No Time Like the Future

An Optimist Considers Mortality

By: Michael J. Fox

Narrated by: Michael J. Fox

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 best-selling 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.

Barnes & Noble Best New Books of the Year - 2020

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books

©2020 Michael J. Fox (P)2020 Macmillan Audio

Very appreciative to have listened to this book!

This book was released at such an opportune time. I appreciated Michael J. Fox sharing his difficult experiences, happy moments with his family, his outlook on life, living with Parkinson’s, and thinking about the future. I especially enjoyed listening to him read his own book, it made the experience so much better, and it was great to hear his humor, too! Thank you for sharing your life with us.

Inspiring, Humorous, and Lesson in Gratitude

A resilient and optimistic human spirit ponders on facing adversity, mortality, and keeping hope alive. It’s all a choice, even when you feel there isn’t, and the choice is gratitude.

Felt like an intimate conversation.

I just want to thank Michael J. Fox for taking the time to document, and share his journey.

Inspiration multiplied

A fan of Michael since Family Ties and always amazed at how great (and clean) his films were. My Dad and Mother in Law both had Parkinson’s and I became a ‘member’ of Fox Foundation as soon as I discovered it. We are about the same age, he seems like a member of the family. He has given so much to all of us. Always setting a great example. His determination to help find a cure, to show the world that you can live with the disease and remain devoted to his own family- and…to write this book to explain much of that journey (warts and all) leaves me ‘spent’ but inspired. I feel privileged to have heard Michael tell this story. Long live MJF.

Thank You Michael!

Thank you Michael for sharing your story! Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease affects my family, and I myself am noticing signs at the age of 43. I hope I can deal with it with the grace and strength that you have.