The Magic in the Tin

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents The Magic in the Tin by Paul Ferris, read by Ruairi Conaghan.

Unmissable: please read this extraordinary book.' – Daily Mail

'A triumph ... A worthy follow-up to The Boy on the Shed.' – Jeff Stelling

'All men should read this book – important and brilliantly written.' – Alan Shearer

'Genius... A difficult, deeply personal story beautifully told.' – George Caulkin, The Athletic

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From the author of the critically acclaimed memoir, The Boy on the Shed, comes a powerful tale of grit and resilience, told with great humour, openness and profound bravery.

Former Newcastle United winger Paul Ferris was 51. He had successfully forged a post-football career as a physio, barrister and then a CEO, and his award-winning memoir, The Boy on the Shed, was just about to be published. But then he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. This honest, sometimes brutal and frequently funny book tells the story of what happened next.

Prostate cancer. It’s a phrase that strikes fear into the heart of every man. It’s the most common male cancer, but treatable if it’s caught early enough. Paul doesn’t shy away from describing that treatment. And neither does he hold back on its life-changing consequences – from harrowing surgery, humiliating procedures and excruciating consultations – as he strives to become the man he once was again.

The mental challenges and psychological impact of living with this acute condition are explored in Paul’s revealing and riveting narrative that represents rare male honesty, but this is never a ‘poor me’ book or not in any way self-pitying. Courageous, inspirational and beautifully written, The Magic in the Tin is a rare thing: deeply moving yet rich in humour, written by a true sportsman in every sense of the word.

A brutal and poignant account of one man's journey through prostate cancer.

Critics Review

All men should read this book – important and brilliantly written.
Alan Shearer
A triumph ... A worthy follow-up to The Boy on the Shed.
Jeff Stelling
A difficult and important story beautifully told.
Mick Harford
Genius... A difficult, deeply personal story beautifully told. Paul Ferris is a rare and important author who can write about the darkest of subjects with a warmth and life- affirming honesty few others can match.
The Athletic UK
Paul Ferris manages to be brutally honest and very funny about something dark and terrifying. He's also generous, warm and philosophical.
Kevin Day, writer and comedian
A book as brave as it is honest.
Daily Mail
... a fantastic read… educational and thought-provoking.
ITV News
A powerful, courageous and brave book
Francis Benali, Southampton FC legend and award-winning charity fundraiser
Courageous, life-affirming and beautifully written, it is a memoir that is both deeply moving and rich in humour... a magnificent book and I encourage you to read it.
Helen McGurk
A deeply personal and brutally honest account ... handled with a light tough - and moments of real humour - as Ferris brings that roller coaster road to life.
Irish news
Powerful
Choice Magazine
Unmissable: please read this extraordinary book... Every man, whatever their age, should read this brave and painfully honest book.
Daily Mail
Ferris brings humour to the darkness. This profoundly moving memoir will perhaps be his most important legacy. It will hold the hands of men unfortunate enough to face the same fight and encourage others not to remain silent. Inspirational.
Daily Mail

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