No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality

by Michael J. Fox Narrated by Michael J. Fox

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

There are few people possessing the boundless optimism of Michael J. Fox. His public battle with Parkinson's Disease has mostly cut short an amazing film career. However, his advocacy for those affected by it has been relentless. In his latest book, Michael J. Fox assesses his life, his chronic and declining medical condition and wonders what the future holds. As he experiences many more ups than downs, his trademark optimism (and sense of humor) shines throughout. It's a bittersweet journey which will make you applaud and shed a tear or two in the end.

This program is read by Michael J. Fox.

A moving account of resilience, hope, fear and mortality, and how these things resonate in our lives, by actor and advocate Michael J. Fox.

The entire world knows Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, the teenage sidekick of Doc Brown in Back to the Future; as Alex P. Keaton in Family Ties; as Mike Flaherty in Spin City; and through numerous other movie roles and guest appearances on shows such as The Good Wife and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Diagnosed at age 29, Michael is equally engaged in Parkinson's advocacy work, raising global awareness of the disease and helping find a cure through The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, the world's leading non-profit funder of PD science. His two previous bestselling memoirs, Lucky Man and Always Looking Up, dealt with how he came to terms with the illness, all the while exhibiting his iconic optimism. His new memoir reassesses this outlook, as events in the past decade presented additional challenges.

In No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality, Michael shares personal stories and observations about illness and health, aging, the strength of family and friends, and how our perceptions about time affect the way we approach mortality. Thoughtful and moving, but with Fox's trademark sense of humor, his audiobook provides a vehicle for reflection about our lives, our loves, and our losses.

Running through the narrative is the drama of the medical madness Fox recently experienced, that included his daily negotiations with the Parkinson's disease he's had since 1991, and a spinal cord issue that necessitated immediate surgery. His challenge to learn how to walk again, only to suffer a devastating fall, nearly caused him to ditch his trademark optimism and “get out of the lemonade business altogether.”

Does he make it all of the way back? Listen to the audiobook.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"For a certain consumer of Generation X pop culture, Michael J. Fox calls to mind 'Family Ties' in prime time, 'Back to the Future' in movie theaters, interviews in Tiger Beat. The energy that made him such a riveting presence onscreen comes through in his book."—The New York Times

"You're going to love this book. This is vintage Michael J. Fox. It is funny, it is intimate, it is philosophical.... Mike doesn't call himself a writer or a philosopher, but he is both. And it really comes through in this book. It is so well written [and] it brings you inside what is a very tough time for him, but it also tells you what he learned from it. A lot of wisdom there."—George Stephanopoulos, Good Morning America

"But what makes the book a page-turner is its tenor: drolly conspiratorial, affably best-friend-y, infectiously convivial and unapologetically pensive. This is a book you really hear whether you have the audiobook or not. The quality of the prose, the care in the pacing, the delight in storytelling, all made me reexamine why I read and write in this genre in the first place."—Porochista Khakpour, Washington Post

“ A heartfelt, unselfish book about never giving up...” -Kirkus

“Filled with humorous and thoughtful anecdotes and reflections, the book offers insights into a man who knows struggle all too well, but refuses to let it get in the way of living." —Time

“Personal stories that sometimes sound like allegories.” —The Wall Street Journal

"A moving account of resilience and hope." —USA Today

“Appealing humor, gratitude and optimism.” —AARP

Library Journal

12/04/2020

Despite a diagnosis of young-onset Parkinson's at the age of 29, iconic actor, author, and philanthropist Fox continued performing, raised four children, and started a foundation that has raised nearly a billion dollars for Parkinson's research. In his fourth book, Fox reflects on his second career of roles that incorporated his physical challenges and revisits memorable moments in his personal life. Facing an empty nest, he adopted a dog named Gus, who quickly became his best friend; golfed regularly with Harlan Coben and George Stephanopoulos; and traveled the world. Then came 2018, a year of loss and excruciating setbacks, beginning with the death of his father-in-law, followed by surgery for a spinal tumor and a fall that led to a devastating arm injury. Rather than wallow in self-pity, he attempts to define his fears, find optimism, and confront his new reality head-on. Fox writes beautifully, with humor and the self-deprecation that defined his on-screen persona. VERDICT Infused with intelligence, honesty, and the perfect dose of optimism, Fox's story will resonate with his fans, including those living with Parkinson's.—Lisa Henry, Kirkwood P.L., MO

Kirkus Reviews

2020-09-29
In his fourth book, Fox expresses gratitude for the past and looks to the future with a firm grasp on how to be “both a realist and an optimist.”

Though the actor, activist, and author has lived a blessed life, he has also faced plenty of adversity. In 1991, at 29, following early success with Family Ties, Teen Wolf, and the Back to the Future series, he was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease, a devastating blow that would stop many people in their tracks. But Fox continued to work. After his diagnosis, he had roles in Spin City, Rescue Me, Boston Legal, and The Michael J. Fox Show, among other TV show and film appearances. In his latest book, the author, who has recently suffered from a spinal cord issue, is both optimistic and self-reflective: “Have I oversold optimism as a panacea, commodified hope? Have I been an honest broker with the Parkinson’s community? The understanding I’ve reached with Parkinson’s is sincere, but the expression of it risks being glib.” Fox is refreshingly candid about his latest ailment, which has necessitated frequent use of a wheelchair. He gracefully takes readers on his journey from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for the risky surgical procedure and then New York City for intense rehab, and he praises his compassionate doctors and their top-notch care. The tone of the memoir is not entirely somber; though Fox ponders death, he also shares memories of a safari in Tanzania and a trip to Mount Everest: “Flying over the Himalayas is like housesitting for God.” Throughout, the author clearly expresses his love for his family: his wife of 30 years, Tracy Pollan Fox, their four children, and Gus, the family dog.

A heartfelt, unselfish book about never giving up that should serve as good motivational material for readers.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177357362
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	11/17/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	1,061,709

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