Book Review – Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox
Memoir of an Optimist
The book was penned by Michael J. Fox himself – an instantly appealing factor. The result of his own personal touch is a remarkable piece of writing. Here is an adored actor (best known for the Back to the Future films, and TV's Spin City), skilled at his craft, leaping out to charm us with a well-written, intelligent, and touching book.
Early Life, Canada, and Hollywood Actor
Michael takes us back to his early days in British Columbia, Canada. He describes personal relationships with his family, including his father, and rather significantly, his grandmother (‘nana’), the woman with suspected psychic abilities who foresaw Michael’s success.
He talks of his relatively untrained approach to acting, and the decision to leave Canada for Hollywood, with nothing but fingers crossed and the desire to act – something he always took great pride in, and still does.
Michael admits to having his head in the clouds, so to speak, in the early days of his success. He refers to getting caught up in the illusion of Hollywood success as ‘Magical Thinking’, and says any person faced with it must make a choice – continue in the unreal ‘Fun House’ or find your feet and stay on the ground.
In Lucky Man Michael tells of his life with Tracy, his wife, as well as other close, supporting friends, and the incredible amount of support and good influence they've had on him.
Michael J. Fox. Sudden Celebrity Status
One theme in Lucky Man, and an intriguing one when Michael dissects it, is the whole idea of celebrity, and what it seems to mean to many people. His description of metamorphosis from ‘unknown’ to superstar is startling and surreal. He succeeds in placing you in the picture, and drives home the sheer madness that goes with such status.
Parkinson’s Disease. Optimistic
Michael J. Fox has lived with Parkinson’s disease since the early nineties, though he concealed his condition from public light until 1998.
As expected, a vast portion of Lucky Man is devoted to Michael’s life with Parkinson’s.
What is truly astonishing is his optimism surrounding his life with the disease. He says he’s a better person because P.D. Michael’s approach and attitude to his illness is one of the book’s savored highlights, and is reason enough to read Lucky Man, for it's inspirational quality.
Michael tells of his path to accepting Parkinson’s, and all the piecing together and reassessment that went with it. His positive attitude concerning his life and future with P.D is heartwarming and uplifting.
While Michael appreciates, and lives with, the negative side of Parkinson’s, he also says:
‘What he (the Doctor) did not tell me, is that these last ten years of coming to terms with my disease would turn out to be the best ten years of my life – not in spite of my illness, but because of it.’
He then says: ‘If you were to rush into this room right now and announce that you had struck a deal – with God, Allah, Buddha, Christ, Krishna, Bill Gates, whomever – in which the ten years since my diagnosis could magically be taken away, traded in for ten more years as the person I was before – I would, without a moments hesitation, tell you to take a hike.’
Lucky Man: A Memoir. Recommended Book
Lucky Man reveals Michael J. Fox as a courageous person, one that faced adversity and eventually chose to do things his way. He also appears to be a loving, family-oriented man, with values and ethics he didn't lose in the transformation into high-profile celebrity.
To read Lucky Man is to take a journey with Michael J. Fox. He writes as if describing the events of his life to a close friend. The book holds passion, conviction, some sadness, and is, in parts, very funny. It is engaging, exciting, open, and honest.
On the whole Lucky Man is a moving, encouraging book, and conveys powerful messages on the importance of keeping positive, and finding ‘light’ in the ‘dark’.
Lucky Man - a memoir by Michael J. Fox, Ebury Press, ISBN-10 0091885671 ISBN-13 978-0091885670
Lucky Man, a Memoir by Michael J. Fox
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