Author’s battle

Press, 17 November 1982, Page 14

Author’s battle

“A Private Battle” (on Two at 10.15 tonight) is the true story of the last four years in the life of Cornelius Ryan, the highly acclaimed and respected author of “The Longest Day” and “The Last Battle,” historically precise accounts of World War 11. Ryan was just beginning a third novel, “A Bridge Too Far,” when it was discovered that he had incurable cancer. Even though he had to endure painful radiation therapy, he and his wife, Kathryn, compiled data from French and British intelligence sources, from interviews' with German tank commanders and the Dutch

underground, and together they began the book. As his pain increased, Kathryn did the typing and helped with the editing. Ryan avoided taking badly needed painkillers to keep his mind clear for the book he hoped would be his masterpiece. And it was. “A Bridge Too Far,” published in October, 1973, was an immediate success. Through everything, Ryan, Kathryn, and their two teenaged children experienced the bittersweet moments of mutual love and fear as they supported themselves through the most difficult period of their lives.