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The Cancer Journals

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( 5,206 ratings, 687 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Cancer Journals is a powerful memoir by Audre Lorde, chronicling her battle with breast cancer. The book combines personal narrative and introspection with a broader commentary on the societal challenges faced by women, particularly women of colour, in dealing with illness. Lorde reflects on her experiences with surgery and recovery, while also exploring themes of identity, strength, and resilience.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in a raw and insightful reflection on personal strength and feminist perspective in the face of illness. The author, a renowned poet and activist, offers a poignant memoir that challenges societal norms and celebrates resilience, making it a compelling read for those intrigued by intimate and powerful life narratives.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Cancer Journals is a brave, beautiful book that could double as a handbook to accompany anyone on their journey through cancer. — Jackie Kay, New Statesman

I would never have chosen this path, but I am very glad to be who I am, here.

The Cancer Journals is an intimate, poetic, and invigorating account of the experience of breast cancer, from biopsy to mastectomy, told by the great feminist and activist Audre Lorde. Moving between journal entry, memoir, and essay, Lorde fuses the personal and political to reflect on the many questions breast cancer raises—questions of survival, sexuality, prosthesis, and self-care. It is a journey of survival, friendship, and self-acceptance.

Grief, terror, courage, the passion for survival and for more than survival, are here in the searchings of a great poet. — Adrienne Rich

This book teaches me that with one breast or none, I am still me. — Alice Walker

Series: Penguin Modern Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Cancer Journals by Audre Lorde receives praise for its profound blend of personal narrative and political insight. The book is seen as a raw and empowering exploration of illness and mortality, challenging traditional views on women with cancer. It is noted for its bravery and timelessness, providing inspiration by acknowledging pain and embracing self-transformation.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241453506

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 November 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 6.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 79g

Pages: 96

About the Author

Audre Lorde was a writer, feminist and civil rights activist - or, as she famously put it, 'Black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet'. Born in New York in 1934, she had her first poem published while she was still in high school. After stints as a factory worker, ghost writer, social worker, X-ray technician, medical clerk, and arts and crafts supervisor, she became a librarian in Manhattan and gradually rose to prominence as a poet, essayist and speaker, anthologised by Langston Hughes, lauded by Adrienne Rich, and befriended by James Baldwin. She was made Poet Laureate of New York State in 1991, when she was awarded the Walt Whitman prize; she was also awarded honorary doctorates from Hunter, Oberlin and Haverford colleges. She died of cancer in 1992, aged 58.

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