Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Gift for Stroke Victims and Those Who Love Them!
Review: Caution: This book contains occasional coarse language, employed for emphasis, that seems justified in how it is applied.Mr. Kirk Douglas is eloquent, moving, and convincing in this book as he describes how he came to terms with suffering a stroke. The essence of the message is that stroke victims should focus on "helping others" to help themselves. The book abounds in detailed examples of how to do this for stroke victims. The book's message is so fine, delicate, and well-balanced that I suggest that you learn about it from Mr. Douglas rather than from a review. His account is very candid and powerful. He cites his own vivid and depressing thoughts before he began to recover, and shares many inspiring lessons from others. You will learn about his fears about losing his vocation ("What good is an actor who can't talk?"), experiences with depression (thinking about suicide as described on the dust cover), and the concerns he had about embarrassment (a billion people were expected to watch him talk). I was most impressed by the examples of what others wrote, said, and did that helped him gain new purpose. The book is also filled with nostalgic references to his friends and family, almost all of whom are represented in interesting photographs reproduced in the book. I was especially touched to read what his "Ma" told him as she lay dying, "Don't be afraid, it happens to everyone." He drew much strength from remembering that thought. As Mr. Douglas says in this book, "Strive to be a Little Hero."
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Gift for Stroke Victims and Those Who Love Them!
Review: Caution: This book contains occasional coarse language, employed for emphasis, that seems justified in how it is applied. Mr. Kirk Douglas is eloquent, moving, and convincing in this book as he describes how he came to terms with suffering a stroke. The essence of the message is that stroke victims should focus on "helping others" to help themselves. The book abounds in detailed examples of how to do this for stroke victims. The book's message is so fine, delicate, and well-balanced that I suggest that you learn about it from Mr. Douglas rather than from a review. His account is very candid and powerful. He cites his own vivid and depressing thoughts before he began to recover, and shares many inspiring lessons from others. You will learn about his fears about losing his vocation ("What good is an actor who can't talk?"), experiences with depression (thinking about suicide as described on the dust cover), and the concerns he had about embarrassment (a billion people were expected to watch him talk). I was most impressed by the examples of what others wrote, said, and did that helped him gain new purpose. The book is also filled with nostalgic references to his friends and family, almost all of whom are represented in interesting photographs reproduced in the book. I was especially touched to read what his "Ma" told him as she lay dying, "Don't be afraid, it happens to everyone." He drew much strength from remembering that thought. As Mr. Douglas says in this book, "Strive to be a Little Hero."
Rating:
Summary: This is an Immensely Inspirational Book!
Review: I have much more admiration for Kirk Douglas now than I had previously. He is a courageous man who has weathered the challenges of having a major stroke. I like his stories and his honesty about his condition. He even adds humor from time to time.
I will recommend this book to any friends or relatives afflicted by a stroke. My grandmother had a stroke. Now, thanks to Kirk, I know more about what she might have had to endure.
Rating:
Summary: INCREDIBLE STORY, INCREDIBLE MAN!
Review: Kirk Douglas began his career back in the early 1940's and has been with us ever since. He is truly a man of his time, and his accomplishments in the field of acting are outstanding. Now at 84, he has given us a book telling not of his colourful acting career, but his battle with life following a stroke several years ago. The book takes us through his depression, his thoughts of suicide and his recovery. Through it all, and in spire of his personal pain, the humourous side of Douglas always seems to emerge even at times when he is at his lowest. The book is highly inspirational for anyone who has had to overcome serious health issues. Fans of Douglas who saw him as a great man on screen will see an even greater man in his personal life. This book is highly recommended reading material. Douglas can teach us a valuable lesson about courage, determination, family support and love - they can and do accomplish miracles.
Rating:
Summary: INCREDIBLE STORY, INCREDIBLE MAN!
Review: Kirk Douglas began his career back in the early 1940's and has been with us ever since. He is truly a man of his time, and his accomplishments in the field of acting are outstanding. Now at 84, he has given us a book telling not of his colourful acting career, but his battle with life following a stroke several years ago. The book takes us through his depression, his thoughts of suicide and his recovery. Through it all, and in spire of his personal pain, the humourous side of Douglas always seems to emerge even at times when he is at his lowest. The book is highly inspirational for anyone who has had to overcome serious health issues. Fans of Douglas who saw him as a great man on screen will see an even greater man in his personal life. This book is highly recommended reading material. Douglas can teach us a valuable lesson about courage, determination, family support and love - they can and do accomplish miracles.
Rating:
Summary: Profoundly Simple and Moving
Review: Kirk Douglas chronicles his own struggle to overcome the personal and professional demons tied to the aftermath of a devastating stroke in MY STROKE OF LUCK. The stories are full of passion, courage, and spontaneity. The book is an incredibly swift read, as he concentrates solely on the vignettes associated to the events instead of dealing (as some books of this variety do) with the mountains and mountains of ancilliary details that, while may be eye-opening, can be as exhaustive to the reader as they are to the stroke survivor. In my family, a relation on my wife's side endured a stroke, and we watched how the debilitating condition affected her ability to communicate, to express, and to feel. Of course, we always knew of her frustration, but we couldn't step into her shoes and begin to comprehend just how infuriating her condition could be. Mr. Douglas's book brings much of this to light, in bravely discussing openly some of his own feelings of inadequacy and anger, but, ultimately, he tells the reader how he managed to achieve a type of peace, humor, and acceptance of one of the cruelest tricks life could play on any of us. While some of the prose is light, this is a triumph best told simply, allowing the reader to almost walk hand-in-hand with one of the world's greatest actors and hear how even the littlest experiences have all of a sudden become incredible physical and emotional obstacles.
Rating:
Summary: Profoundly Simple and Moving
Review: Kirk Douglas chronicles his own struggle to overcome the personal and professional demons tied to the aftermath of a devastating stroke in MY STROKE OF LUCK. The stories are full of passion, courage, and spontaneity. The book is an incredibly swift read, as he concentrates solely on the vignettes associated to the events instead of dealing (as some books of this variety do) with the mountains and mountains of ancilliary details that, while may be eye-opening, can be as exhaustive to the reader as they are to the stroke survivor. In my family, a relation on my wife's side endured a stroke, and we watched how the debilitating condition affected her ability to communicate, to express, and to feel. Of course, we always knew of her frustration, but we couldn't step into her shoes and begin to comprehend just how infuriating her condition could be. Mr. Douglas's book brings much of this to light, in bravely discussing openly some of his own feelings of inadequacy and anger, but, ultimately, he tells the reader how he managed to achieve a type of peace, humor, and acceptance of one of the cruelest tricks life could play on any of us. While some of the prose is light, this is a triumph best told simply, allowing the reader to almost walk hand-in-hand with one of the world's greatest actors and hear how even the littlest experiences have all of a sudden become incredible physical and emotional obstacles.
Rating:
Summary: A truly inspiring book
Review: Mr. Douglas chronicles his debilitating stroke, and how it changed his life. He pays tribute to those who helped him, and also tells us of the things he learned along the way. A must-read book, which shows the REAL Kirk Douglas--an exceptionally brave man, and a wonderful human being.
Rating:
Summary: A truly inspiring book
Review: Mr. Douglas chronicles his debilitating stroke, and how it changed his life. He pays tribute to those who helped him, and also tells us of the things he learned along the way. A must-read book, which shows the REAL Kirk Douglas--an exceptionally brave man, and a wonderful human being.
Rating: 
Summary: MAN WITH A GREAT EGO
Review: MY STROKE OF LUCK By Kirk Douglas This is a case where a huge ego with character comes in handy. It let him help others and it helped him become one of the best actors in his time. Additionally, he wrote this book about a stroke he had in his 80s-and this is one of several books he wrote. I hope my ego is large enough to keep me going for that long. It's not big enough to even to start what he has done is one lifetime. So he couldn't talk. I know just how he felt. I couldn't either. A brain attack is a strange experience, especially if you have aphasia. You are trying to talk to the doctor and he hears nothing but strange sounds. At least Kirk Douglas could walk which was wonderful at his age and after what he had already put his body through. They have medicine for depression which some times does not help as Kirk found out. Thank God for an ego and a wonderful sense of humor, which he had to have. He has a very good memory and the things he did, and is still doing for his friends and strangers will always be remembered by the world. I got a good laugh out of his thoughts of death where he appeared in front of an old man and asked him if he was in heaven. The old man roared, "THAT'S WHERE YOU CAME FROM, don't you like what I gave you on earth, this is a RECYCLING PLANT, where humans are made of dust and in the end return to dust!" For some of us it is our heaven, the Earth! That why we are in no hurry to leave. It's wonderful that a man of Kirks age can write a book while he is recovering from a stroke. And, not just a book, but also an excellent book, which will help anyone with any kind of disability problem who reads it. For others it's just an excellent book. Roger L. Lee
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