By: Christopher Reeve Publisher: Ballantine Books Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 336 Publication Date: May 29, 1999 Release Date: May 29, 1999 Studio: Ballantine Books
Amazon.com Review: Christopher Reeve begins his heroic reading of Still Me with a special introduction, including this message: "Now, this audiobook allows me to communicate with you in a very personal way, second only to being in the same room." Personal indeed. Hearing Reeve tell his account of the near-fatal riding accident on Memorial Day 1995 is a life-altering experience. He seems to struggle through some of the more personal passages, and there's always the slight hissing sound of the respirator, reminding you how difficult an undertaking this must have been. Shortly after the accident, he recalls waking up and thinking, "This can't be my life, there's been a mistake." But by the audiobook's end, not only has he reclaimed his own life, but he's given hope to hundreds of thousands of others around the world with spinal cord injuries. His is a heartfelt tale of triumph over tragedy.
Admittedly he wouldn't be where he is today without the undying love and encouragement of his wife, Dana; when he speaks of her, it's clear that he's as smitten today as he was when they first met. Reeve also credits their young son Will and a huge supporting cast of family and friends. While still in the early days of his long hospital stay, 3-year-old Will asked his mom if his dad would ever be able to walk or to play soccer with him. Dana answered, "We don't know sweetheart, but maybe not." Will thought about this for a moment, and concluded cheerfully, "Well he can still smile." Hearing the actor voice these words causes a powerful tug at your heartstrings.
Reeve talks of having led an incredibly active life before the accident, and laments his inability to do so now, without making you feel sorry for him. Not only was he an accomplished rider, he also was a pilot, a sailor, a skier, and excelled in many other sports. And his participation in, and love for, the theater and the silver screen kept him busy nearly full-time. Still Me begins with the accident, then weaves back and forth between past and present, creating a thorough biography of Reeve's life. Reeve tells of his childhood, his early theater roles and theatrical training, and his first real experience as a public figure following a prominent role in a popular soap opera--a recollection that elicits a chuckle or two from our reader. Though we will likely never see Reeve don tights and a bright red cape again as he did in his unforgettable role of Superman, some believe that he has become the superhero he once merely portrayed. (running time 3 hours, 2 cassettes) --Colleen Preston
Product Description: When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked 'What is a hero?' I remember the glib response I repeated so many times. My answer was that a hero is someone who commits a courageous action without considering the consequences--a soldier who crawls out of a foxhole to drag an injured buddy to safety. And I also meant individuals who are slightly larger than life: Houdini and Lindbergh, John Wayne, JFK, and Joe DiMaggio. Now my definition is completely different. I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles: a fifteen-year-old boy who landed on his head while wrestling with his brother, leaving him barely able to swallow or speak; Travis Roy, paralyzed in the first thirty seconds of a hockey game in his freshman year at college. These are real heroes, and so are the families and friends who have stood by them."
The whole world held its breath when Christopher Reeve struggled for life on Memorial Day, 1995. On the third jump of a riding competition, Reeve was thrown headfirst from his horse in an accident that broke his neck and left him unable to move or breathe.
In the years since then, Reeve has not only survived, but has fought for himself, for his family, and for the hundreds of thousands of people with spinal cord injuries in the United States and around the world. And he has written Still Me, the heartbreaking, funny, courageous, and hopeful story of his life.
Chris describes his early success on Broadway opposite the legendary Katherine Hepburn, the adventure of filming Superman on the streets of New York, and how the movie made him a star. He continued to move regularly between film acting and theater work in New York, Los Angeles, and at the WIlliamstown Theatre Festival in the Berkshires. Reunited with his Bostonians director, James Ivory, in 1992, he traveled to England to work with Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins in The Remains of the Day.
The Man who cannot move has not stopped moving. He has established a charitable foundation to raise awareness and money for research on spinal cord injuries. His work as director of the HBO film In the Gloaming earned him an Emmy nomination, one of five that the film received. His speeches at the Democratic National Convention and the Academy Awards inspired people around the country and the world. He has testified before Congress on behalf of health insurance legislation, lobbied for increased federal funding for spinal cord research, and developed a working relationship with President Clinton.
With dignity and sensitivity, he describes the journey he has made--physically, emotionally, spiritually. He explores his complex relationship with his parents, his efforts to remain a devoted husband and father, and his continuing and heroic battle to rebuild his life.
This is the determined, passionate story of one man, a gifted actor and star, and how he and his family came to grips with the kind of devastating, unexplainable shock that fate can bring to any of us. Chris and Dana Reeve have gathered the will and the spirit to create a new life, one responsive and engaged and focused on the future.
Still Great ^ This is a book I keep by my bedside and read over and over again. Can you imagine being an avid sportsman, sailor, horseman, actor, husband and father and ending up living in a chair breathing from a tube? He made a deal with his wife to keep on living for two years and then decide together whether to commit suicide. What a great man with a great story and tremendous writing talent. Rest in peace.
Poignant ^ I am almost done with this, and I can honestly say I developed a lot of empathy of what it must be like to have your life as you know it taken from you in a flash. He recounts his daily struggles and attempts to stay in show business very well, and his accounts of what he had to go through every day made me feel sorry for him. His accounts of his early days of an actor were a little boring, but were probably put in there for his true fans. I am sorry he passed, he seemed like a decent person who did not deserve his fate, and he makes an inspiring case for dealing with our struggles, rather than shying away from them.
Very slow shipping ^ Book ordered on June 20th and did not recieve until August. Very slow shipment!
"One unlucky moment" ^ Christopher Reeve's inspiring autobiography begins with the 1995 riding accident that left him a paraplegic when he was 42. The book then flows between the present and his past, detailing his childhood, extensive stage career, and sudden fame as Superman in 1978. In addition to being a popular leading man, Reeve was also a dedicated sportsman; the contrast between his life before and after the accident and the regimen required to not only survive but live an active and rewarding life is a fascinating story.
He credited his wife and children for sustaining him and giving him his love for life, and he found great joy and purpose in working on behalf of spinal cord research. His writing is honest and intimate. I'm glad he was surrounded by so many people who loved him to the end.
goosebumps ^ This honestly written books gave me goosebumps. The first two chapters are the most riveting.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
