Tales from the Cancer Ward

‘At a certain point in illness care is the only thing we have. Care for those we love, care for ourselves.’ Roger Ebert, US film critic and screen writer.

‘To be vulnerable is to live.’ In Tales from the Cancer Ward renowned filmmaker Paul Cox celebrates the beauty and fragility of life. The unexpected message of illness that he is delivered leaves him feeling utterly alone and with no alternative but to confront his own mortality, to question the separation of the spirit and the body, and to navigate what is truly essential in this world.

As John Larkin writes in his introduction, Paul Cox’s story ‘demonstrates the resilience of the human body and spirit, the power of positive thought over fear, what is possible, even when the odds seem almost impossible, and the life-saving blessings of modern medicine.’

At times dark, at times intense, this is ultimately a book filled with light, and hope, and life. The return message that Cox has written to himself and his readers is a precious answer, a true homecoming.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Paul Cox is an auteur of international acclaim. Born in Holland, Paul Cox migrated to Australia in the mid-60s and went on to become one of the country’s most prolific, original and internationally acclaimed filmmakers. Over a 35 year filmmaking career, the signature traits of Cox’s work are a deep humanism, a poignant and realistic focus on relationships, eclecticism, and a profound affinity with the arts.