"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.

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