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Always Looking Up: The Adventures Of An Incurable Optimist (2008)

by Michael J. Fox(Favorite Author)

3.8 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

1401303382 (ISBN13: 9781401303389)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Hyperion

review 1: Michael J. Fox's second book after Happy Man (I didn't read that), he talks about his struggle with Parkinson's Disease and his foundation which is working with stem cell research to find a cure for PD and related disorders. I expected this book (because of the title and the cover photo which is a little cheesy) to be a little too full of "everything is wonderful." I think a different title would have been preferable. I wouldn't call MJF an incurable realist, but I like that term better. He talks about his work, politics, family, and faith (he calls himself "almost Jewish," and explores a bit of what he experienced in his relationship with a conservative Christian friend). He retired from Spin City 14 years ago and has done some acting since then in limited appearance... mores. What I liked best about the book are his stories about the cross-Canada trip he made as a child, his relationship with his military father, his relationship with his own children and his stories of working with political candidates to gain support for stem cell research. He explains the myths about stem cell research and talks about Rush Limbaugh's imitation of him. (Limbaugh called his symptoms fake.) He also talks about his experience of 9-11.I liked Fox as Michael Keaton on Family Ties. I never saw Spin City or much of Back to the Future. Fox is likable in this book. He's conversational and seems like a friend you don't get to see very often. I don't read much about celebrities, but I liked this book.
review 2: I enjoyed this audio-book by Michael Fox. However, in his telling, I was reminded that he is not the average citizen with Parkinsons Disease. He is wealthy, isolated, and has a huge support team. I admire his political work with Congress, but I wanted a little more information about stem cell research. He definitely has courage, faith and hope in dealing with the disease and I do applaud that. I just felt he did too much name and status dropping. less

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