Michael J. Fox's third memoir (following Lucky Man and Always Looking Up) grabs readers from the opening paragraph, describing a time he fell at home, while alone, badly breaking his arm. The fall comes mere months after he had high-risk surgery to remove a benign tumor that was strangling his spinal cord. Months of grueling rehabilitation, learning to stand and finally walk with a walker were suddenly negated. Further hindering his recovery was the fact that he'd suffered from Parkinson's disease for nearly 30 years.
No Time Like the Future is a gripping, thoughtful and beautifully written memoir of coming to grips with mortality. Fox's wry sense of humor constantly cuts through his serious disease, disorders and multiple setbacks. He calls Parkinson's "a gift that keeps on taking." And as for his golfing habit, he writes, "To take up golf in my forties was ambitious, to do so with Parkinson's disease was delusional."
No Time Like the Future should be read by every family dealing with Parkinson's. With canny accuracy and brutal honesty, Fox shows readers what it's like dealing with a disease that affects mobility, coordination, speech and memory. "I need to think about every step, which demands intense focus," he writes. Fox is as engaging a writer as he is an actor. His third memoir is inspiring, optimistic and deeply moving. This unforgettable and thoughtful book is a smart choice for book clubs. --Kevin Howell, independent reviewer and marketing consultant