No Time to Die [Hardcover]

Liz Tilberis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 13, 1998

In 1993, Liz Tilberis had it all. Hired as editor in chief of Harper's Bazaar, she had moved to America with her husband and two small children and presided aver the dazzling relaunch of the magazine, instantly becoming one of the most prominent figures in international media and fashion circles. Then, all at once, the rug was pulled out from under her. On the eve of her holiday party, whose guests included fashion designers such as Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, and Calvin Klein, Tilberis was diagnosed with third-stage ovarian cancer. Nearly four years later, Tilberis is alive and well -- a survivor. In No Time to Die, she gives us an extraordinary account of her career in high fashion, as well as the remarkable story of her battle with cancer. From her first job as an assistant at British Vogue to her big break -- crossing the Atlantic to revitalize Harper's Bazaar -- Tilberis brings to life nearly thirty years at the heart of one of the world's hottest industries. And when illness struck just as she'd achieved her greatest triumph, the same exuberance and audacity that had fueled her brilliant career helped her beat the odds. Tilberis believes her cancer was caused by the fertility drugs she took years ago -- and that she survived only because she sought out a promising but risky experimental treatment. With its fascinating inside look at the fashion world and gripping medical drama, No Time to Die is a mesmerizing read.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Liz Tilberis, the editor in chief of Harper's Bazaar magazine, was at the pinnacle of her career when diagnosed with ovarian cancer, one of the disease's deadliest forms. ("When ovarian cancer is detected early, the cure rate is high: at least a 90 percent five-year survival rate for Stage I diagnosis. At Stage IV, they tell you to go home and get your affairs in order," she writes.) In 1993, the day after holding a gala holiday dinner for the likes of Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan, Tilberis underwent exploratory surgery that revealed her cancer was at Stage III. Since then, she has survived three recurrences, massive doses of chemotherapy, and a bone marrow transplant.

Tilberis's book is notable not only for the sanguine humor which she injects throughout, but also for her honesty regarding what she suspects was the cause of her cancer: fertility treatments with the hormone-stimulating drugs Clomid and Pergonal, which she points out are still widely used. (She never conceived a child, but is the mother of two adopted sons.) Tilberis is especially cutting with her descriptions of her coworkers' chilliness and lack of empathy when she first returned to work. It seems that AIDS causes notwithstanding, the world of fashion is still incapable of admitting there is suffering in the world. Tilberis also deserves praise for confessing that her infertility is due to fallopian tube scarring from pelvic inflammatory disease--often caused by sexually transmitted diseases.

No Time to Die and Liz Tilberis are inspiring. While her cancer is in no certain way vanquished, Tilberis chooses to treat it as a chronic condition, not a killer. She's made it her mission to use her magazine platform and her position as president of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund to raise awareness of a complicated and frightening--but possibly preventable--disease. This book is as much a tale of survival and sang-froid as it is an excoriation of the cruelties of the two-faced world of fashion.

From Library Journal

The editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar on her battle with ovarian cancer.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (April 13, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316776742
• ISBN-13: 978-0316776745
• Product Dimensions: 6.2 x 1 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,292,181 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and inspirational., November 16, 2005

By 

Sue "ermasangel" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Time to Die (Hardcover)

This book was written with warmth, humor and honesty. Liz was a remarkable woman who inspired woman to live with grace, strength and faith. Must read.