Always Looking Up

The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist
Author: Michael J. Fox
Subject: Biography
My rating: 3+*

Awards: Grammy for the audiobook
Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, an excellent resource for everything on Parkinson's and much more- click here

About the book:
This is Michael's second memoir, published in 2009. His first biography- Lucky Man was released in 2002, and was also nominated for a Grammy. Although 'Always Looking Up' won the Grammy, I enjoyed his first book much more, hence my 3 star rating for his second one. I find this book a bit repetitive, picking up on the happenings in his first book. I found that especially the first chapter on politics was tedious and less interesting- perhaps because politics is not a subject I am very interested in. But the book has many interesting takes, and it brings the issue of stem cell research more into perspective. I also liked his narrative on the efforts he makes for his foundation for Parkinson research. Looking forward to his third book that is up for publication later this year (2010).

From the book:
'At the turn from our bedroom into the hallway, there is an old full-length mirror in a wooden frame. I can't help but catch a glimpse of myself as I pass. Turning fully toward the glass, I consider what I see. This reflected version of myself, wet, shaking, rumpled, pinched, and slightly stooped, would be alarming were it not for the self-satisfied expression pasted across my face. I would ask the obvious question, "What are you smiling about?," but I already know the answer: "It just gets better from here."

'For everything this disease has taken, something with greater value has been given—sometimes just a marker that points me in a new direction that I might not otherwise have traveled. So, sure, it may be one step forward and two steps back, but after a time with Parkinson's, I've learned that what is important is making that one step count; always looking up.'