughout, and as his emotions got twisted around the story it sent it of almost into a lecture or tirade about the inadequacies of the Australian Medical System.
I empathize with the Courtenay family and hope I never have to go through such a trauma in my life, I cried at...more
Jan 28, 2011
Matthew Bushnell
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
biographies-memoirs
Having enjoyed many of Bryce Courtenay's books I simply read this one without knowing anything about the plot. It is hard to critique a book that is really an invitation into the life of the Courtenay family as they share the struggles of their son, Damon, a haemophiliac who later develops AIDS as a result of a blood transfusion. I felt privileged to be brought into the journey as Bryce, (and other family members), shared their joys, sorrows, triumphs and griefs in the midst of a very difficult...more
April Fool's Day is the story of author Bryce Courtenay's youngest son Damon who was born with hemophilia and later became HIV positive through a blood transfusion. The book was written at Damon's request and tells the story of his short life. Courtenay reveals all, no holds barred. He rages against the medical machine, their lack of knowledge and often their lack of support. He also rages against himself, his guilt and his short sightedness. This is a powerful telling of life and most important...more
It is hard to come up with a solid side to take on this book. Firstly the story and hardships that Dameon went through were massively traumatic to his family and himself. I lewarnt a lot from this book and it was moving in parts. However i think it was a bit tedious and repetitive in sections, it could ahve been half the length. I believe if it had of been condensed a bit the impact would be much greater as the reader isnt so drawn down by the details. this possibly may have been intended as the...more
A truly sad story about an innocent man who is a heamopheliac and then unfortunately contracts AIDS - a taboo in society back then. Written by his father, the story describes the hardships that a ordinary family have to face in order to help their son. A lot of detail is included which may make you feel that the story is dragging on a little bit. An emotional story; you feel sad, angry and helpless all at the same time and it will make you cry.
No other book as made me want to write to author! This book made me want to do that! I read this book in almost one sitting. You know from the beginning that his son has past on, but I was laughing and crying all the way through. At the end I was a balling mess. This is a true story of the authors son who son contracted HIV+ through a blood transfusion, in the early day of the virus. Please please read this book, if you read nothing else of Bryce Courtney.
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Unfortunately I never finished this book, it was hard to get into at first since Bryce Courtenay goes into so much detail and then he gets graphic.. This is the kind of book you really need to engross yourself with and you also need to set aside some quiet time.
In all there were some very heartfelt moments in which I did get teary but it just wasnt my cup of tea.
In all there were some very heartfelt moments in which I did get teary but it just wasnt my cup of tea.
This is a very personal book by Bryce. He is always readable (I have read the trilogy beginning with The Potato Factory) and appeals to the wide reading public but this book was telling the story of his haemophiliac son who caught AIDS through blood transfusion. Bryce shared the life of the family from birth to death in his early 20's. It's a sad story but full of rich emotion, bringing understanding to us by sharing this intimate story of love over hardship.
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I was born illegitimately in 1933 in South Africa and spent my early childhood years in a small town deep in the heart of the Lebombo mountains.
It was a somewhat isolated community and I grew up among farm folk and the African people. At the age of five I was sent to a boarding school which might be better described as a combination orphanage and reform school, where I learned to box - though less...more
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It was a somewhat isolated community and I grew up among farm folk and the African people. At the age of five I was sent to a boarding school which might be better described as a combination orphanage and reform school, where I learned to box - though less...more
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