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April Fool's Day
Book by Bryce Courtenay
449 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
175 people are currently reading
4246 people want to read
About the author
Bryce Courtenay
58 books2,304 followersArthur Bryce Courtenay, AM was a South African-Australian advertising director and novelist. He is one of Australia's best-selling authors, notable for his book The Power of One.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 405 reviews
April 24, 2018
5 stars
Bryce Courtenay, storyteller extraordinaire and one of my most favourite authors tells the tragic story of his own son and his horrendous struggles in life. Damon is born a hemophiliac and accidentally contracts AIDS through a "life saving" blood transfusion. My heart goes out to every family who has been and may ever have to suffer such hardship, I'm not sure I would be able to cope without heavy sedatives.
"When the afflictions which continued to beset Damon didn't fill me with despair, I marvelled at the capacity of the human body to take the kind of punishment the remorseless onslaught AIDS delivers to it. How Damon was able to survive was a mystery. Why he'd want life to continue was even more bewildering. -Bryce Courtenay
Bryce Courtenay, storyteller extraordinaire and one of my most favourite authors tells the tragic story of his own son and his horrendous struggles in life. Damon is born a hemophiliac and accidentally contracts AIDS through a "life saving" blood transfusion. My heart goes out to every family who has been and may ever have to suffer such hardship, I'm not sure I would be able to cope without heavy sedatives.
"When the afflictions which continued to beset Damon didn't fill me with despair, I marvelled at the capacity of the human body to take the kind of punishment the remorseless onslaught AIDS delivers to it. How Damon was able to survive was a mystery. Why he'd want life to continue was even more bewildering. -Bryce Courtenay
July 28, 2023
Internationally acclaimed author Bryce Courtenay impressed readers for years with his intricate stories and multi-faceted characters. Before he became an author, Courtenay’s life was quite different, both in his profession and with his family. This is the story of his family, particularly the struggles he faced with his third son, Damon. In a gripping piece of non-fiction, Bryce Courtenay pulls back the curtain on the struggles the family faced and how they overcame it all to find peace.
When Bryce and Bonita Courtenay welcomed their third son, Damon, into the world, they had high hopes. However, things took a turn from the very beginning, when Damon began exhibiting bruising and severe bleeding. He was soon discovered to be a hemophiliac and thus began the life-long struggles with his condition and trying to stay safe.
As Damon aged, his family discovered just how complex hemophilia could be, from the ever-present bleeds to the need for medical attention to inject coagulants to save his life. As Damon aged, he chose to hide away from others and perform his own injections, which was still against Australian law. Bryce struggled to help his son find a degree of normalcy while fighting with the politics of the medical profession and against arcane laws surrounding hypodermic needle use.
When, in early adulthood, Damon met the woman who would love him for years to come, his views on things changed. Celeste would be an integral part of Damon’s life and a key connection between the Courtenays for years to come. As Celeste tried to tame the ever-irascible Damon, she encouraged him to keep his hemophilia under control. After he began to exhibit new aspects to his condition, it was soon discovered that hemophilia would be the least of his concerns. A blood transfusion brought HIV and things changed drastically. This was an age when HIV was still new and seen as ‘the gay man’s plight’, which was an issue the Courtenay family had to fight from the outset. However, it was still early stages and cures were being promised.
The latter portion of the book handles the progression of Damon’s situation, which became full-blown AIDS after an infection from a risky wisdom tooth extraction. Faced with the stigma, other factors clouded Damon’s life and he soon slipped into a deep psychosis, likely a mix of an addled brain and the pressures of all he had to face. While the Courtenays tried to handle this, they saw Damon slip into an abyss and new troubles.
As time began slipping away, Bryce, Bonita, and the rest of the family stood alongside Celeste as they all waited for the end. This struggle had an end, though it would be some of the most painful months for everyone. A heart wrenching story of loss, new life, and how to overcome struggles like no other.
I have read every one of Bryce Courtenay’s novels over the years and mourned his loss a decade ago. They are some of the most powerful novels I have ever read and proved to be extremely impactful. However, this book is in a world all its own, as it pulls on personal heartstrings and exemplifies just how varied the author’s life was, even before he published his first novel. Detailed and highly alluring, the book explores the life of Damon Courtenay from many perspectives, while also keeping much in a haze, as it is only Damon’s personal struggles that could not be fully documented that tell the true tale of how things went down. Chapters are full of great information and help the story to move along effectively which is supported by a strong (and not surprising) narrative. Anything but saccharine and preachy, Bryce Courtenay’s personal struggles emerge from evert page of this book and leave the reader wanting more!
Kudos, Mr. Courtenay, for a formidable piece of writing that has me so pleased that I have discovered the full and varied collection of your books!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
When Bryce and Bonita Courtenay welcomed their third son, Damon, into the world, they had high hopes. However, things took a turn from the very beginning, when Damon began exhibiting bruising and severe bleeding. He was soon discovered to be a hemophiliac and thus began the life-long struggles with his condition and trying to stay safe.
As Damon aged, his family discovered just how complex hemophilia could be, from the ever-present bleeds to the need for medical attention to inject coagulants to save his life. As Damon aged, he chose to hide away from others and perform his own injections, which was still against Australian law. Bryce struggled to help his son find a degree of normalcy while fighting with the politics of the medical profession and against arcane laws surrounding hypodermic needle use.
When, in early adulthood, Damon met the woman who would love him for years to come, his views on things changed. Celeste would be an integral part of Damon’s life and a key connection between the Courtenays for years to come. As Celeste tried to tame the ever-irascible Damon, she encouraged him to keep his hemophilia under control. After he began to exhibit new aspects to his condition, it was soon discovered that hemophilia would be the least of his concerns. A blood transfusion brought HIV and things changed drastically. This was an age when HIV was still new and seen as ‘the gay man’s plight’, which was an issue the Courtenay family had to fight from the outset. However, it was still early stages and cures were being promised.
The latter portion of the book handles the progression of Damon’s situation, which became full-blown AIDS after an infection from a risky wisdom tooth extraction. Faced with the stigma, other factors clouded Damon’s life and he soon slipped into a deep psychosis, likely a mix of an addled brain and the pressures of all he had to face. While the Courtenays tried to handle this, they saw Damon slip into an abyss and new troubles.
As time began slipping away, Bryce, Bonita, and the rest of the family stood alongside Celeste as they all waited for the end. This struggle had an end, though it would be some of the most painful months for everyone. A heart wrenching story of loss, new life, and how to overcome struggles like no other.
I have read every one of Bryce Courtenay’s novels over the years and mourned his loss a decade ago. They are some of the most powerful novels I have ever read and proved to be extremely impactful. However, this book is in a world all its own, as it pulls on personal heartstrings and exemplifies just how varied the author’s life was, even before he published his first novel. Detailed and highly alluring, the book explores the life of Damon Courtenay from many perspectives, while also keeping much in a haze, as it is only Damon’s personal struggles that could not be fully documented that tell the true tale of how things went down. Chapters are full of great information and help the story to move along effectively which is supported by a strong (and not surprising) narrative. Anything but saccharine and preachy, Bryce Courtenay’s personal struggles emerge from evert page of this book and leave the reader wanting more!
Kudos, Mr. Courtenay, for a formidable piece of writing that has me so pleased that I have discovered the full and varied collection of your books!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
December 26, 2016
I wasn't writing reviews when I read this. I was blown away by Mr Courtenay's story, the first and only I've read this far. And Damon's. I really loved this book. A relative was one of the first to die of HIV/Aids here and I just hated to see the prejudice (in the story as I was too young to know what was going on around me). I ached for the Courtenay family.
March 25, 2009
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 it was too late and it was already in the blood banks.
Damon's attitude thoughout his 24 years of living with thousands of blood transfusions and an endless amount of sickness of one form or another is amazing! When he is in his late teens he meets Celeste, another teenager and the love that grows between them is one you just don't hear about. She becomes his world and he becomes hers.
This book took me through many emotions, including sadness, but it was also an inspiration in so many ways. I highly recommend it.
Bryce is one of my favorite authors and even though this was a true story (non-fiction is just not my favorite)he always weaves a tale that sweeps you up and draws you inside.
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 it was too late and it was already in the blood banks.
Damon's attitude thoughout his 24 years of living with thousands of blood transfusions and an endless amount of sickness of one form or another is amazing! When he is in his late teens he meets Celeste, another teenager and the love that grows between them is one you just don't hear about. She becomes his world and he becomes hers.
This book took me through many emotions, including sadness, but it was also an inspiration in so many ways. I highly recommend it.
Bryce is one of my favorite authors and even though this was a true story (non-fiction is just not my favorite)he always weaves a tale that sweeps you up and draws you inside.
February 16, 2022
April fool's day - Bryce courtenay
ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯವಾಗಿ ನಾನು ಪುಸ್ತಕ ನಾನಾಗೇ ಆಯ್ದುಕೊಂಡು ಓದುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಬೇರೆಯವರು ಗಿಫ್ಟ್ ಅಂತ ಅವರ ಆಯ್ಕೆಯ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಕೊಡುವುದು ನನಗೆ ಇಷ್ಟವೇ ಆಗದ ಸಂಗತಿ. ನಿಮಗೆ ಹಾಗನಿಸಿದರೆ ನನ್ನ ಬಳಿ ಕೇಳಿ ಇಷ್ಟವಾದ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ತಿಳಿಸುವೆ ಅದೇ ಕೊಡಿ ಎನ್ನುವವ.ಮದುವೆಯ ಮೊದಲು ಮಡದಿಯಾಗುವವಳು ಹುಟ್ಟುಹಬ್ಬಕ್ಕೆ ಅಂತ ಒಂದು ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಉಡುಗೊರೆಯಾಗಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟಾಗ ಸಿಟ್ಟಾಗಿ ಜಗಳವಾಡಿದ್ದೆ. ಅದಾದ ಮೇಲೆ ಯಾವತ್ತಿದ್ದರೂ ಹಣ ಹಾಕ್ತೇನೆ ಬೇಕಾದ್ದು ತಗೊಳಿ ಎನ್ನುವುದಷ್ಟೇ ಅವಳು ಮಾಡಿದ ಕೆಲಸ.
ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಯಾವುದೋ ರಾಶಿ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ತಗೊಂಡಾಗ ಬ್ಲೈಂಡ್ ಡೇಟ್ ವಿತ್ ಬುಕ್ ಅಂತ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿದ್ದು. ಹಿನ್ನುಡಿ ಓದಿ ಕುತೂಹಲಗೊಂಡರೂ ನಾನಾಗಿ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡದ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಎಂದು ಆರೇಳು ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಂದ ಮೂಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೆ. ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದಕ್ಕೂ ಅದರದೇ ಕಾಲ ಇದೆ. ಈಗ ಕಾಲ ಕೂಡಿ ಬಂತು.
ಈಗಿನ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂತಹದೊಂದು ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದಿದೆನಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬ ಖುಷಿ ,ಇಂತಹ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದದೆ ಇಟ್ಟೆನಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬ ವಿಷಾದ ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಮುಗಿಸಿದಾಗ ಆಯಿತು.
ಇದು ಅನುಭವ ಕಥನ.
ಅವರದು ಸುಂದರ ಸಂಸಾರ. ಗಂಡ ಹೆಂಡತಿ ಇಬ್ಬರು ಮಕ್ಕಳು. ಮೂರನೆಯ ಮಗುವಿನ ಆಗಮನವಾಗಿದೆ. ಮೂವರೂ ಗಂಡುಮಕ್ಕಳು. ಸಣ್ಣ ಪ್ರಾಯದಲ್ಲೇ ತಮ್ಮ ಮೂರನೇ ಮಗನಿಗೆ ರಕ್ತಸ್ರಾವ ಆದರೆ ನಿಲ್ಲುವುದಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬ ಆಘಾತಕಾರಿ ಸತ್ಯ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅವನು ಹೀಮೋಫಿಲಿಯಾ ರೋಗಪೀಡಿತ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಅವರ ಯುದ್ಧ ಶುರುವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಸಣ್ಣ ಏಟು ,ಗಾಯ ಒಳಗಿ ಸ್ರಾವ ಅವನಿಗೆ ರಕ್ತ ಪೂರಣ ಆಗಲೇ ಬೇಕು. ಸಣ್ಣವನಿರುವಾಗ ಆಟವಾಡುವಾಗ ಆದ ಒಂದು ಗಾಯ ಅವನ ಶಾಶ್ವತ ಅಂಗವೈಕಲ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಗುರಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ.
ಪದೇ ಪದೇ ರಕ್ತ ಪೂರೈಕೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾ ಹೇಗೋ ಬದುಕುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಹುಡುಗನಿಗೆ ಅಕಸ್ಮಾತ್ ಆಗಿ ಒಂದು ದಿನ ಡಾಕ್ಟರ್ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ. ' ನಿನಗೆ ರಕ್ತ ಪೂರೈಕೆ ಮಾಡುವಾಗ ನಿನಗೆ ಎಚ್ಐವಿ ಸೋಂಕು ತಗುಲಿದೆ' ಆಗ ಹಾಗೆಂದರೆ ಯಾವುದೋ ಒಂದು ವೈರಸ್ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿದ ಕಾಲ. ಅವರ್ಯಾರೂ ಎದೆಗುಂದುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವನಿಗೊಬ್ಬಳು ಗೆಳತಿಯೂ ಸಿಗುತ್ತಾಳೆ.
ಆದರೆ ಕಾಲ ಕಳೆದಂತೆ ಇದು ಸಾವಿನ ಕದ ತಟ್ಟುವ ರಣ ಭೀಕರ ಖಾಯಿಲೆ ಎಂದು ಮನವರಿಕೆಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.
ಶೂಶ್ರೂಷೆ, ಭರವಸೆ, ಚೇತರಿಕೆ,ಮತ್ತೆ ಖಾಯಿಲೆ ಅಪ್ಪ ಅಮ್ಮ ಗೆಳತಿ ಕುಟುಂಬ ಎಲ್ಲವೂ ಹೋರಾಟಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾಥ್ ಕೊಡುತ್ತದೆ ಆದರೆ ಅಂತಕನ ದೂತರಿಗೆ ಕಿಂಚಿತ್ತೂ ದಯವಿಲ್ಲ.
ಹತಾಶೆಯ ಮಡುವಿಗೆ ಬಿದ್ದ ಯುವಕ ಖಿನ್ನತೆಗೆ ಬೀಳುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಅದರಿಂದ ಪಾರಾಗಲು ಕಾನೂನುಬದ್ಧವಲ್ಲದ ಡ್ರಗ್ ಸೇವಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಅದನ್ನು ಮರೆಯಲು ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆಯಿಂದಓಡಿ ಹೋಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.
ಜಗಳವಾಡುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಅವರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತು ಇದು ಅವನಲ್ಲ ಅವನ ಖಾಯಿಲೆಯ ಆಟ ಎಂದು. ಏನು ಮಾಡುವುದು? ಜಗತ್ತಿಗೆ ಆ ಕರಾಳ ರೋಗದ ಮುಖ ಕಾಣುವಾಗ ಅವನಿಗಾಗಲೇ ಎಚ್ಐವಿ ತಿರುಗಿ ಏಡ್ಸ್ಗೆ ಬದಲಾಗಿ ಆಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ.
ಜಗತ್ತು ಆಗ ಏಡ್ಸ್ ಎಂದರೆ ಸಲಿಂಗಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಬರುವ ಖಾಯಿಲೆ ಎಂದು ನಂಬಿದ ಕಾಲ. ಯಾರಿಗೆ ಹೇಗೆ ಉತ್ತರ ಹೇಳುವುದು? ಹೋರಾಟ ಮುಂದುವರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ ಆದರೆ ಇದು ಸೋಲೇ ಕಾದಿರುವ ಹೋರಾಟ.
ಅವರು ಸೋಲುತ್ತಾರೆ.
ಅವನು ಇಲ್ಲವಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.
ಇದು ಸಂಕ್ಷಿಪ್ತವಾಗಿ ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕದ ಹೂರಣ. ಬರೆದವನು ತೀರಿಕೊಂಡವನ ಅಪ್ಪ. ಅವನು ಆಸ್ಟ್ರೇಲಿಯಾದ ಲೇಖಕ. ಪವರ್ ಆಫ್ ವನ್ ಎಂಬ ಪ್ರಖ್ಯಾತ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಬರೆದವ. ಮಗನ ಹುಟ್ಟಿನಿಂದ ಹಿಡಿದು ಅವನ ಸಾವಿನವರೆಗಿನ ಪ್ರತೀ ಕ್ಷಣದ ಚಿತ್ರಣ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ
ಹಾಗಂತ ಇದು ಗೋಳಲ್ಲ.
ಅಸಲಿಗೆ ಇದನ್ನು ಓದುವಾಗ ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್ ಓದುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇನೆ ಎಂದೇ ಅನಿಸದಷ್ಟು ಸರಳ ಭಾಷೆ.
ಇಂಗ್ಲೀಷ್ ಎಂಬುದು ಪರಕೀಯವಾದ ನನಗೆ ಎರಡು ದಿನದಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಗಿಸದೆ ಏಳಬೇಡ ಎಂದು ಹಿಡಿದಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಂಡ ಪುಸ್ತಕ.
ಯಾಕೆಂದರೆ ಇದು ರೋಚಕ ಫಿಕ್ಷನ್ ಅಲ್ಲ.
ಇದು ದಾರುಣ ಬದುಕಿನ ಪುಸ್ತಕ.
ಒಂದು ಕುಟುಂಬದ ಆಸೆಯೆಲ್ಲ ಕೈಸಂದಿಯಿಂದ ಮರಳು ಜಾರಿ ಹೋದ ಹಾಗೆ ಹೋದ ಕಥೆ.
ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಇದನ್ನು ಓದಬೇಕು. ನೋವ ನುಂಗಿ ಬದುಕಿದ ಹೋರಾಡಿದ ಒಬ್ಬ ಅಪ್ಪನ,ಅಮ್ಮನ, ಗೆಳತಿಯ ಕಥೆ ಇದು.
' ಬದುಕಿದ್ದರೆ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಈಗ ಇಷ್ಟು ವರ್ಷ' ಎಂದವನ ಅಮ್ಮ ಬರೆಯುವಾಗ ಬೇಡವೆಂದರೂ ಸಂದು ಹೋದ ಹತ್ತಿರದವರ ನೆನಪು ಕಾಡುತ್ತದೆ.
ಇಂತಹ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳ ಓದಲಾದರೂ ಈ ಹವ್ಯಾಸ ಕರುಣಿಸಿದ್ದಕ್ಕೆ ದೇವರಿಗೆ ವಂದನೆ.
😌
ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯವಾಗಿ ನಾನು ಪುಸ್ತಕ ನಾನಾಗೇ ಆಯ್ದುಕೊಂಡು ಓದುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಬೇರೆಯವರು ಗಿಫ್ಟ್ ಅಂತ ಅವರ ಆಯ್ಕೆಯ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಕೊಡುವುದು ನನಗೆ ಇಷ್ಟವೇ ಆಗದ ಸಂಗತಿ. ನಿಮಗೆ ಹಾಗನಿಸಿದರೆ ನನ್ನ ಬಳಿ ಕೇಳಿ ಇಷ್ಟವಾದ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ತಿಳಿಸುವೆ ಅದೇ ಕೊಡಿ ಎನ್ನುವವ.ಮದುವೆಯ ಮೊದಲು ಮಡದಿಯಾಗುವವಳು ಹುಟ್ಟುಹಬ್ಬಕ್ಕೆ ಅಂತ ಒಂದು ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಉಡುಗೊರೆಯಾಗಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟಾಗ ಸಿಟ್ಟಾಗಿ ಜಗಳವಾಡಿದ್ದೆ. ಅದಾದ ಮೇಲೆ ಯಾವತ್ತಿದ್ದರೂ ಹಣ ಹಾಕ್ತೇನೆ ಬೇಕಾದ್ದು ತಗೊಳಿ ಎನ್ನುವುದಷ್ಟೇ ಅವಳು ಮಾಡಿದ ಕೆಲಸ.
ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಯಾವುದೋ ರಾಶಿ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ತಗೊಂಡಾಗ ಬ್ಲೈಂಡ್ ಡೇಟ್ ವಿತ್ ಬುಕ್ ಅಂತ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿದ್ದು. ಹಿನ್ನುಡಿ ಓದಿ ಕುತೂಹಲಗೊಂಡರೂ ನಾನಾಗಿ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡದ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಎಂದು ಆರೇಳು ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಂದ ಮೂಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೆ. ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದಕ್ಕೂ ಅದರದೇ ಕಾಲ ಇದೆ. ಈಗ ಕಾಲ ಕೂಡಿ ಬಂತು.
ಈಗಿನ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಇಂತಹದೊಂದು ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದಿದೆನಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬ ಖುಷಿ ,ಇಂತಹ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದದೆ ಇಟ್ಟೆನಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬ ವಿಷಾದ ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಮುಗಿಸಿದಾಗ ಆಯಿತು.
ಇದು ಅನುಭವ ಕಥನ.
ಅವರದು ಸುಂದರ ಸಂಸಾರ. ಗಂಡ ಹೆಂಡತಿ ಇಬ್ಬರು ಮಕ್ಕಳು. ಮೂರನೆಯ ಮಗುವಿನ ಆಗಮನವಾಗಿದೆ. ಮೂವರೂ ಗಂಡುಮಕ್ಕಳು. ಸಣ್ಣ ಪ್ರಾಯದಲ್ಲೇ ತಮ್ಮ ಮೂರನೇ ಮಗನಿಗೆ ರಕ್ತಸ್ರಾವ ಆದರೆ ನಿಲ್ಲುವುದಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬ ಆಘಾತಕಾರಿ ಸತ್ಯ ಅವರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅವನು ಹೀಮೋಫಿಲಿಯಾ ರೋಗಪೀಡಿತ. ಅಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಅವರ ಯುದ್ಧ ಶುರುವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಸಣ್ಣ ಏಟು ,ಗಾಯ ಒಳಗಿ ಸ್ರಾವ ಅವನಿಗೆ ರಕ್ತ ಪೂರಣ ಆಗಲೇ ಬೇಕು. ಸಣ್ಣವನಿರುವಾಗ ಆಟವಾಡುವಾಗ ಆದ ಒಂದು ಗಾಯ ಅವನ ಶಾಶ್ವತ ಅಂಗವೈಕಲ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಗುರಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತದೆ.
ಪದೇ ಪದೇ ರಕ್ತ ಪೂರೈಕೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾ ಹೇಗೋ ಬದುಕುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಹುಡುಗನಿಗೆ ಅಕಸ್ಮಾತ್ ಆಗಿ ಒಂದು ದಿನ ಡಾಕ್ಟರ್ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ. ' ನಿನಗೆ ರಕ್ತ ಪೂರೈಕೆ ಮಾಡುವಾಗ ನಿನಗೆ ಎಚ್ಐವಿ ಸೋಂಕು ತಗುಲಿದೆ' ಆಗ ಹಾಗೆಂದರೆ ಯಾವುದೋ ಒಂದು ವೈರಸ್ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿದ ಕಾಲ. ಅವರ್ಯಾರೂ ಎದೆಗುಂದುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಅವನಿಗೊಬ್ಬಳು ಗೆಳತಿಯೂ ಸಿಗುತ್ತಾಳೆ.
ಆದರೆ ಕಾಲ ಕಳೆದಂತೆ ಇದು ಸಾವಿನ ಕದ ತಟ್ಟುವ ರಣ ಭೀಕರ ಖಾಯಿಲೆ ಎಂದು ಮನವರಿಕೆಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.
ಶೂಶ್ರೂಷೆ, ಭರವಸೆ, ಚೇತರಿಕೆ,ಮತ್ತೆ ಖಾಯಿಲೆ ಅಪ್ಪ ಅಮ್ಮ ಗೆಳತಿ ಕುಟುಂಬ ಎಲ್ಲವೂ ಹೋರಾಟಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾಥ್ ಕೊಡುತ್ತದೆ ಆದರೆ ಅಂತಕನ ದೂತರಿಗೆ ಕಿಂಚಿತ್ತೂ ದಯವಿಲ್ಲ.
ಹತಾಶೆಯ ಮಡುವಿಗೆ ಬಿದ್ದ ಯುವಕ ಖಿನ್ನತೆಗೆ ಬೀಳುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಅದರಿಂದ ಪಾರಾಗಲು ಕಾನೂನುಬದ್ಧವಲ್ಲದ ಡ್ರಗ್ ಸೇವಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಅದನ್ನು ಮರೆಯಲು ಆಸ್ಪತ್ರೆಯಿಂದಓಡಿ ಹೋಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.
ಜಗಳವಾಡುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಅವರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತು ಇದು ಅವನಲ್ಲ ಅವನ ಖಾಯಿಲೆಯ ಆಟ ಎಂದು. ಏನು ಮಾಡುವುದು? ಜಗತ್ತಿಗೆ ಆ ಕರಾಳ ರೋಗದ ಮುಖ ಕಾಣುವಾಗ ಅವನಿಗಾಗಲೇ ಎಚ್ಐವಿ ತಿರುಗಿ ಏಡ್ಸ್ಗೆ ಬದಲಾಗಿ ಆಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ.
ಜಗತ್ತು ಆಗ ಏಡ್ಸ್ ಎಂದರೆ ಸಲಿಂಗಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಬರುವ ಖಾಯಿಲೆ ಎಂದು ನಂಬಿದ ಕಾಲ. ಯಾರಿಗೆ ಹೇಗೆ ಉತ್ತರ ಹೇಳುವುದು? ಹೋರಾಟ ಮುಂದುವರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ ಆದರೆ ಇದು ಸೋಲೇ ಕಾದಿರುವ ಹೋರಾಟ.
ಅವರು ಸೋಲುತ್ತಾರೆ.
ಅವನು ಇಲ್ಲವಾಗುತ್ತಾನೆ.
ಇದು ಸಂಕ್ಷಿಪ್ತವಾಗಿ ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕದ ಹೂರಣ. ಬರೆದವನು ತೀರಿಕೊಂಡವನ ಅಪ್ಪ. ಅವನು ಆಸ್ಟ್ರೇಲಿಯಾದ ಲೇಖಕ. ಪವರ್ ಆಫ್ ವನ್ ಎಂಬ ಪ್ರಖ್ಯಾತ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಬರೆದವ. ಮಗನ ಹುಟ್ಟಿನಿಂದ ಹಿಡಿದು ಅವನ ಸಾವಿನವರೆಗಿನ ಪ್ರತೀ ಕ್ಷಣದ ಚಿತ್ರಣ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ
ಹಾಗಂತ ಇದು ಗೋಳಲ್ಲ.
ಅಸಲಿಗೆ ಇದನ್ನು ಓದುವಾಗ ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್ ಓದುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇನೆ ಎಂದೇ ಅನಿಸದಷ್ಟು ಸರಳ ಭಾಷೆ.
ಇಂಗ್ಲೀಷ್ ಎಂಬುದು ಪರಕೀಯವಾದ ನನಗೆ ಎರಡು ದಿನದಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಗಿಸದೆ ಏಳಬೇಡ ಎಂದು ಹಿಡಿದಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಂಡ ಪುಸ್ತಕ.
ಯಾಕೆಂದರೆ ಇದು ರೋಚಕ ಫಿಕ್ಷನ್ ಅಲ್ಲ.
ಇದು ದಾರುಣ ಬದುಕಿನ ಪುಸ್ತಕ.
ಒಂದು ಕುಟುಂಬದ ಆಸೆಯೆಲ್ಲ ಕೈಸಂದಿಯಿಂದ ಮರಳು ಜಾರಿ ಹೋದ ಹಾಗೆ ಹೋದ ಕಥೆ.
ದಯವಿಟ್ಟು ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಇದನ್ನು ಓದಬೇಕು. ನೋವ ನುಂಗಿ ಬದುಕಿದ ಹೋರಾಡಿದ ಒಬ್ಬ ಅಪ್ಪನ,ಅಮ್ಮನ, ಗೆಳತಿಯ ಕಥೆ ಇದು.
' ಬದುಕಿದ್ದರೆ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಈಗ ಇಷ್ಟು ವರ್ಷ' ಎಂದವನ ಅಮ್ಮ ಬರೆಯುವಾಗ ಬೇಡವೆಂದರೂ ಸಂದು ಹೋದ ಹತ್ತಿರದವರ ನೆನಪು ಕಾಡುತ್ತದೆ.
ಇಂತಹ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳ ಓದಲಾದರೂ ಈ ಹವ್ಯಾಸ ಕರುಣಿಸಿದ್ದಕ್ಕೆ ದೇವರಿಗೆ ವಂದನೆ.
😌
June 16, 2020
Oh, boy. Oh, man. Buckle up, kiddos, because we are going in.
The first thing I'd like to delineate before I launch into what may turn out to be a rather angry review of this book is that I have so much sympathy for this story. It's a terrible thing to go through, as a parent, a partner, a victim of the virus, all of it- it's awful. I can't even begin to fathom the pain that it must have thrown into the hearts of so many people. I'd also like to stipulate that my stars are here for Damon and his partner- I found their stories far more poignant and interesting than the remaining 400-ish pages of the book. Now, onto the rest of the review.
Bryce Courtenay is not a good man. I could see this fairly evidently when he returned home late, drunk as a skunk, thinking about how much he'd like to bang his wife while his son is near to death in the next room due to a bruise that he chose to ignore because 'Oh, his crying stopped for five minutes'. I'm not saying parents don't make mistakes, but I think that thinking about sex in the midst of a crisis while your wife bawls her eyes out shows exactly what kind of person you are. To then later DEFER to a doctor because he said that 'Your wife shouldn't see her son like this' and hide things from her is, quite frankly, disgusting. I don't care how paternalistic a hospital is, I care that you decided to actively lie to her- and then do that again in respect to your son having a psychotic episode. How disgusting. How shameful. To exclude the woman that you married on equal terms for the sole sake of what? Not worrying her? Do you know how much fear and worry the not knowing creates? Shame on you.
The next issue I take is the bizarre homophobic asides that Courtenay decides to embark on in the middle of the book. Not just once, but about three, four times. One of those may have been from his wife. To delineate 'medically-acquired AIDS' as a somehow 'purer' variant of the virus that is more innocent is cowardly and frustrating, especially as Courtenay puts forward the claim that he's vanquishing misinformation. No, mate, you're adding to it. LGBT+ people in Australia still cannot donate blood, no matter the circumstances, no matter abstinence, no matter single partners for the whole of their lives, no matter anything. If you've ever had a sexual encounter with someone who identifies as gay, you can't donate blood. Courtenay thinks this is brilliant and wonderful, not realising just how much the queer community could contribute to the blood supply. Even worse- the heterosexual community has far higher rates of HIV and has since the 90s, which is when this book was written. Tell me, what is there to gain from using the death of your son to be a homophobic twat? Where does that benefit you? Also, if you, a straight man, ever use the term 'the gays' again, I will physically manifest in your home.
To add onto that point, I cannot believe that the other implication you raised about the queer community was the prevalence of, what you call, 'butt-rustlers'. As a straight man, in the 1990s, you choose to use homophobic terms that were designed to keep people closeted and discriminated against. This, THIS, is why I cannot stomach what should have been a poignant story. Well, this and some other things.
And on the 'other things' point, how misogynistic can you get? In the midst of your son's psychotic break, while he struggles with the concept of reality, Bryce sits there and talks about how dumpy and frumpy the doctor he eventually meets is. The male doctors receive only insults to their intelligence- the female doctors, however, it's a free game to be able to criticise exactly how they look. How can you ever CONSIDER looks when you're scared to death for your son? How dare you? And then the racism, oy. Don't even get me started. The same critique applies.
I think what really set my teeth on edge was the way that Bryce ended up treating Damon too. In the midst of a bleed, Damon declares that he will die soon anyway. The thing is, he's right. He is 100% correct, and instead of stepping up to the plate and acting like a real parent who takes the care perspective and tells his son yes, he will die, but that's okay, and life is to live to the fullest now, whilst he still can. Instead, Bryce decides to scream in his face that he's a bastard. It was horrible to read. I know that you can snap at your children, but to take them and do that at their most vulnerable point while they're recovering from a particularly bad bleed? How can you do that? Then try to justify yourself? I can't. I simply cannot fathom it.
The worst of all this is that this book is non-fiction. Sure, nobody's perfect, but there's surely a happy medium here. But no, Bryce Courtenay isn't a fictitious character, but a real-life man in his full glory. You could've focused this story on love, as Damon asked you to do. But was that what you chose? No, you chose to soapbox your different forms of hatred just to get your point across. Damon's story deserved to be told in the best way, not sugar-coated, but certainly not this poisonous diatribe that you put to paper. There's a reality here, a horrible one, that sometimes blood transfusions go wrong, that haemophilia is a terrifying illness, that AIDS is a dark reality, that being a parent facing the medical system on a constant basis is hard and frustrating, that loss is difficult. However, the reality is not the fact that you thought the doctor who treated your son's mania looked a little too frumpy for your liking. Perhaps Courtenay's ego should have stepped aside for Damon's story to tell itself, but apparently that was too much to ask.
The first thing I'd like to delineate before I launch into what may turn out to be a rather angry review of this book is that I have so much sympathy for this story. It's a terrible thing to go through, as a parent, a partner, a victim of the virus, all of it- it's awful. I can't even begin to fathom the pain that it must have thrown into the hearts of so many people. I'd also like to stipulate that my stars are here for Damon and his partner- I found their stories far more poignant and interesting than the remaining 400-ish pages of the book. Now, onto the rest of the review.
Bryce Courtenay is not a good man. I could see this fairly evidently when he returned home late, drunk as a skunk, thinking about how much he'd like to bang his wife while his son is near to death in the next room due to a bruise that he chose to ignore because 'Oh, his crying stopped for five minutes'. I'm not saying parents don't make mistakes, but I think that thinking about sex in the midst of a crisis while your wife bawls her eyes out shows exactly what kind of person you are. To then later DEFER to a doctor because he said that 'Your wife shouldn't see her son like this' and hide things from her is, quite frankly, disgusting. I don't care how paternalistic a hospital is, I care that you decided to actively lie to her- and then do that again in respect to your son having a psychotic episode. How disgusting. How shameful. To exclude the woman that you married on equal terms for the sole sake of what? Not worrying her? Do you know how much fear and worry the not knowing creates? Shame on you.
The next issue I take is the bizarre homophobic asides that Courtenay decides to embark on in the middle of the book. Not just once, but about three, four times. One of those may have been from his wife. To delineate 'medically-acquired AIDS' as a somehow 'purer' variant of the virus that is more innocent is cowardly and frustrating, especially as Courtenay puts forward the claim that he's vanquishing misinformation. No, mate, you're adding to it. LGBT+ people in Australia still cannot donate blood, no matter the circumstances, no matter abstinence, no matter single partners for the whole of their lives, no matter anything. If you've ever had a sexual encounter with someone who identifies as gay, you can't donate blood. Courtenay thinks this is brilliant and wonderful, not realising just how much the queer community could contribute to the blood supply. Even worse- the heterosexual community has far higher rates of HIV and has since the 90s, which is when this book was written. Tell me, what is there to gain from using the death of your son to be a homophobic twat? Where does that benefit you? Also, if you, a straight man, ever use the term 'the gays' again, I will physically manifest in your home.
To add onto that point, I cannot believe that the other implication you raised about the queer community was the prevalence of, what you call, 'butt-rustlers'. As a straight man, in the 1990s, you choose to use homophobic terms that were designed to keep people closeted and discriminated against. This, THIS, is why I cannot stomach what should have been a poignant story. Well, this and some other things.
And on the 'other things' point, how misogynistic can you get? In the midst of your son's psychotic break, while he struggles with the concept of reality, Bryce sits there and talks about how dumpy and frumpy the doctor he eventually meets is. The male doctors receive only insults to their intelligence- the female doctors, however, it's a free game to be able to criticise exactly how they look. How can you ever CONSIDER looks when you're scared to death for your son? How dare you? And then the racism, oy. Don't even get me started. The same critique applies.
I think what really set my teeth on edge was the way that Bryce ended up treating Damon too. In the midst of a bleed, Damon declares that he will die soon anyway. The thing is, he's right. He is 100% correct, and instead of stepping up to the plate and acting like a real parent who takes the care perspective and tells his son yes, he will die, but that's okay, and life is to live to the fullest now, whilst he still can. Instead, Bryce decides to scream in his face that he's a bastard. It was horrible to read. I know that you can snap at your children, but to take them and do that at their most vulnerable point while they're recovering from a particularly bad bleed? How can you do that? Then try to justify yourself? I can't. I simply cannot fathom it.
The worst of all this is that this book is non-fiction. Sure, nobody's perfect, but there's surely a happy medium here. But no, Bryce Courtenay isn't a fictitious character, but a real-life man in his full glory. You could've focused this story on love, as Damon asked you to do. But was that what you chose? No, you chose to soapbox your different forms of hatred just to get your point across. Damon's story deserved to be told in the best way, not sugar-coated, but certainly not this poisonous diatribe that you put to paper. There's a reality here, a horrible one, that sometimes blood transfusions go wrong, that haemophilia is a terrifying illness, that AIDS is a dark reality, that being a parent facing the medical system on a constant basis is hard and frustrating, that loss is difficult. However, the reality is not the fact that you thought the doctor who treated your son's mania looked a little too frumpy for your liking. Perhaps Courtenay's ego should have stepped aside for Damon's story to tell itself, but apparently that was too much to ask.
December 31, 2008
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 admiration for people who are prepared to share such intimate details of their personal lives)
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 admiration for people who are prepared to share such intimate details of their personal lives)
March 17, 2019
I actually read this book about 25 years ago... but it is a book that will never leave me.
I still remember the absolute power of the book and my utter devaststion when I finished reading.
it took me on such a rollercoaster ride and made me realise another side of life that I was fortunate to not have encountered. It was probably part of the reason that I now value my family so much... because you never know what is going to happen in the future.
If you want to read a book about compassion, devotion anf hope, then this is that book.
I still remember the absolute power of the book and my utter devaststion when I finished reading.
it took me on such a rollercoaster ride and made me realise another side of life that I was fortunate to not have encountered. It was probably part of the reason that I now value my family so much... because you never know what is going to happen in the future.
If you want to read a book about compassion, devotion anf hope, then this is that book.
January 31, 2011
‘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 1983, the Courtenays were advised that Damon had become HIV positive – most likely because of the blood transfusions he had required to treat his haemophilia. In 1988, he experienced his first real AIDS-related crisis after undergoing surgery for the removal of his wisdom teeth.
‘I picked up the AIDS virus from the blood product that I use regularly for control of haemophilia. It seems such a bitter irony that the medicine that has saved my life became the poison that may soon end it.’
It was indeed a bitter irony, and Damon’s story is a heartbreaking one. But it is not bereft of joy or of love.
I have had this book on my bookshelf for 17 years: I knew, broadly, what the book was about but couldn’t bring myself to read it until recently. And now that I have read it, I am saddened by the medical circumstances: of haemophilia; of its treatment and of the fact that the source of Damon’s AIDS appears to have been a consequence of contaminated blood donations. A blood donation process – since changed - which did not exclude groups at high risks of AIDS infection from donating blood.
I found this book moving and upsetting. It describes both the best and the worst of the medical profession: many dedicated people helped Damon even though the medical system itself seemed to move very slowly in recognising the need for change to its processes and systems. Damon Courtenay may have lived a brief life, but one consequence of it is, as I discovered, a perpetual trust fund (the Damon Courtenay Memorial Endowment Fund administered by the Haemophilia Fund Australia) which provides grants that can be used for the care, treatment, education and welfare for people with bleeding disorders and (or) their families. This fund was established by Damon’s parents in 1993 in Damon’s memory.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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 1983, the Courtenays were advised that Damon had become HIV positive – most likely because of the blood transfusions he had required to treat his haemophilia. In 1988, he experienced his first real AIDS-related crisis after undergoing surgery for the removal of his wisdom teeth.
‘I picked up the AIDS virus from the blood product that I use regularly for control of haemophilia. It seems such a bitter irony that the medicine that has saved my life became the poison that may soon end it.’
It was indeed a bitter irony, and Damon’s story is a heartbreaking one. But it is not bereft of joy or of love.
I have had this book on my bookshelf for 17 years: I knew, broadly, what the book was about but couldn’t bring myself to read it until recently. And now that I have read it, I am saddened by the medical circumstances: of haemophilia; of its treatment and of the fact that the source of Damon’s AIDS appears to have been a consequence of contaminated blood donations. A blood donation process – since changed - which did not exclude groups at high risks of AIDS infection from donating blood.
I found this book moving and upsetting. It describes both the best and the worst of the medical profession: many dedicated people helped Damon even though the medical system itself seemed to move very slowly in recognising the need for change to its processes and systems. Damon Courtenay may have lived a brief life, but one consequence of it is, as I discovered, a perpetual trust fund (the Damon Courtenay Memorial Endowment Fund administered by the Haemophilia Fund Australia) which provides grants that can be used for the care, treatment, education and welfare for people with bleeding disorders and (or) their families. This fund was established by Damon’s parents in 1993 in Damon’s memory.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
September 18, 2013
Courtney at his most honest and his best. ★ 5
July 3, 2020
Bryce Courtenay writes about his son Damon who was born a haemophiliac requiring a lifetime of blood transfusions. Tragically, when he was 17 he contracted HIV from a life saving blood transfusion which then turned into AIDS. This book is a very detailed insight into his short and unfair life.
Firstly, this book made angry! I felt that Bryce saw Damon as a burden, often spending nights out drinking rather than supporting his wife or spending time with his children. He came across as a controlling, selfish, sexist and arrogant man who shamelessly name drops, and flashes his money.
But then there are sections written by Celeste (Damon's girlfriend) who cared for him until the end with compassion and so much love that it breaks your heart knowing that they didn't live happily ever after.
The harrowing story of Damon's AIDS journey is gut wrenching but there was not an element that was glossed over - the reader gets a front row seat of all the nastiness he went through until the end including regular battles with the healthcare system.
In saying that, Bryce repeats so much of this book that it just made it unnecessarily long, and then he describes things that don't really need to be talked about like the cats' personalities.
Firstly, this book made angry! I felt that Bryce saw Damon as a burden, often spending nights out drinking rather than supporting his wife or spending time with his children. He came across as a controlling, selfish, sexist and arrogant man who shamelessly name drops, and flashes his money.
But then there are sections written by Celeste (Damon's girlfriend) who cared for him until the end with compassion and so much love that it breaks your heart knowing that they didn't live happily ever after.
The harrowing story of Damon's AIDS journey is gut wrenching but there was not an element that was glossed over - the reader gets a front row seat of all the nastiness he went through until the end including regular battles with the healthcare system.
In saying that, Bryce repeats so much of this book that it just made it unnecessarily long, and then he describes things that don't really need to be talked about like the cats' personalities.
May 19, 2021
An extremely moving book about love, friendship, support, ignorance and prejudices. The death of a son from aids.
June 12, 2020
3.5★
A difficult one to rate and review. The story is certainly heart-breaking. I listened to the audiobook, and Humphrey Bower is, as always, wonderful. But I saw one review that mentioned that Bryce Courtenay "romanticised the characters" - and while they aren't "characters" since they are real people, I have to agree that it appears that Courtenay presented his people through rose-coloured lenses. And while I can understand it - he's writing about his family, after all, and it can be hard to be objective, and besides, hindsight is always 20/20 - life is rarely so black and white, and it gets a little tiresome for the reader at times.
But Damon Courtenay really had a rough life, with a big helping of bad luck thrown in. As I was reading it, I couldn't help wondering how things would have been different if they'd refused to use the AHF - was there another option, but they went with that because it was easier or most readily available? Although I think Bryce said at one point that this was all that was available at the time... What about if Damon had decided not to have his wisdom teeth out when he was advised to? Would that have held his AIDS off until there were better drugs available? I wonder whether it was one lot of pooled blood that had the HIV virus, or whether the pooled blood supply was frequently HIV positive in those years? If it was only the odd batch of pooled blood that was positive, it's even more unfortunate if the Courtenays put in an order for AHF right at the time when the batch was contaminated with HIV.
Bryce Courtenay slammed the medical profession for various things, but thankfully our blood supply is nowadays one of the cleanest in the world. They may have been slow to act, and possibly blinded by complacency, and that delay cost a number of families their loved ones, but I am thankful that they did eventually act before any more lives were lost from receiving a contaminated blood transfusion and that for anyone needing blood in Australia today, the procedure carries no more risk of contracting HIV than any other medical procedure.
A difficult one to rate and review. The story is certainly heart-breaking. I listened to the audiobook, and Humphrey Bower is, as always, wonderful. But I saw one review that mentioned that Bryce Courtenay "romanticised the characters" - and while they aren't "characters" since they are real people, I have to agree that it appears that Courtenay presented his people through rose-coloured lenses. And while I can understand it - he's writing about his family, after all, and it can be hard to be objective, and besides, hindsight is always 20/20 - life is rarely so black and white, and it gets a little tiresome for the reader at times.
But Damon Courtenay really had a rough life, with a big helping of bad luck thrown in. As I was reading it, I couldn't help wondering how things would have been different if they'd refused to use the AHF - was there another option, but they went with that because it was easier or most readily available? Although I think Bryce said at one point that this was all that was available at the time... What about if Damon had decided not to have his wisdom teeth out when he was advised to? Would that have held his AIDS off until there were better drugs available? I wonder whether it was one lot of pooled blood that had the HIV virus, or whether the pooled blood supply was frequently HIV positive in those years? If it was only the odd batch of pooled blood that was positive, it's even more unfortunate if the Courtenays put in an order for AHF right at the time when the batch was contaminated with HIV.
Bryce Courtenay slammed the medical profession for various things, but thankfully our blood supply is nowadays one of the cleanest in the world. They may have been slow to act, and possibly blinded by complacency, and that delay cost a number of families their loved ones, but I am thankful that they did eventually act before any more lives were lost from receiving a contaminated blood transfusion and that for anyone needing blood in Australia today, the procedure carries no more risk of contracting HIV than any other medical procedure.
March 23, 2009
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 blood transfusions to stay alive, which ironically ultimately killed him as he contracted HIV from one.
Some parts of this book were tough to read, and I had to put it down a few times and take a mental break. The effects of Damon's diseases were so awful and the thought of watching a family member go through that was pretty terrible. It's amazing to me that Bryce Courtenay was able to write this book with all the painful memories it must have brought up.
I almost feel like the title of his debut novel "The Power of One" would have been more fitting for this novel. Despite the horrible fortune dealt to Damon from the moment he was born with haemophilia and later AIDS, he never wanted to be a burden on his family or his girlfriend Celeste. He faced each day with a positive outlook and always believed he could beat his diseases eventually and made huge plans for his future, and he never complained about the immense pain he was constantly enduring. He had an inner strength that is rare for anyone, let alone someone who was dealt such a bad hand.
Overall, a great story. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is very sensitive as the story is very honest and the effects of the diseases were disturbing. It will change your outlook on people suffering from AIDS and make you thankful for having your health, something we all take for granted every day.
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 blood transfusions to stay alive, which ironically ultimately killed him as he contracted HIV from one.
Some parts of this book were tough to read, and I had to put it down a few times and take a mental break. The effects of Damon's diseases were so awful and the thought of watching a family member go through that was pretty terrible. It's amazing to me that Bryce Courtenay was able to write this book with all the painful memories it must have brought up.
I almost feel like the title of his debut novel "The Power of One" would have been more fitting for this novel. Despite the horrible fortune dealt to Damon from the moment he was born with haemophilia and later AIDS, he never wanted to be a burden on his family or his girlfriend Celeste. He faced each day with a positive outlook and always believed he could beat his diseases eventually and made huge plans for his future, and he never complained about the immense pain he was constantly enduring. He had an inner strength that is rare for anyone, let alone someone who was dealt such a bad hand.
Overall, a great story. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is very sensitive as the story is very honest and the effects of the diseases were disturbing. It will change your outlook on people suffering from AIDS and make you thankful for having your health, something we all take for granted every day.
May 14, 2016
I am drained - both emotionally and physically after completing this memoir. This was a long read for me and an incredibly arduous yet loving journey for the marvelous family of Damon Courtenay. To have a son born a hemophiliac is beyond daunting. I had no idea about all of the spontaneous bleeds of a hemophiliac nor the resulting physical deterioration in the body. The "mother" part of me reading this book wept openly. How did these parents continue to find their needed strength both physically and emotionally? Add an AIDS contaminated transfusion to the mix and life really becomes challenging.
One reviewer I read wrote:
"This isn't a book you actually "enjoy" but it is an important book. It is the book Damon asked his father to write, to instruct people about AIDS and, he hoped, reduce some of the stigma attached to AIDS victims. (Damon died in a time when you were expected to wear gowns, gloves and masks when entering the room of someone with AIDS) You will laugh, you will cry and you will scream at too many in the medical community who made things terrible for Damon at various points in his life, from babyhood all the way up to his death."
So why read this tribute to a dead son? For me it was the empathy I feel and the beginning bud of understanding of this terrible condition. There were so many obstacles: ignorance, depression, seizures, pain, loneliness, but these elements were blended with the dedication of a devoted lover (Celeste), generous and caring doctors (at the end of Damon's life), a profound belief in the power of the mind, an unquenchable attitude of gratitude and a zest for life.
My challenges seem smaller now. My life is abundantly rich and full. This well-loved author "barred his soul" if you will and in so doing touched mine.
One reviewer I read wrote:
"This isn't a book you actually "enjoy" but it is an important book. It is the book Damon asked his father to write, to instruct people about AIDS and, he hoped, reduce some of the stigma attached to AIDS victims. (Damon died in a time when you were expected to wear gowns, gloves and masks when entering the room of someone with AIDS) You will laugh, you will cry and you will scream at too many in the medical community who made things terrible for Damon at various points in his life, from babyhood all the way up to his death."
So why read this tribute to a dead son? For me it was the empathy I feel and the beginning bud of understanding of this terrible condition. There were so many obstacles: ignorance, depression, seizures, pain, loneliness, but these elements were blended with the dedication of a devoted lover (Celeste), generous and caring doctors (at the end of Damon's life), a profound belief in the power of the mind, an unquenchable attitude of gratitude and a zest for life.
My challenges seem smaller now. My life is abundantly rich and full. This well-loved author "barred his soul" if you will and in so doing touched mine.
July 15, 2024
An insanely beautiful and insanely sad book. It is a book that starts at the end, so you know where it’s going, but also have no idea what will happen along the way. Very vulnerably written.
I thought this was one of the best books I’ve read in a while.
I thought this was one of the best books I’ve read in a while.
April 8, 2025
3.25/5
Despite it's 666 pages, Courtenay, and his various family and friends who dip in for the odd chapter, read very quickly and easily. The book feels repetitive at times but I can't be too mad as I could fly through 100 pages a day without much effort.
There are deeply moving passages sprinkled throughout this. Some of scenes with the medical malpractice (especially with Damon as a young boy) is infuriating and almost hard to read but it doesn't come across as gratuitous. Courtenay doesn't revel in these scenes, the focus of the book is on the life of Damon, not his death.
Despite it's 666 pages, Courtenay, and his various family and friends who dip in for the odd chapter, read very quickly and easily. The book feels repetitive at times but I can't be too mad as I could fly through 100 pages a day without much effort.
There are deeply moving passages sprinkled throughout this. Some of scenes with the medical malpractice (especially with Damon as a young boy) is infuriating and almost hard to read but it doesn't come across as gratuitous. Courtenay doesn't revel in these scenes, the focus of the book is on the life of Damon, not his death.
April 12, 2021
AUSTRALIA/ SOUTH AFRICA
Sitting in bed crying after finishing this one , first book that has made me cry in a long time .
So sad and raw and man , I’m like really saddened by this one . This is a biography / autobiography from Bryce Courtney and his family documenting the health journey in the 80s:90s of his son Damon who was a haemophiliac . It’s a very gripping and soul wrenching read . Also knowing that Courtney likely wrote Power of One and did in fact wrote Tandia while dealing with this gave me a new found appreciation for both those books .
Sitting in bed crying after finishing this one , first book that has made me cry in a long time .
So sad and raw and man , I’m like really saddened by this one . This is a biography / autobiography from Bryce Courtney and his family documenting the health journey in the 80s:90s of his son Damon who was a haemophiliac . It’s a very gripping and soul wrenching read . Also knowing that Courtney likely wrote Power of One and did in fact wrote Tandia while dealing with this gave me a new found appreciation for both those books .
May 21, 2016
Wow, wow, and ouch ouch ouch. This book is full of pain, it is heart wrenching. It is the story of Bryce Courtenay's son, Damon, that died at the age of 24, after 24 tough years. Damon was a hemophiliac, and to say the truth, I found out that I know almost nothing about hemophilia. What is a bleeding (well, you can't even see the blood), how it is treated (several blood transfusions every week), how limited is a child with hemophilia, and what are the "longer" affects on the body, that is deteriorating and losing even its limited freedom.
Now add to that HIV/AIDS, and you got more pain, that cannot be contained. And then, I found out that I don't know too much about AIDS either. So that was eye opening, in the most painful way possible. But it is so very important to know more about it. And at least we made some progress and some of the prejudices have improved.
But above all, it is a story about love and dedication. The true love between Damon and Celeste, his girlfriend, and her amazing dedication. And the Courtenays dedication, 24/7, since this is what hemophilia means. And love and dedication play a big role in terminal illness, and they helped the Mighty Damon in almost impossible states, not leaving him for a moment, even when it seems impossible to continue.
It is a hard book, but I believe it is the best book to allow somewhat to understand what a terminal ill person goes through. And Bryce Courtenay succeeds to bring it both from the point of view of the family and of the ill person. I can't even describe how I felt throughout some parts, especially when Damon was on the verge of death, in tough life risking states.
Heart wrenching, but so so important. You'll learn a lot about hemophilia and AIDS (and about irresponsible medical systems). I don't think that loved the book is a good description, but my heart was expanded (and shrunk at times) by reading it. I ached for the Courtenay family.
(4.5 stars but I'll go with the 5 here)
Now add to that HIV/AIDS, and you got more pain, that cannot be contained. And then, I found out that I don't know too much about AIDS either. So that was eye opening, in the most painful way possible. But it is so very important to know more about it. And at least we made some progress and some of the prejudices have improved.
But above all, it is a story about love and dedication. The true love between Damon and Celeste, his girlfriend, and her amazing dedication. And the Courtenays dedication, 24/7, since this is what hemophilia means. And love and dedication play a big role in terminal illness, and they helped the Mighty Damon in almost impossible states, not leaving him for a moment, even when it seems impossible to continue.
It is a hard book, but I believe it is the best book to allow somewhat to understand what a terminal ill person goes through. And Bryce Courtenay succeeds to bring it both from the point of view of the family and of the ill person. I can't even describe how I felt throughout some parts, especially when Damon was on the verge of death, in tough life risking states.
Heart wrenching, but so so important. You'll learn a lot about hemophilia and AIDS (and about irresponsible medical systems). I don't think that loved the book is a good description, but my heart was expanded (and shrunk at times) by reading it. I ached for the Courtenay family.
(4.5 stars but I'll go with the 5 here)
February 8, 2011
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 important book. It is the book Damon asked his father to write, to instruct people about AIDS and, he hoped, reduce some of the stigma attached to AIDS victims. (Damon died in a time when you were expected to wear gowns, gloves and masks when entering the room of someone with AIDS) You will laugh, you will cry and you will scream at too many in the medical community who made things terrible for Damon at various points in his life, from babyhood all the way up to his death.
Damon died in 1991. My friend Steve nearly died in 1996, but then new drugs came along and now Steve and countless others are living with AIDS rather than dying from it. It is no longer the automatic death sentence it once was. Which makes me sad that The Mighty Damon died too soon.
This isn't a book you actually "enjoy" but it is an important book. It is the book Damon asked his father to write, to instruct people about AIDS and, he hoped, reduce some of the stigma attached to AIDS victims. (Damon died in a time when you were expected to wear gowns, gloves and masks when entering the room of someone with AIDS) You will laugh, you will cry and you will scream at too many in the medical community who made things terrible for Damon at various points in his life, from babyhood all the way up to his death.
Damon died in 1991. My friend Steve nearly died in 1996, but then new drugs came along and now Steve and countless others are living with AIDS rather than dying from it. It is no longer the automatic death sentence it once was. Which makes me sad that The Mighty Damon died too soon.
December 26, 2011
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 huge mass comes across as tedious sometimes. From a reader's perspective, selective detail would have been more powerful, I think, emphasizing the craftsmanship of the novel over completeness. But of course the book was written first and foremost as the fulfillment of a promise and secondly as a necessary act of memory for the author. Those things make including every detail important too.
January 3, 2017
April Fool's Day is the incredibly moving story of a young man's life cut short by AIDS and the true & pure love for a young woman that will inspire you to live every day to its fullest and love like there is no tomorrow.
There is truly no other words to describe it expect that it is a must read novel that will change how you see life.
"The lovely smiling image I have of Damon will remind me that Love is an energy-it can neither be created or destroyed. It just is and always will be, giving meaning to life and direction to goodness.
Our love will never die."
Celeste. April Fool's Day
There is truly no other words to describe it expect that it is a must read novel that will change how you see life.
"The lovely smiling image I have of Damon will remind me that Love is an energy-it can neither be created or destroyed. It just is and always will be, giving meaning to life and direction to goodness.
Our love will never die."
Celeste. April Fool's Day
January 5, 2012
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 continue as long as I am able.
January 27, 2008
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.
July 11, 2021
Thank goodness that's over
October 16, 2024
Idk how Bryce manages to make such a sad story so uplifting
Would absolutely reccomend
Would absolutely reccomend
July 7, 2024
Well I’m in tears.
June 21, 2021
I found this book very confronting. While I have a few friends that live with chronic illnesses, so I fully understand the concept of good days and bad days -- and occasionally bad days that turn into bad weeks, the illness first presented by the author made me realise just how different a disease it is. And then to just confound that, to find out you received a much more serious one during the course of managing it! It's clear that the author has very little regard for the medical profession, and a lot of anger, which is completely understandable. The roughly chronological timeline of the book showed just how everything progressed, and the ending made me extremely emotional.
October 3, 2022
Based on one of Bryce's sons, Damon's life. This book is about the struggles of a young man suffering from Haemophillia, who then through one of many blood transfusions contracts HIV leading a few years later AIDS.
June 18, 2019
Pretty tragic story. Didn't realise it was non-fiction until I started reading it.
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