The Magic in the Tin

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.

Born in Lisburn during the Troubles, Paul Ferris was a teenage footballing prodigy, becoming Newcastle United's youngest-ever player in 1982, only for injury to ensure his promise went unfulfilled. He later returned to the club as a physiotherapist before earning a Master's degree and qualifying as a barrister. But the lure of football was always strong and he went back for a third spell at Newcastle, as Head of the Medical Department, again working closely with a host of big-name players and managers. Paul's first book, The Boy on the Shed, became a bestseller and won multiple awards including the Sunday Times Sports Book of The Year. Paul also writes novels and runs a successful health and fitness business, Speedflex. He lives in Prudhoe, Northumberland.