Michael J Fox fight with Parkinson's Disease. (Lucky Man: a Memoir - Michael J. Fox)

Member Name: CPTDANIELS

Product:	Lucky Man: a Memoir - Michael J. Fox
Date:	21/03/09 (288 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Compelling and interesting story

Disadvantages: None

===Background:===

I seem to have grown up with Michael J. Fox. He is someone I can remember enjoying his acting back in my teens. In truth I am not a fan of autobiographies as a rule, I tend to prefer maybe unfairly that writers write books and Personalities who ever they are do what they are successful for. In this case though I decided to make an exception and give his book a go.

===About Michael J Fox===

He was born in Edmonton in June 1961. His father was a military man so he grew up on various Army bases with his brother and sisters. His original ambition was to be in a rock group but his talent for acting soon became his love as he reached the age of consent.

===Synopsis of the book:===

The book surprise surprise is about Michael J Fox's life so far. He wrote it not to tell everyone about his numerous achievements but to enlighten the world about Parkinson's Disease of which he has been a sufferer for many years.

He was originally diagnosed with it way back in November 1990. This he refused to accept, as he was barely 30 at the time, believing with some justification that this disease only affected those in the community over 50.

However the shakes in his left hand continue, so he saw another specialist in October 1991, who agreed with the original diagnosis.

This novel tells us about all his highs and lows, in both his acting career but dealing with his illness. How he choose to control it by drugs and carry on acting without telling anyone outside his family and his closest friends. And finally how the illness became worse and despite a very successful TV series 'Spin City' he decided in November 1998 to tell the world his story. In the hope of raising both awareness and increasing government funding for research into a cure for the disease.

===My thoughts on the book:===

This was for me a fascinating book. I really enjoyed reading it, it was touching and a very good insight into the disease from a sufferers perspective. I suppose I have always respected him as a good actor and enjoyed his films like 'Back to the Future' and 'The Secret of my Success', but having read the novel I really respect him as a person.

Before I picked this book up I was aware his had Parkinson's and I was keen to hear his reaction and see how he dealt with it. What impressed me greatly was his honesty about his life. He admitted to over indulgence in alcohol and the huge pressure he felt to continue to be successful.

I have always believed it is a very sad part of human nature that we like to see people built up and then knocked back down again. Throughout the book you can see the press keen to do this sighting it was in the public interest to know about his Wedding and his illness. When lets face it what right have we to pry into these people's private lives?

The book begins with the author talking about the morning he found he could not control his hand from shaking after a boozy night out with friends. How he refused to believe that he could be suffering from this disease. The book then looks at his life in chronological order, why he got into acting and the success he achieved.

His writing in the book is to a very high standard throughout. And is honest enough to apologise for writing a book when he is really an actor. But to my mind he could have been a writer too, as he is excellent at describing his emotions, feelings in a way you can understand and sympathise with.

Throughout the book the author is telling us he does not want our sympathy. He wants to raise awareness and sees his public profile as a way of doing this about this condition and his experiences. He tells us how grateful he is, how lucky he is to have a loving family, friends and a very successful career.

Towards the end of the book he talks about his decision to finally 'Come out' about Parkinson's Disease. He shows his compassion and realises that by doing this he could help others also suffering and those who have not yet contracted the condition. He tells the world he is not special at all and countless thousands are also fighting the disease.

He talks about the future and is not down cast at all. Saying he wants to dance at his children's weddings. He is positive and very appreciative of all the support he has received from the public in his acting and Parkinson's fight. Talking about the need to centralise the Parkinson's campaign and becoming a spokesman for the organisation as he sees in his position he can give more weight to it.

I think it is all to easy when you are a celebrity to take for granted and believe the that you are indeed something special. Michael J Fox in this book demonstrates that he believes he is not special at all just very lucky with both his career and his life. There is an openness and straight talking the whole way through that I admired and respected from the man.

If I had a criticism about this book, I would like to have seen a few more pictures of his children and him in a few of his famous acting roles. However this could be argued to detract from the point of the story about Parkinson's Disease and his battle to except it and live with it.

I have said before that I admired his honest, but not only that his ability to laugh and take the micky about of himself. Many people take themselves too seriously and through his illness he is still able to laugh at himself. He talks about be a 'Shaky Dad'. I think this shows a lot of courage and strength to be able to do.

The books length was about right to tell and describe his life so far. I maybe would have liked to know a little more about his charity work, but to do that I think he would have to have written the book more recently, which might have reduced it's impact. His acknowledgements at the end of the book must be the longest I have ever seen, I think this is another demonstration that he does feel a lucky man and is grateful for his life and what has happened to him.

===Conclusion:===

This was a most absorbing, interesting and well-written book I have read in a long time. I learnt from it a lot about the author's life and Parkinson's Disease in a way that was skilfully written and at times funny. I would recommend this book to all as a fantastic and honest read. I can see why the Mail on Sunday described it as 'Compelling Reading'.


Pages: 311
Publisher: Ebony Press
Price: £6.99
ISBN: 0091885671
Year: 2002
About the author: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_J._Fox
About Parkinson's Disease: www.parkinsons.org.uk

Thanks for reading my review. This is published on Ciao and Dooyoo under my user name.

@CPTDANIELS March 2009

Summary: Well written story of this actor's life