Lucky ManLucky Man
Score Modern
What it's about
In 1991, at twenty-nine, Michael J. Fox, star of Family Ties and Back to the Future, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, an illness usually found in people decades older. He hid it from the public for seven years while he kept acting, stopped drinking and struggled to accept it. Then, as the star of Spin City, he told the world.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It's funny, honest and full of gratitude, and it helped change how people see Parkinson's.
You'll love it if you liked
When Breath Becomes Air
Finding Me
OpenGood to know
It ends in 2002; Fox has written more memoirs since.
By the numbers
- Readers59 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller48 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #192 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #717 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1350 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
If you like this, read next
Between the World and Me
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
Educated: A Memoir
The Passage of Power
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North KoreaExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Lucky Man worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #1,350 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Lucky Man about?
In 1991, at twenty-nine, Michael J. Fox, star of Family Ties and Back to the Future, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, an illness usually found in people decades older. He hid it from the public for seven years while he kept acting, stopped drinking and struggled to accept it. Then, as the star of Spin City, he told the world.
How long does it take to read Lucky Man?
About 6 hours (260 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Lucky Man?
If you liked it, try When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, Finding Me by Viola Davis or Open by Andre Agassi.