Michael J. Fox (1) (1961–)

'If we were all to put our worst problem inside of a circle and then allowed to draw one out, we’d all take our own problem back.'

Fox has a reputation for optimism. In his first memoir, Lucky Man, his decade-old diagnosis of young-onset Parkinson’s Disease doesn’t even make his list of problems that spiral him into personal and career crisis. Nearly 20 years later now, his blunt struggle with PD makes me wonder about recommending this memoir to those who have more recently been show more diagnosed with it. And yet…

Here again, what makes 2018 his annus horribilis is not PD but rather the surgeries and rehabs from a complicated upper-arm fracture and a threatening spinal tumor. He loves spending time with his wife and adult children; still loves golfing (badly) with buddies Harlan Coben and George Stephanopoulis; is all-in when acting roles come his way; and is dedicated to his PD research foundation. (True, let me be clear: he has the financial and social resources to manage his problems that few others do.) But he attributes optimism to gratitude, and not only is his Acknowledgements a deep gratitude to the people in his life, but that appreciation is on every page. show less

A library book picked on a whim, because I'm "between books." I read Fox's LUCKY MAN maybe twenty years ago and enjoyed it. I didn't know he'd written a couple more books after that. NO TIME LIKE THE FUTURE is his latest, published during the pandemic. It focuses intently on a single year in his life, 2018. It was a terrible and trying year for Fox. In addition to the usual trials and creeping indignities and frailties of his Parkinson's, he underwent a very risky surgery to remove a tumor show more from his spinal column. It took him months to recover and rehab from that operation, and then he fell and shattered his left arm. More surgery and recovery time. He was also facing more uncertainties from the relentless progression of Parkinson's, which was affecting his balance and walking, causing him to fall often, and make additional use of canes, a walker, and even a wheelchair. All of these troubles are described in meticulous detail, often causing you to wince in sympathy. Fox faced all of this with courage and a healthy sense of humor, but his optimism began to fade as age, accidents and disease took their toll on his mind and body. Finally, he found himself unable to to learn lines for his increasingly rare acting roles, so he has reluctantly declared himself retired from acting, a life he has loved, and which has, not incidentally, made him very comfortably wealthy. That wealth is reflected here in the special care and many health aides, therapists and personal assistants he has made use of. The book comes with an Epilogue commenting on how he and his family coped with the pandemic lockdown in 2020, retreating from their luxury Manhattan apartment to their country estate on Long Island where they lived comfortably and companionably for the duration. Fox has nothing but praise for his family - his four adult children, and especially his wife of thirty-plus years, Tracy Pollan, who has been at his side for all of it, including the worst of his troubles. Michal J. Fox is a darn good writer - smart, funny and articulate - and this is a bit surprising, considering he never finished high school, but it is obvious that he reads widely, a self-educated man. He is also an extremely likable narrator, making the reading of this book a pure pleasure. My very highest recommendation.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER show less

Michael J. Fox’s personality comes through loud and clear in this absorbing short memoir covering his most recent acting endeavors and health challenges, so even though much of the time is spent on serious stuff there’s a generous sprinkling of humor throughout his struggles.

Post-Spin City featured some of my favorite roles for the actor including Rescue Me and The Good Fight, so I very much enjoyed learning more about how those jobs came together, his thoughts on the characters, etc., show more and I also appreciated that he talked a little about how and why his last attempt at starring in a sitcom unfortunately didn’t work out.

With two Michael J. Fox books prior to this one, you might wonder whether there is really enough life story material left for a third volume, this does contain the occasional bit of filler, but you’ll have no doubt that there are valid reasons for this book’s existence when you read about his spinal surgery, his falls and various rehabs, the everyday trials of living with Parkinsons and his wavering optimism. I think this is what people are talking about when they say a book is a window for some readers and a mirror for others with its honest recounting of what he’s endured mentally and physically. There are definitely some celebrity moments here, privileges that would only come to those with wealth and fame but for the most part you forget the trappings of his life, and depending on your own situation, you’ll either empathize or identify with his experiences. show less

[Always Looking Up] by Michael J. Fox. I really loved this book. Fox is such an inspiring person, down to earth, and just a decent guy. He divided this book into 4 sections: Work, Politics, Faith, and Family and each is filled with anecdotes, personal involvement, and thoughtfulness. He is articulate, funny (as you would expect) and exudes optimism, in the face of what most of us, I dare say, would consider daunting odds.

For a man who got a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease at the age of 29, show more newly married with an infant son, and a thriving very public career, one might not expect *optimism* to be the first thing that comes to mind. He is very candid about the fact that denial played a part in the early years, but he is equally candid about the ways in which he surrounded himself with the right people who helped him along the way to turn his attention to action, to taking and playing the cards he was dealt and using what he had to do something positive and constructive with his life and future. He says that not many people get the opportunity to make a real difference in the world and that he views this opportunity that he has with gratitude.

Fox is a man of integrity, and grace. He quoted his good friend, the late Christopher Reeve, who believed in the formula of "optimism + information = hope".

I highly recommend this book. It's an easy read but also a delightful and insightful one. show less