An extraordinary memoir on facing death … and choosing life Where 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.