Try free for 30 days

Preview

1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

April Fool's Day

By: Bryce Courtenay
Narrated by: Humphrey Bower
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $38.99

Buy Now for $38.99

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

This is Bryce Courtenay's moving tribute to his son, Damon, a hemophiliac who died from medically acquired AIDS on April 1, 1991, at the age of 24.

April Fool's Day is controversial, painful and heartbreaking, yet has a gentle humor. It is also life-affirming and, above all, a testimony to the incredible regenerative strength of love: how when we confront our worst, we can become our best. This tragic yet uplifting story will change the way you think. From the author of The Power of One.

©2013 Christine Courtenay (P)2014 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic Reviews

"April Fool's Day is one of those rare, wholly beautiful books that lets life speak for itself." (The Australian)

What listeners say about April Fool's Day

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    126
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    123
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    116
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A beautifully written and narrated love story

I had only just joined Audible, April Fools Day was my free book and what a way to hook me in. Absolutely loved this Bryce Courtney dedication to his beautiful boy. So wonderfully narrated, I laughed, cried and loved every minute.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So raw and emotional

Having lost a child and experienced years of hospital admissions, this story was all too raw and emotional. Beautifully told with such brutal honesty. It’s so true, the majority of hospital staff are what you expect, brilliant, dedicated and caring. But there are a large number of incompetent, arrogant and unprofessional fools who belong nowhere near sick people.

Can’t believe Bryce wrote his first couple of beautiful books while experiencing all this!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Frustrating but heartbreaking

A beautiful, bitter wonderful story of a family, young love and a needless tragedy. A must read for those with courage.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

If ever you think you’re having a bad day!

Loved this book, made me take a good look at a lot of the insignificant worries I make a far to big a deal of.
I whole unfairness of it all made me sad.

Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked? Ecclesiastes 7:13

Thank you for a beautiful life...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Heartwarming

Lovely story of a young man who faces a huge number of medical challenge told by the perspective of his father, himself and his girlfriend. Interesting and sad but a quick moving book. This is my second time reading. Definitely recommend

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Eye Opener

This book was such an eye opener, I’m so sorry Damon went through all this because of bad blood, and what you all went through as a family. I was in tears more times than I would like to say.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

inspiring

I don't normally like these types of books. I found it difficult to get into at first. However, in typical Bryce style I felt compelled to keep listening. I loved it and more than once found myself crying or almost crying. I found the end so satisfying and will be eternally grateful yo Bryce for sharing hid family with me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gold Standard Emotive Storytelling

What a book to listen to. I had read this year's earlier and always cherished the story. I hadn't liked ready Bryce Courtenay as a fictional author but as a biographical non fiction writer, his usual extremely descriptive and elaborate writing fits the narrative so well.
The book has so much to offer in way of story, but also offering input from others which adds to really well describing Damon.
A book for the bucket list, and for a good cry.
the narrator is very well suited and tells the story so emotionally accurate that you can almost sense him holding tears back at the difficult parts.
Great book for an audio book! must must read!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

personal tragedy

I loved this book Bryce is a brilliant writer. Humphrey Bower is a brilliant narrator

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

for loves sake

oh dear Damon, dear Celeste. i read your book. thank you. love to bryce and benita RIP. MY HEART IS RIPPED OPEN but better for knowing you all. pete

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.