false 133729 0091879205 9780091879204 1339 256 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172027688m/133729.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133729.Lucky_Man_A_Memoir 77162 Michael J. Fox 2757 689 4 5 false Fri Jul 03 14:32:59 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 03 14:36:36 -0700 2009
Best known for being the star of Family Ties and the Back to the Future movies, Fox was living a life that most people can only dream of when he was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson's Disease at the age of 30. Though the book begins with the day he awoke, hung over, to find his pinky finger trembling uncontrollably, it quickly jumps back in time to trace the events in Fox's life that lead up to that day.

A significant portion of the book is spent detailing Fox's family and childhood, his start in acting, and the years of his explosive success. These sections are interesting in their own right, as Fox writes with insight and humor about this privileged part of his life. His insight is no less sharp as he discusses how he met his diagnosis with aggressive denial and became a full-blown alcoholic before he finally was able to pull himself together and deal with his disease.

Though this book is much more about Michael J. Fox than it is about Parkinson's Disease, I did learn enough about it and the challenges PD patients face to better understand my friend's condition. Now an advocate for Parkinson's research, Fox is a truly inspiring optimist. I believe him when he says he wouldn't take any of it back, that his Parkinson's diagnosis forced him to confront himself in a way nothing else could and ultimately resulted in him learning how to live a much more satisfying life despite his disability. This alone makes the book worth reading, even for those who haven't been touched by PD or know who Michael J. Fox is.
]]>