April Fool's Day (novel)

Last updated
April Fool's Day
AprilFoolsDayNovel.jpg
First edition
Author Bryce Courtenay
Language English
Publisher Random House Australia
Publication date
1993
Publication place Australia
Media typePrint (Hardback & Paperback)
Preceded by Tandia  
Followed by Recipe for Dreaming  

April Fool's Day is a 1993 book by Australian author Bryce Courtenay. The book is a tribute to the author's son, Damon Courtenay, a haemophiliac who contracted HIV/AIDS through an infected blood transfusion. The title refers to the date of Damon's death, 1 April 1991 (April Fools' Day).

Damon was a classic haemophiliac all his life. He attempted to write this book himself but did not have much success. On his death bed, he asked his father to write it for him. Damon talked a lot about love; he believed it was important that everybody knew how to love. Evidence of this is his attitude towards people who treated people with AIDS unfairly.[ citation needed ] Not much was known about AIDS back then and those affected were stigmatized. To quote his devoted partner Celeste, "Love is an energy, it cannot be created nor destroyed. It simply is. Giving meaning to life and direction to goodness."[ full citation needed ]

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