Lucky Man

Written & Read by Michael J. Fox
Published by Simon & Schuster Audio

Unabridged: No.

In 1998, Michael J. Fox had everybody pretty much in shock when he revealed that he not only had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, but also that the diagnosis had come in 1991. He had been able to--through various tricks and redirections, medications, good acting, and a very careful plan about who he revealed his condition to--keep his diagnosis a secret that entire time. Over the course of Fox's memoir, he relates the story of his life--flipping back and forth from his life with his parents in Canada to his own discovery of his illness and now to the more recent days with his own wife and kids--and how Parkinson's has, amazingly (and believably--this is not a guy blindly trying to make the best of a bad situation), improved him.

Autobiographies can be hard to read, especially those that deal with a celebrity overcoming/coping with an illness. They come in a variety of flavors: dry, corny, flat, uninteresting--the list goes on and on. The very fact that bookstore outlets in malls across America are home to scores of bio and autobios is testament to this. The people that are fans of the celeb in question read, and the rest of us could care less.

I had long been aware of the career of Fox, both in television and on the big screen, but I wasn't the type of diehard fan who would run out and pick up this book. However, the book turns out to be a very heartfelt, very candid assessment of a man's life. The man just happens to be Michael J. Fox, and it turns out he's owned a lot more cars than you. But other than that, he comes off as many of his characters have been--a little flustered, a little in over his head, but just such a likeable guy...you have to root for him.

The fact that this autobio rises above its literary peers is only heightened by the work being read by the author himself. Fox is able to bring his story to life and, no surprise for those familiar with his work, make it even more funny and interesting sometimes by sheer delivery. It had to be difficult being as honest as Fox is on paper, much less reading those words into a microphone for everyone to hear--and sometimes the emotion comes through in his voice. This makes it easy to believe that he's improved himself as time has gone on, as he's been fighting this fight. It also makes it a lot easier to rejoice as he relates his own personal triumphs. So more points for him.

This audiobook is a choice one, as it has going for it what few have--and trust me, I've listened to a lot of these things. It has the power to move and inspire, as well as educate. Definitely recommended.

Content: A
Readings: A

Review submitted by Widgett