A continuing account of this retired actor's living with Parkinson's disease...the good, the bad, and the ugly. Since my grandmother was diagnosed at 35, his diagnosis at 29 , I believe, parallels her life in some respects. But now there are accomodations in medicine for symptoms, surgery, lesser stigmatization. ( )

Didn't like this nearly as much as his earlier memoir, Lucky Man. His journey is something I would not want to endure and he certainly gets credit for his optimism and his efforts to raise money for research into Parkinson's disease. But these are the words of a very privileged individual that has access to the very best of medical care and treatment with no worries whatsoever of how to pay for it all. So in that way I feel it is biased, and I wish that someday all Parkinson's patients have equal access. Just sayin'... ( )

Michael J. Fox ruminates mostly about 2018, but with substantial background material and golfing stories, during which he dealt with the Parkinson's Disease he had for 30 years but also underwent delicate surgery for an unrelated spinal tumor and having recovered from the acute phase of the surgical effects fell and shattered his arm. So the really awful very bad year. The book read fairly well and Michael Fox is generally pleasant but it did wear a bit by the end. ( )

Must have had expectations set too high for this book. I expected to be moved and impressed, but wasn't and I'm not sure why. Enjoyed insight into his family life. Was really interested in his alcohol use & recovery, but not much time was spend on this. All in all -- just okay. ( )

No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox is a 2020 Flatiron publication.

This is a short memoir centered around Fox’s life in more recent times. He discusses the second phase in his acting career-post Parkinson’s diagnosis, his health challenges, of which there has been no small amount, his golf game, his reflections on his family life, and realization that his health his going to continue to decline, and how he will approach the future- still with the same optimism that has kept him company thus far, with a touch more realism- but no cynicism.

I have always liked MJF as an actor. Naturally, I am aware of his illness, and I know who his wife is, and that they’ve been together for many years- no small feat in the entertainment business. Other than that, as per usual, I knew very little. I was not aware of how many other health challenges he has endured and how it has also affected him emotionally and mentally. Despite his trademark optimistic approach- when he faced these latest setbacks, he found it more difficult to maintain that attitude.

Still, I didn’t pick up on bitterness, perhaps some depression and frustration, but he still managed to find a way to adjust, to keep his priorities in order, and to make the most of life and to appreciate the most important people and moments in his life.

Fox is human and so not all his days are full of optimistic platitudes, but he does inspire hope in people. It’s rare for me to read a memoir without feeling a bit disappointed in something the author thinks, feels, or believes in. But, in this case, the only thing that I could have done without was the passages about golf, a sport I have zero interest in, so I got a bit bored with these golf stories, but they were a part of his life- and one of his golf buddies happened to be Harlen Coben- and I’m glad he gave it a try and got something out of it.

Other than that, this was a quick read- but It was harrowing at times, very personal, and revealing. It was well done and I’m glad I read it.

4 stars

*This book, as of this writing, is in the KU program, if you are a subscriber. ( )