Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Considering that this audio book opens with the author detailing the laborious steps necessary just to get out of bed, it's miraculous that Fox's voice sounds just as charming, stalwart and nearly as steady as it did during his long film and television career. There are no frills of any kind with this recording, but none are needed; Fox's tale is engrossing on its own. He pulls no punches describing the hardships—both physical and emotional—that accompanied his diagnosis with Parkinson's, but listeners are quickly reminded that for every challenge the disease brought, Fox trained himself to find the silver lining. The first CD is enhanced with five photos (both viewable and printable) featuring Fox; his wife of two decades, Tracy Pollan; their children; and his eponymous foundation—photos are accessible by using the embedded PDF or via a Web link. A Hyperion hardcover. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Description

There are many words to describe Michael J. Fox: Actor. Husband. Father. Activist. But readers of Always Looking Up will soon add another to the list: Optimist. Michael writes about the hard-won perspective that helped him see challenges as opportunities. Instead of building walls around himself, he developed a personal policy of engagement and discovery: an emotional, psychological, intellectual, and spiritual outlook that has served him throughout his struggle with Parkinson's disease. Michael's exit from a very demanding, very public arena offered him the time-and the inspiration-to open up new doors leading to unexpected places. One door even led him to the center of his own family, the greatest destination of all.

The last ten years, which is really the stuff of this book, began with such a loss: my retirement from Spin City. I found myself struggling with a strange new dynamic: the shifting of public and private personas. I had been Mike the actor, then Mike the actor with PD. Now was I just Mike with PD? Parkinson's had consumed my career and, in a sense, had become my career. But where did all of this leave Me? I had to build a new life when I was already pretty happy with the old one..

Always Looking Up is a memoir of this last decade, told through the critical themes of Michael's life: work, politics, faith, and family. The book is a journey of self-discovery and reinvention, and a testament to the consolations that protect him from the ravages of Parkinson's.

With the humor and wit that captivated fans of his first book, Lucky Man, Michael describes how he became a happier, more satisfied person by recognizing the gifts of everyday life.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; First edition (March 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401303382
• ISBN-13: 978-1401303389
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,923 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #53 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Entertainers
  #71 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Self-Help > Motivational

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book on a Number of Levels, April 1, 2009

By	D. Buxman "A Seeker of Truth" (Pueblo, CO United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Having grown up watching his Alex P. Keaton character on "Family Ties," I've always been a fan of Michael J. Fox, the actor. After he revealed his diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, I became more interested in him since my grandfather suffered from PD as well. This book is a remarkable examination of the things that fate can give you and the things that can be taken away but, more importantly, it is a celebration of the things that can not be taken away.
From a simplistic perspective, it's easy to feel sorry for Michael J. Fox. He seemed to have it all at one time, and to hear about how he struggles to get out of bed in the morning is heartbreaking. On a deeper and more important level, however, this book proclaims the triumph of an indomitable spirit.
As a biography, the book doesn't necessarily stick to the standard chronological order, but rather focuses on 4 key themes: Work, Politics, Faith and Family. When I got this book yesterday, I couldn't put it down. It is often funny and sometimes melancholy, but on the whole it is quite uplifting and entertaining. It is truly a wonderful book.

49 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great guy, disappointing book, May 1, 2009

By	Carolyn S. Wood - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I wish I was reviewing Michael J. Fox instead of this book. I'd give him 5 stars if we were talking about his personality. While his humor and some of his personality come through here and there in a pretty well-written book, the subject matter is very disappointing. Basically what he gives you is a diary of his political life, with a few tidbits thrown in about his personal life, a sort of today we went to meet with this political person or fundraiser and they are such an amazing person and we said this and they said that. We learn that all of his friends are amazing and that his family is super-duper amazing. That's great for him. He's so fortunate to have that. But, that's not the book I thought I was buying and there's nothing in that information that is of help to anyone. There is virtually nothing in this book that is about optimism or the influence of attitude on quality of life, etc. There's a lot of time wasted on explaining how he's open-minded and doesn't actually hate people with different opinions and it doesn't really ring true. There's also a long, muddled, confused chapter (one of the four main chapters in the book) about "Faith" in which he wanders about trying to explain why he doesn't actually have a clue what he's talking about or really thinks on the matter. I have no idea why he would include this chapter in the book when he's obviously got a lot more to figure out, and nothing to teach us. Yet, because of his personality, he has so much to teach people about other matters, especially those dealing with chronic illnesses or other very challenging situations. It's too bad that he didn't really share that in this book. I'm sorry to say I can't recommend it at all. Get this slim volume at the library or wait for paperback if you are willing to wade through same-old stuff over and over to get to little tidbits here and there of what's really special about him.

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Title For An Enlightened Gentleman, April 4, 2009

By	Peter Senese "A book is a free ticket to anyw... (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

'Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist' is a wonderfully shared memoir of a gentle gentleman who positively affected the lives of many. Michael Fox suffers from the physical challenges of Parkinson Disease; however, what he has done in his life, and what he shares strongly in this book to his reader audience is that in one way or another, we all are faced with human hardship. What we do in the face of these difficulties ... these unexpected changes ... these new paths that our life may unexpectedly take us down - what really counts is to find the moments of happiness within the challenges, to never lose hope and faith in change, and to use the changes in your life in one way or another as an advantage. In fact, Michael shares that his relationship with his wife, the gentle-heart and compassionate Tracy Pollan (I say this of Tracy not because of her unquestionable love of Michael, but her sense of kindness she always acts within to others), that if fact, his relationship became stronger due to the challenges that he and Tracy faced together ... his battle with the neurological degenerative disease that is Parkinson's.
I am a fan of Michael's work; however, I am clearly an admirer of Michael J. Fox the man, the husband, and the father - and with good reason. Michael is on multiple missions : the first is clear: to find a cure for Parkinson's Disease. However, the second is equally as important: to teach the world to find the optimistic view no matter what the situation.
'Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist' is a very meaningful book that all readers will walk away from with an added perspective of the wonderments of our life no matter how difficult the challenges we have.