"Someone You Know: A Friend's Farewell"

"Someone You Know: A Friend's Farewell" is Australia's first AIDS biography and a moving documentary of the times.

The story is simple but deals with complex issues. Maria, a married Italian-Australian woman, and Jon, a gay man, teach together at a metropolitan Adelaide high school. Despite different backgrounds, they share common opinions, become good friends. She experiences the joy of imminent motherhood; he learns that he is HIV positive.

They keep each other's secrets. Maria lies for Jon to shield him from society that fears and reviles AIDS sufferers. The threads and entanglements of their lives come together at Jon's final gathering in a Sydney hospice.

Someone You Know is a wonderful book about what people can do to help each other when the chips are down. It's a true story and it could be about someone you know.

"Someone You Know is a sensitive and loving book about friendship and AIDS.
Author Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli reveals a great understanding about AIDS - how it affects the person who has it and the way friends are affected too. We learn what it means to be a gay man and have the virus. Maria's book is important reading. It covers the issues that AIDS makes us confront and will help all of us who are involved in AIDS education, research and care."
ITA BUTTROSE, Chairperson, AIDS Trust of Australia.

Read some excerpts from the book

Someone You Know is now available in a new design and re-print through Wakefield Press Box 2266 Kent Town South Australia AUSTRALIA 5071 Fax 61 08 362 7592 for $14.95(Aust$), or most book stores

Royalties from the sale are donated by the author to the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation for People Living with AIDS