Well-written memoir, filled with Michael J. Fox’s trademarked wry humour.
What makes the memoir remarkable is Fox’s refusal to wallow in self-pity or lament lost opportunities. Instead, he approaches the life-altering diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease with his signature humour and unwavering optimism, delivering a story that’s as inspirational as it is entertaining.
For instance, he recounts the early symptoms of Parkinson’s, such as his pinkie trembling uncontrollably during a filming session, with the sharp wit that has defined his public persona. Rather than dwelling on despair, Fox turns the incident into a reflection on how life’s unpredictability can lead to growth.
The memoir also reflects on Fox’s meteoric rise to fame through Family Ties and Back to the Future in a grounded and thoughtful examination of how fame shaped him and, in some cases, distracted him from more meaningful pursuits.
On the question of what “richandfamous” meant to him, Fox wrote:
“I didn’t want anyone to kiss my ass. I just wanted to get to a place where they couldn’t kick it.”
“And, as for fame – were that the only objective, there might have been an easier route, though none so direct as exist today. Now I’d just have to go camping with a group of narcissists in Bora Bora or the Australian Outback, eat a few rats, a handful of blowfly larvae, and bam, every talk show and magazine in the country would come calling.”
Ultimately, Lucky Man is a testament to resilience and gratitude. Fox doesn’t shy away from the difficulties of living with Parkinson’s but focuses on how the experience has enriched his life in unexpected ways. He calls the disease a “gift”, not because it’s easy, but because it taught him to live with purpose and appreciate the present.
“In searching through my own and my family’s memories, hoping to understand who I am, I tend to view myself through the lens of who I have become. Those events and personal qualities that support the current version get singled out unconsciously, distorting memories in order to illuminate my path more brightly.”
