Season in Hell

An extraordinary memoir on facing death . . . and choosing lifeWhere there’s a will . . .Given a death sentence after being diagnosed with cancer, Marilyn French fought back . . . and won. A Season in Hell is the story of her battle to survive against overwhelming odds.A smoker for almost half a century, French was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in the summer of 1992. She was given a year to live, but five years later, she was, incredibly, cancer free. In this inspiring account, French chronicles her journey, from her reaction to the devastating news, to the chemotherapy that almost killed her, to her miraculous return to life following a two-week coma. She shares her feelings on apathetic doctors, the vital importance of a support network of friends and family, and how her near-death experience forever altered her perspective and priorities.

“Readers share the worst and the best with French, and by the end of the book get to know this woman, feel a part of her humanity, respect her courage, and cherish her circle of close friends (including Gloria Steinem) and relatives who gave her so much when she needed it most.” —Amazon“Powerful . . . well balanced in its presentation.” —Library Journal“French’s memoir . . . is hellish indeed . . . an indictment of an increasingly two-tiered health-care system.” —Booklist“A graceful, uncompromising account . . . The drama she relates is terrible in its familiarity, yet French makes it new, infusing her story with love, humor, and outrage . . . smoothly combines personal testimony and political ire. . . . A rousing condemnation of medical ignorance and sexism, revealed in the story of a woman’s struggle to live.” —Kirkus Reviews“A vigorous book.” —The Times Literary Supplement“The strangest thing about A Season in Hell is that, even though it is a meticulous catalogue of her descent into this other, diminished, way of life . . . it ends up being immensely cheering.” —The Guardian“The struggle to assert control over chaos, and the painful realization that your former life can never be resumed, is a powerful theme of the book.” —The Independent“An awesome testament to the bravery of a woman who manages to defy a supposedly unbeatable disease.” —The Big Issue“A fascinating, honest and courageous story.” —Woman’s Way“An inspiring, life-affirming story and will give great encouragement to many struggling with sickness or despair.” —Ireland on Sunday“The fact that anyone could write this book cheers me up no end.” —Sunday Tribune (Ireland)

Marilyn French was a novelist and feminist. Her books include The Women’s Room, which has been translated into twenty languages; From Eve to Dawn, a History of Women in the World; A Season in Hell; Her Mother’s Daughter; Our Father; My Summer with George; and The Bleeding Heart. She died in 2009.