Still Me (Mass Market Paperback)

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Key Phrases: spinal cord patients, New York, Los Angeles, Sea Angel (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Christopher Reeve begins his heroic reading of Still Me with a special introduction, including this message: "Now, this audiobook allows me to communicate with you in a very personal way, second only to being in the same room." Personal indeed. Hearing Reeve tell his account of the near-fatal riding accident on Memorial Day 1995 is a life-altering experience. He seems to struggle through some of the more personal passages, and there's always the slight hissing sound of the respirator, reminding you how difficult an undertaking this must have been. Shortly after the accident, he recalls waking up and thinking, "This can't be my life, there's been a mistake." But by the audiobook's end, not only has he reclaimed his own life, but he's given hope to hundreds of thousands of others around the world with spinal cord injuries. His is a heartfelt tale of triumph over tragedy.

Admittedly he wouldn't be where he is today without the undying love and encouragement of his wife, Dana; when he speaks of her, it's clear that he's as smitten today as he was when they first met. Reeve also credits their young son Will and a huge supporting cast of family and friends. While still in the early days of his long hospital stay, 3-year-old Will asked his mom if his dad would ever be able to walk or to play soccer with him. Dana answered, "We don't know sweetheart, but maybe not." Will thought about this for a moment, and concluded cheerfully, "Well he can still smile." Hearing the actor voice these words causes a powerful tug at your heartstrings.

Reeve talks of having led an incredibly active life before the accident, and laments his inability to do so now, without making you feel sorry for him. Not only was he an accomplished rider, he also was a pilot, a sailor, a skier, and excelled in many other sports. And his participation in, and love for, the theater and the silver screen kept him busy nearly full-time. Still Me begins with the accident, then weaves back and forth between past and present, creating a thorough biography of Reeve's life. Reeve tells of his childhood, his early theater roles and theatrical training, and his first real experience as a public figure following a prominent role in a popular soap opera--a recollection that elicits a chuckle or two from our reader. Though we will likely never see Reeve don tights and a bright red cape again as he did in his unforgettable role of Superman, some believe that he has become the superhero he once merely portrayed. (running time 3 hours, 2 cassettes) --Colleen Preston --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Its poignant jacketAdepicting Reeve in his wheelchair, back to the camera, facing a hillside cast in dreamy greens and purplesAwill by itself propel this book into readers' hands. The words behind the picture are equally potent, however. Reeve has produced a memoir that's outspoken, wise and tremendously moving. The contours of Reeve's career are well known: the meteoric rise in the late 1970s from obscurity to superstardom as Superman; years of celebrity followed by lesser roles and fame; the riding accident that left Reeve a quadriplegic; the comeback through directing HBO's Into the Gloaming; the work on behalf of the disabled and spinal cord research. Reeve covers it all, shuttling back and forth in time, giving just enough detail about his earlier yearsAincluding a frank assessment of his parents and upbringing and lightly enjoyable anecdotes of his relationships with Robin Williams, Katharine Hepburn and other luminariesAto background the book's main act: the accident and its aftermath. Writing in a clean, even matter-of-fact style that renders his words all the more devastating for their lack of bathos, Reeve reveals the intimacies of his plight: the confusion and terror as he learned of his situation; a disorienting out-of-body experience in an operating room; the humiliating adjustment to reliance upon others in order to eat, breathe, live; the shift of the center of gravity of his being from self-service to the serving of others. No doubt, Reeve is "still me"Abut readers of his beautifully composed book will see that he is now also moreAthat through nearly unimaginable suffering and effort, he has transformed a charmed life into one blessed to be a true profile in courage. Photos. 350,000 first printing; first serial to People; simultaneous large-print edition and AudioBook, read by Reeve. (May) FYI: Random placed an embargo on any reviews of Still Me until May 3rd.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (May 29, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 034543241X
• ISBN-13: 978-0345432414
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (90 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #225,347 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A warm, honest look into Reeve's life...pre/post injury days, September 29, 2000

By	E. M. Holderman (Perryville, Kentucky USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Still Me (Hardcover)

Still Me is a look into the life of Chritopher Reeve, both before and after his injury. Although Reeves best accolade is not writing, he does gives the reader an honest look into the adversity that he has encountered. I read this book out of personal interests and found it to be both interesting and encouraging. He recalls the events leading up to the moment of his accident, and also take us through the emotions he felt as he began to understand the depth of his injury, his experiences in rehab, and the ongoing adjustment process. Reeves also shares some delicately humorous moments...sure to make you laugh and cry. The reason I gave it four stars is that he also goes into great depths about his acting career...something that may not be of interest to everyone...but I can certainly understand his doing so. (I did come to learn the depth of his schooling as an actor, which I didn't know.) We all revel in our "glory days," and I'm certain it was (is) bittersweet for Reeves to do so. I can totally relate to that myself. But, this takes me to another point. Although Reeves shares the devastating heartache he, his wife Dana, and their family has endured, he also offers hope and inspiration. What a beautiful example of love they both share. So many couples call it quits when petty problems arise, but Chris and Dana show us what "in sickness and in health" really entails. Reeves is also doing a service for all of us who are in wheelchairs, by whatever cause, through his Foundation to raise funds and awareness for medical research that will lead to a cure for, not only spinal cord injury paralysis, but for many neurological diseases, such as MS and Parkinson's. He has and continues to use his 'public eye persona' to draw attention to this matter.

One of my favorite parts of the book is this.... "When the first Superman movie came out, I (Reeves) was frequently asked, 'What is a hero?' I remember the glib response I repeated so many times. My answer was that a hero is someone who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences - a soldier who crawels out of a foxhole to drag his injured buddy to safety. And I also meant individuals who are slighty larger than life: Houdini, Lindbergh, John Wayne, JFK, and Joe DiMaggio. But now, my definition is completely differnt. I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to perservere and endure in spite of overwhelming circumstances...."

Bravo Christopher!

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good, honest story of Reeve's struggles and hope, August 25, 2000

By	Glenn Maddox (Chester, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Still Me (Hardcover)

I probably read this book expecting too much. I should start by saying that I did enjoy the book, but I was a little disappointed. The most obvious criticism would be that Christopher Reeve is an actor, not a writer, and that really shows in his book. I thought he spent too much time on his acting career and his studies, but I'm sure that people who are interested in acting as a career would love that part of his story. I really appreciated his honesty in this book. First, I loved his sense of humor about Superman, the role that made him so famous. He describes with delight his making fun of Superman on Saturday Night Live, his belief that Superman III was "mostly a misconception", and he says that "the less said about Superman IV the better." More touching is his honesty about his weaker moments after the accident when he couldn't find a reason to live, and he tried to make life miserable for those around him. His pain and his hope become very real as you read this book. A lot of the power of Christopher Reeve's story is hearing him tell it. Reeve spoke at my college convocation the day before graduation, and I was so moved by his speech that I went and bought the book that day (they had it in the University Book Store - go figure). I think that the audiobook, which Reeve reads himself, would communicate much more of his courage and strength. While not phenomenal, the book is a good choice.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars intelligent, insightful book, January 22, 2003

By	Chel Micheline "gingerblue.com" (SW Florida) - See all my reviews

I'm normally not a huge fan of biographies or historical novels simply because I find it hard to keep straight all the details, dates, and people involved. I know that a diligent author will not omit important facts, so I tend to avoid the genre. I also avoid books about disabilities because I have one, and find most authors either take on a "pity me" or a "pretend I am completely normal" attitude when the truth of living with a disability is somewhere in the middle.

However, I was drawn to this book by Reeve's own writing style. I read an exceprt of his newest book in a magazine, and decided to purchase "Still Me". I'm glad I did- I *really* enjoyed this book. Reeve has a remarkable writing style- he managed to seamlessly layer events from his entire life along with descriptions of his life post-injury and scientific information in every chapter. Even though the book continually shifted focus and timeframe, it was not a struggle to keep up with all the details.

I have his next book ("Nothing is Impossible") on hold at the library, and can't wait to continue reading about Reeve's life. His writing style is open, honest, and warm all at once. He writes about his condition, and both his acceptance and rejection of it, with honesty and dignity. It's so refreshing to read about someone who is not afraid to be angry and proud about their situation. I truly hope that he is able to step out of his chair at some point in time, but even if he does not, he is truly a Superman in every respect of the word.