HICAGO – Film critic Roger Ebert describes his recent battle with cancer, and says he hopes to be fully recovered in time for the Academy Awards and the Cannes Film Festival in a letter to readers published Thursday.

The letter in the Chicago Sun-Times says the Pulitzer Prize winning writer and co-host of the “Ebert & Roeper” television show is looking forward to getting back to work full-time early next year.

“One thing I’ve discovered is that I love my job more than I thought I did, and I love my wife even more!” he wrote.

Ebert, famous for his “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” critiques, had surgery June 16 to remove a cancerous growth on his salivary gland.

He announces in the letter that his first movie review in months will run Friday in the newspaper. He decided to review “The Queen” after an “Ebert & Roeper” producer brought him a copy of the movie on DVD. He said he plans on doing occasional reviews until he is fully recovered.