Lucky Man: A Memoir (Paperback)

by Michael J. Fox (Author) "I woke up to find the message in my left hand..." (more)
Key Phrases: Family Ties, New York, Los Angeles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
The same sharp intelligence and self-deprecating wit that made Michael J. Fox a star in the Family Ties TV series and Back to the Future make this a lot punchier than the usual up-from-illness celebrity memoir. Yes, he begins with the first symptoms of Parkinson's disease, the incurable illness that led to his retirement from Spin City (and acting) in 2000. And yes, he assures us he is a better, happier person now than he was before he was diagnosed. In Fox's case, you actually might believe it, because he then cheerfully exposes the insecurities and self-indulgences of his pre-Parkinson's life in a manner that makes them not glamorous but wincingly ordinary and of course very funny. ("As for the question, 'Does it bother you that maybe she just wants to sleep with you because you're a celebrity?' My answer to that one was, 'Ah...nope.'") With a working-class Canadian background, Fox has an unusually detached perspective on the madness of mass-media fame; his description of the tabloid feeding frenzy surrounding his 1988 wedding to Tracy Pollan, for example, manages to be both acid and matter-of-fact. He is frank but not maudlin about his drinking problem, and he refreshingly notes that getting sober did not automatically solve all his other problems. This readable, witty autobiography reminds you why it was generally a pleasure to watch Fox onscreen: he's a nice guy with an edge, and you don't have to feel embarrassed about liking him. --Wendy Smith --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
A popular actor recounts his life. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (April 9, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786888741
• ISBN-13: 978-0786888740
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (218 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,569 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #1 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Aging > Parkinson's Disease
  #41 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Actors & Actresses
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

114 of 120 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely surprise, April 2, 2002

By	A O Cazola (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lucky Man: A Memoir (Hardcover)

Starting into any celebrity memoir is always a little harrowing. Will Star X check their ego at the door?
Will the sugarcoating be too much to bear?
Who is going to be the target of the revenge-inspired smear campaign?

That's why Lucky Man is so refreshing. Michael J. Fox has told the story of his life and, more importantly, of his struggle with Parkinson's Disease. LUCKY MAN, though, is no sob story. Fox sees his diagnosis with PD as an opportunity to help.

"The ten years since my diagnosis have been the best ten years of my life, and I consider myself a lucky man." this quote sums up the feel of the whole book. Warm, funny and painfully honest, Fox lets us into his life both before and after PD. We learn about his family, his drinking problem and life in Hollywood, but not in the lurid way that some stars tell it. His writing is down to earth and real.

Michael J. Fox has crafted an inspirational and important book without relying on cookie-cutter tear-jerking cliche or obvious pity ploys. LUCKY MAN is the best memoir I've read in a long time.

78 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, lively, VERY candid -- and highly touching, April 8, 2002

By	Joel L. Gandelman (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Lucky Man: A Memoir (Hardcover)

Michael J. Fox has always been known as a nice guy. So what has he been DOING in Hollywood? In Hollywood nice guys often finish last. But in Fox's case, he beat the odds.

It's no secret that some of the Powers That Be weren't entirely enamored when, as a young Canadian "unknown," he was cast in the role as Alex, in NBC's hit t.v. comedy Family Ties. But when the show debuted he proved that he had that certain "something" -- that rare talent to link up with an audience. Call it "charisma," or likeability but it, plus
his considerable acting talents, drove the ratings -- and his show biz career -- sky-high.

Now Fox has written one of the most genuinely honest, touching and moving show biz bios ever, Lucky Man. But it is MORE than a show biz bio, because it deals with how his life was impacted by Parkinson's disease, how he coped with it, accepted it and how he wants to help others.

Lucky Man should be titled Lucky Us, because anyone who reads it can't help walking away from it a mite richer, inspired, and more appreciative of the fact that the upsides and
downsides of life sometimes coincide...but, overall, it can be a joyous ride.

Fox did NOT have this ghost written and it certainly reads like an autobiography written by an actor known for his great sense of irony and sense of humor. All the usual
biographical "boilerplate" material is there about his early years (a military brat who had a normal, well-centered childhood) quick rise to fame (Family Ties was a smash hit, largely of Fox's charisma -- which he is too modest to mention), and glimpses of the REAL show biz world behind the scenes (his account of how Cher snubbed him at an Academy Awards ceremony has already become an instant classic -- about how someone way up there in Hollywood's pecking order seemingly considers someone else not as famous and therefore perhaps not as
worthy).

But aside from his natural humor, honesty, and the inside Hollywood tidbits, what's going to make this a book that will long be remembered -- and ultimately be turned into a
wide-screen or television movie -- is how he coped with news about his illness, emerged from denial, and decided to dedicate his life to look for a cure for and to increase public
awareness about the disease.

Some chapters may make you cry. For instance, I never knew until I read this that Fox KNEW he had Parkinson's when he signed on to do Spin City. It was only when he felt he had to quit the series to spend more time with his family and his new cause that he did so.

In the passages that show him battling alcohol, and coping with his illness, not a word is there for dramatic effect. It's all sincere.

I will be forever haunted by the passage where his he teaches his five-year-old son, Sam, how to stop his Dad's involuntary thumb movements, by squeezing his thumb or
twisting it, then counting to give and doing it again. Fox writes of how he saw his son's delight "in getting the timing down, short-circuiting the wiggle every time" but once Sam
realized it came back again he "detected a slight look of "Uh-Oh, what have I gotten myself into?"

And I admit getting teary-eyed when he concluded after his hopes that surgery would help him were dashed that (his problems returned fullforce) that the Parkinson's was "just doing what it's supposed to do" and that he he was going to "just show up and do the best that I could do with whatever lay in front of me."

On every page Fox's talent, humanity and decency shine through. Michael J. Fox titled it Lucky Man, because of the love and support of his friends and family. But we're the Lucky Ones for having Fox write such a poignant, sincere and touching book.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book about Fox, Parkinson's and life's lessons..., April 8, 2002

By	noone42 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lucky Man: A Memoir (Hardcover)

I always have an admiration for those who write autobiographies. It seems you are opening yourself up, letting everyone see who you are, learn about your mistakes, but best of all, allow people to see you are human. Michael J. Fox has done an extraordinary job with "Lucky Man". He begins the book by telling of his childhood in Canada, all leading up to his career. He talks then about his insecurities as an actor and a person. If Michael J. Fox has an ego, he leaves it checked at the door. From then, he talks about his diagnosis with Parkinson's. From his feelings that this was his punishment for not being the person he thought he should have been, through denial, anger and finally acceptance, Fox tells the world, that while he is not perfect, he is indeed lucky.

I found this book to be inspiring for anyone. It shows that things in life can either change you for the better or completely take over, but ultimately, the choice is yours. Throughout, I laughed, cried and above all, I hoped. For anyone who has ever been diagnosed with Parkinson's, for anyone, anywhere, Fox can teach us all a major lesson in life. And it is even for a good cause. I would give this book my highest recommendation.