Rating: 
Summary: A Book Packed With Courage and Zest!
Review: I thought, "Nothing Is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life" was a remarkable book. The depression that accompanies such a tragic injury is so real. So many people want to give up. It takes alot of energy and inspiration to not "throw the towel in." I know because My dad is in a wheelchair after a sudden stroke. Mr. Reeve's determination has served a s a role model for my dad. There is alot of things that he will never do, as he discusses in the book and many interviews: however, it is the attitude that it wouldn't stop him from dreaming and going for his goals that made him succeed with zest. A remarkable man that has not only changed his life with his books, spinal cord research sponsership, and leadership, but also our own.
Rating:
Summary: The Stars Are For Mr. Reeve
Review: "Nothing Is Impossible", is a brief but dense work that goes far beyond the physical experiences of Mr. Reeve. I admire the man as I do not believe that many people in his circumstances would have been able to fight against the odds, the accepted, "medical facts", and the stupidity of government and the insurance companies as he has. He is in the 8th year of his battles, and if Winston Churchill were alive today, I believe he would hold Mr. Reeve in the highest esteem as an example of what never giving in, no matter what the odds are, represents.Christopher Reeve readily states that he has had access to equipment that others should have, but do not, either because of his celebrity, or because he was able to financially buy what he needed when faced with what should be criminal negligence by his insurance companies. It is not my place to suggest otherwise, but I do not believe he would have continued to garner the support of medical researchers, and the use of their equipment if he had not shown an unstoppable determination to use what they offered, and push the equipment, himself, and the inventors to the limits of what was once believed to be impregnable boundaries. I am not using hyperbole. Christopher Reeve has taken back more control of his body than had ever been thought possible or documented. He has done so through pure determination, guts, or pig-headed stubbornness, you choose the phrase, this man will not quit. The Bunny that, "is still going", would crumple next to this guy. Even if he does not walk again, and I will not yet bet against him, when someone finally does walk, after having the same injury, they better look in his direction. He has rewritten what the medical profession "KNEW" to be fact, and now he is establishing what is possible and the medical texts are getting placed where they belong, in history's dustbin of trash. Mr. Reeve also gives credit to a small army of people he has worked with over the last 8 years, and I believe him when he says he would not have made the progress he has made without them. But as all of us know, all the encouragement, advice, and help in the world are useless unless the target of the attention wants to achieve. And if there is a person who has a single minded maniacal desire to fight his way past his body, conventional thinking, governmental stupidity, self interest, and in my opinion negligence, it is this man. I am sure there are others, but I am commenting on this book at present. He speaks of trying to appeal to compassion to those that occupy (MY WORDS) the largest brothel in the world, "The US Congress". Until enough of these self motivated egomaniacs break their necks and become ventilator dependent quadriplegics, I believe Mr. Reeve and those like him should expect nothing that does not benefit whomever they are seeking help from. The author also raises issues that are easily understood as mind numbingly frustrating by people in his position. Stem Cell research is controversial, and I respect people on both sides of the issue who actually understand it. Some of those involved in passing laws forbidding the use of these cells have demonstrated beyond any doubt they are incompetent to discuss the issue much less legislate upon it. There is an alternative form of biomedical cloning that does not used cellular material that has anything to so with human life, even if life is defined as beginning at the instant of conception. This too has been killed in Congress, and again it went down to defeat after campaigns of absolute fraud directed at persons and their closely held beliefs that were exploited, not informed. Neither the issue nor Mr. Reeve's comments are anti-religious or anti-Catholic. Former Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina will be remembered by many people, and by many labels. I think calling him a conservative from the heart of The Bible Belt is as tame a moniker as can be offered. Mr. Reeve to his delight and bewilderment found common cause when Senator Helms excluded certain animals from the same level of protection that other animals are given during medical experiments when a critical bill was passed by Congress. I have not yet looked, by I am confident the most extreme animal rights activists will denounce the Senator and Christopher Reeve for allowing experimentation on animals. I do not believe animals should be mindlessly tortured, I do not think we have the right to inflict suffering for sport even on mice, rats, etc, but given the choice, I do place the health of people confined to wheelchairs above rodents. What concerns me more are the methods we still routinely employ as a species as Genocide continues to be implemented around the world. There are such things as priorities. If you have a pet rat, that's fine, but don't expect me to help launch a rescue operation for his cousin in a lab. Great book, amazing man, a real role model.
Rating:
Summary: A super book by a SUPER man!!!
Review: +++++
This book, by actor, director, writer, and activist Christopher Reeve, is part autographical, part inspirational, part scientific, and part political. (Other readers may find other parts to this unique book.) For such a slim book (that I finished reading in two sittings), I was amazed at just how much I learned about and from this courageous person.
This book is not only for those with spinal cord injuries. It can be used effectively by those with other physical types of problems as well as those with emotional problems. It can also be read by those who want only to read an inspirational book by someone attempting to overcome large obstacles.
Reeve does not give direct advice but what he does is allow us to read about his learning experiences and then, form our own conclusions.
Why did I decide to read this book? Two major reasons:
(1) I read a quotation (not in this book) by Reeve. He states:
"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."
(2) Reeve's several accomplishments AFTER his spinal cord injury (again not stated in this book). Some highlights include the following:
(i) a 1997 Emmy
(ii) a 1999 Grammy
(iii) a 1999 Screen Actor Guild Award for best actor
(iv) a 1997 Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
(v) acting in two movies
(vi) directing two movies
(vii) the establishment of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation in 1999
(viii) the establishment of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Centre in 2002 {Note that Dana was his wife since 1992}
(ix) the author of two books (this one and one in 1998).
These are only a few of his many, many accomplishments. Visit his internet site to learn about more accomplishments.
Thus I thought to myself, "This guy is on to something!!"
This book consists of nine chapters. Since there is no indication that you have to read the book in the chapter order indicated in the table of contents, I read these chapters in a slightly different order. These chapters are as follows:
(1) THE FIRST DECISION. Gives in surprising detail the cause, anatomy, and emotional experience of Reeve's spinal cord injury. (The accident occurred at "three o'clock on May 27, 1995.") Reeve tells us at how he arrived at the answer to the question posed by Hamlet: "To be or not to be? That is the question!"
(2) HUMOR. This was a coping mechanism Reeve eventually used to deal with his injury. He tells us that "Inside...I was angry to my very core" right after his accident. Humor helped quell this anger. Look for the antics of his friend Robin Williams (who shared an apartment with Reeve when they were both starting out).
(3) MIND/BODY. This was another coping mechanism. Reeve's theme for this inspirational chapter is his belief that "there is a relationship between the mind and the body that can both create a physical condition and enable us to recover from it."
(4) RELIGION (presented in the book as chapter 5). Reeve tells us, "The truth is that I only found a religion very recently that I can reconcile with a lifelong quest for the meaning of spiritually." This is a very frank and honest chapter that some readers may not appreciate. I, however, found it refreshing that he spoke so candidly about a subject that, for some reason, you're not supposed to speak candidly about. This chapter is continued in the next chapter.
(5) FAITH (presented as chapter 8). Continues the search begun in chapter 4 "to discover the relevance of spirituality." Reeve finally finds a religion and uses this as another coping mechanism. Again, as with the chapter on religion, this is an honest and candid chapter that I found refreshing to read.
(6) HOPE (presented as the last chapter, chapter 9). Hope can only be realized through effort. Thus Reeve tells us that "Since 1997 I have worked closely with [politicians] on health care reform, rights of the disabled, and increased funding for biomedical research." This chapter concludes with an essay written by Reeve about hope entitled "The Lighthouse." Hope is another coping mechanism he used.
(7) ADVOCACY (presented as chapter 6). It tells us how Reeve began "defining [his] role as an advocate for research [especially stem cell research] and [improving] the quality of life for people with disabilities [by, for example, advocating increased health and disability insurance]." Here we learn more about science and politics.
(8) RECOVERY (presented as chapter 7). By late 2000, Reeve had some surprises regarding his condition. He states, "[There have been] three...significant milestones in my history as a spinal cord patient. The first was discovering that my injury was not complete; the second was finding out that I could breath on my own, if only for short periods of time, [and third] the ability to initiate movement." As a consequence, his hope increased and his advocacy work increased.
(9) PARENTING (presented as chapter 4). Reeve had three children, two sons and one daughter. We discover through him how it is possible to be a good parent despite having a severe disability.
The only minor weakness with this book is the chapter order. However, I easily overcame this problem and established a pattern that works for me. Thus, to recap the above, I read this nine chapter book in the following chapter order:
{1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 6, 7, 4}
Finally and sadly, Reeve died recently (from causes not directly related to his injury). He is survived by his parents, one brother, two half brothers, one half sister, his wife, and his three children.
In conclusion, Reeve portrayed the "Man of Steel" in the 1978 movie "Superman, The Movie" (his first movie that won him a Most Promising Newcomer award). In the years after his injury, he transcended this title to become the "Man of Courage and Action." Be sure to read this book to learn the final inspirational thoughts of Christopher Reeve (September 1952 to October 2004)!!
(first published 2002; 180 pages; acknowledgements; 9 chapters; photos throughout; about the author; about the photographer who is his son Matt Reeve)
+++++
Rating:
Summary: Audio Review - "Nothing is Impossible"
Review:
The AUDIO VERSION of this book is A REAL DELIGHT to listen to. Mr. Reeve has such a kind voice and just to be able to hear him talk regularly now, without having to pause for a breath every 5 seconds or so,like he did years ago, brings a big happy smile to my face. I do not know anyone suffering from paralysis personally, but still found the book very interesting. I DID NOT want to MISS out on A WORD HE SAID. I found the information he gave on stem cell reasearch so interesting and informative, that I now plan to support the effort for research in the United States. I used to hope that he would walk someday, but AFTER LISTENING to what he had to say, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT HE WILL WALK AGAIN.
Rating:
Summary: Inspirational and Awe Inspirng Journey of a Super Man
Review: Being a huge fan of Christopher Reeve since he literally flew onto the big screen in 1978, I was truely horrified after his life-altering accident in 1995. As I grew from young child to teenager to young adulthood, I found myself marveling at the man and not so much on the character he played so so magnificently in the four chapters of the Superman films. He truely exemplifies "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" and it is funny that he told Richard Donner that he was afraid that he would not be able to live up to the creedo. He did and still continues to do so. The most remarkable thing about this book is the fact that he can draw so much humor from such a tragic occurance (of course having Robin Williams at your bedside probably did not hurt). The progress Chris has made both physically and mentally is nothing short of miraculous and although he did not meet his challenge of walking by age 50, he will one day walk again. As the tag-line for Superman proclamed "You Will Believe a Man Can Fly (walk)."
Rating:
Summary: MY HERO -- CHRISTOPHER REEVE
Review: CHRISTOPHER REEVE - My Hero
By Matthew P. "Black"
In a world shrouded by villains, few heroes could lift the veil and stand so tall, so much larger than life as to be unforgettable. Such a person was Christopher Reeve.
When I was very young, Chris literally flew into my life as the very personification of my favourite super hero. He was at first just an actor, a mere mortal, playing a character with God-like qualities. But although Chris became famous for merely playing a Superman, in the aftermath of his tragic accident, he metamorphosed into a being whose very determination and humanity transcended the fictional. Christopher Reeve became a Superman.
His smile, bright blue eyes and handsome face remained intact for the entire world to see as he battled his condition, not just for himself, but for all mankind.
Chris was determined to one day walk again, for all the reasons in the world that one could imagine, but to me, for the best ones of all: because he wanted too, because he believed he COULD. He would never let anyone tell him that it wasn't possible. THAT is why Christopher Reeve was a Superhero. He believed that all big obstacles could be overcome.
When I heard that he had died, for the first time in my life, I shed tears for a celebrity I had never met. Such was Chris's spirit, such was his intellect and determination, that I couldn't help but feel sorrow for his passing. Christopher Reeve was beautiful, both in body and in spirit. His painful journey of the last nine years forged a human being to truly look up to.
In the years to come, when we watch his fine acting performances again, read his inspiring words, and heed his call to throw off the shackles of paralysis, we will remember the real-life Superhero that had moved amongst us for 52 short years.
Goodbye, Christopher. We love you and we will NEVER forget you. Even when you could not walk, you made us believe that anyone could fly.
Rating:
Summary: I am sad
Review: Christopher Reeve died almost 3 months ago i am researching him and he fell off the horse and still survived and even though he was real hurt alot he cared of other people he was a good athlete and especially actor.He was a huge survivor.
In Memoriam,
Christopher Reeve
Rating:
Summary: Inspirational Writings
Review: Christopher Reeve's second major book is an attempt at the inspiration/self-help genre. While the book is a little unbalanced at some points, I found that Reeve is successful in communicating an inspiration message to his readers.
Being two years removed from my father's life altering stroke and currently undergoing some burdens of my own, I found the book's relevance to go beyond those who are paralyzed. Reeve begins the book by reminding the reader of the preciousness of life. Reeve admits to wishing for death after his accident. But he was reminded that those close to you would rather that you be around irregarless of your condition because they love you. Further chapters discuss topics including humor, mind and body relationship, and parenting in the face of a major life alterations. In his chapter on recovery, I found his discussion of stem cell research to be one of the more articulate statements on the issue that I have read. Reeve takes the time to thoughtfully write counterpoints to the arguments against the medical issue. At the same time, he respects those who area against the research for religious reasons. Also, included at the end of the book is Reeve's inspirational essay "The Lighthouse". All of the themes flow together surprisingly well. The one detractor I found in "Nothing is Impossible" is the chapters on religion and faith. While I respect Reeve's beliefs and I am happy that he has God in his life, the chapters on religion seem unfocused. In his chapter titled "Religion", he spend most of the pages talking about his experiences with Scientology. Only at the end of the chapter titled "Faith" does he discuss finding the answer to his spiritual journey. While the journey is interesting, I suspect most readers thirst for solutions with Reeve as an inspiration. This omission left me believing I should the book a score more like 4 1/2 stars. I found the writings of Christopher Reeve to be touching and uplifting. Aside from the one theme I discussed, Reeve does an excellent job of creating an uplifting read with the use of the changes in his life as a background story.
Rating: 
Summary: Inspiration is plentiful in Nothing is Impossible!
Review: Does anyone doubt that Chris Reeve faces his daily challenges with courage, grace, and humor? If anyone does, and if they haven't read Reeve's first book "Still Me" they might want to read that earlier book right along with this one. The man is an inspiration, period. Determination and character show on every page of his books. Read with an open mind and open heart, and you'll count your blessings from now on!
Rating:
Summary: Another inspirational masterpiece
Review: Few books have moved me to tears and then inspired me to try to move mountains within the same chapter . . . Christopher Reeve has accomplished this feat with both of his books. Nothing is Impossible offers an honest look at his life since his paralysis. He discusses a wide variety of topics including spirituality, religion, managed care, and access to medical care. He also includes an honest discussion of his frustration with the arbitrary limits placed on medical research by the short sighted. An important addition to any library.
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