Will Self on Death, Morality, and a Life Rewritten by Illness

An intimate Observer profile in which Will Self discusses his battle with myelofibrosis and a stem-cell transplant, steroid-induced lows, and past addiction, alongside a lifelong literary project—from his early bravado to The Quantity Theory of Morality. He reflects on the Deborah Orr divorce, public perception, and his ambitious plan for ethics-centered works like Mortal Morality, arguing for a rethinking of morality in a digitized society while facing mortality with lucid, often defiant candor.