First published 2008
Michael J. Fox examines the decade following his departure from Spin City, when Parkinson's disease forced him to step away from his demanding television career. Fox confronts a crisis of identity as he transitions from being "Mike the actor" to "Mike the actor with PD" to simply "Mike with PD." The disease had not only consumed his career but had become his career, leaving him to question who he was beyond his public persona. Fox develops what he calls a personal policy of engagement and discovery, an approach that transforms obstacles into opportunities. Rather than retreating from the world, he opens new doors that lead him to unexpected places, including deeper into his own family life. Fox organizes his story around four central themes: work, politics, faith, and family. He shows how he constructed a new existence while mourning the loss of his previous life, ultimately finding greater happiness and satisfaction by recognizing the gifts present in ordinary moments.
Genres: family, memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir, health, disability
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: personal-transformation, self-discovery
276 pages · Hardcover · Hyperion
Content warnings: medical-trauma