Michael J. Fox begins his autobiography telling of his discovery one morning that his pinkie was twitching, a discovery that would ultimately change the course of his life when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. He then flashes back to his childhood in Canada and his relationship with his parents, siblings and his beloved Nana. Fox talks about his struggles in school (he eventually dropped out of high school) and his success as an actor in Canada which inspired him to move to California where he struggled for three years before landing the role of Alex on "Family Ties". For a while he enjoyed the perks of fame, getting free stuff whenever he wanted, lots of drinking and partying, but his marriage to Tracy Pollan, having children, and Parkinson's helped settle him down.

This is a fascinating look at the life of Michael J. Fox. Readers expecting anecdotes about the filming of "Family Ties", "Back to the Future" or any of his works will be disappointed, as there is little writing of what goes on behind the scenes, in fact, he says he barely remembers filming "Back to the Future". Outside of an unpleasant encounter with Cher, little is mentioned about other actors, even his costars. Instead, he writes about his private life - his childhood, his family, his living the good life as an actor, his heavy drinking, and his love for his wife and children and the effect Parkinson's has had on his life. I liked this approach; the glimpses into Fox's private life made him seem more real. He's not afraid to poke fun at himself, especially recounting how his family reacted to his winning an Emmy. He is also brutally frank about his heavy drinking and the effect it had on his marriage. And he doesn't pull any punches in describing how Parkinson's has effected his life.

This is a good read. ( )

great book, seems like grounded guy and book quite funny too

I enjoyed reading this memoir. I learned a lot about Parkinson's and about Fox's struggles to cope both physically and emotionally. I admire his candor and honesty as he looks back on his life before and after the diagnosis. ( )

A great book about a famous man who has gone from nothing to everything back to almost losing everything; but learning how to live life to the fullest thru a terrible disease. I would call it a coming-of-age book. ( )

Michael J. Fox opens his 2002 memoir in late 1990, in the moment he first notices the pinky-finger tremor that leads, a year later at age 30, to a diagnosis of Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease (PD).

Then he backs up for a hundred pages to describe his growing-up years in Canada and rising-star experiences in Hollywood -- including an interesting theory of "celebrity" (that it is a gone-haywire extension of the suspension of disbelief and emotional connection that are required of an audience during a performance). He devotes chapters to his PD diagnosis and treatment (including concealing the diagnosis) and to his descent into career and personal crisis. Though it seems PD would top his list of problems then, he notices it doesn’t even make the list which includes alcoholism. Fox finishes by describing his redemption, his “coming out” about PD, and his work toward PD research.

The memoir’s structure and writing so exceeded my expectations that I wondered about a ghostwriter -- until I read Fox's acknowledgements, where he mentions the writing of it and extends gratitude to his writing-mentor brother-in-law … Michael (Omnivore’s Dilemma) Pollan! Lucky Man is an informative, engaging, and insightful memoir. ( )