New book…good book on cancer
New book…good book on cancer I am in the middle reading a really good book by Adam Wishart called One in Three. (half price from Amazon at the moment.)
The author interweaves an account of his father’s illness and death from prostate cancer with a stunning historical, and scientific account of cancer.
With chapter headings historically listed, such as: 1831: Surgery the bloody butchery; 1930: Causes: is civilisation the problem?; 1969 The War on Cancer: Richard Nixon’s quest; 1979 Alternatives: the backlash against orthodoxy and 2003 The Clocks of Mortality: how a cell is changed…its one of the most lucid, intelligent and riveting books on cancer I’ve read…and hopeful in a realistic way.
I’m someone who finds the shedloads of rubbish (to quote Kate Carr) on the shelves about cancer very depressing and undermining and isolating, but this book is exciting, powerful, real. A bonus too is that Wishart’s father was, like me, an atheist and a humanist and so both father and son’s attitude to death is eminently refreshing.
There’s masses of interesting information about cancer, and though not a book about breast cancer, lots of the examples are from the history of breast cancer like the impact of Hitler’s mother’s death from breast cancer on subsequent Nazi policy on cancer prevention; and a lengthy account about the controversial Breast Cancer Prevention Trial in the US using tamoxofen on healthy women in the 1990s.
Riveting and moving stuff and a wonderful antedote if you’re fed up with happy clappy celebrity survivor stories and glossy cancer charrity booklets.
Any one else read it?
Jane
hi jane
haven’t read it but will definately do so now, i am a practising wiccan so i too find the happy clappy approach to our care replusive, after both my mastectomies the chaplain came to vist as they visit all the poor women ( and men) who suffer so and i was told God chose me cos i could cope and i am blessed I didn’t feel particularly blessed wrapped in bandages with tubes coming out of every orifice but when i asked her to leave everyone was shocked because she was a vicar!!!
will read with relish
cheers
jo
Jane, I’ve just ordered it. I’m looking forward to reading it.
Thanks for this - On my “to read” list
I haven’t read it, but I think I might order it now!
I’m pagan, so also can’t be doing with the god stuff (no disrespect to those it helps… each to their own, but it’s not my thing).
They actually asked me about my beliefs, before I had surgery, and asked if I wanted to see a chaplain at all. So fortunately, it wasn’t something that was forced on me. I really think it’s wrong to force this on anyone, to be honest.
Anyway, I’m going off topic!
Thanks for the ‘heads up’ on the book, Jane :o)
Bathsheba’s Breast Hi I have just finish reading Bathsheba’s Breast. It is frank history of breast cancer. Although quite gory in parts, it show’s how surgical proceedures have developed since eyptian times, and some interesting facts too.
Ironically it was recommended in the new magazine from breast cancer care, - Vita or it could have been the Newsheet that came with it. Must admit felt I could have hit a few people at the end of it especially surgeons,.
All in all I found it scary and fascinating, .
Take care
Karenanne:-)
Vita magazine HI all
If you would like to order a copy of the new Breast Cancr Care magazine Vita, go to breastcancercare.org.uk
/content.php?page_id=4793
Best wishes
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Vita Have to say I wasn’t too impressed with the Vita mag - nor was 22 year old daugther.
LindaAnn
xxx