Still Me
1st Edition
Published on 2. July 2009
336 pages
978-1-4070-9924-8 (ISBN)
Description
Through his leading role in the three Superman films, Christopher Reeve became so closely identified with the superhero that he wasn't just seen as the actor who played Superman, he was Superman. Which is why the tragic riding accident which left him paralysed from the neck down shocked the world. Superman was not superhuman. It is also why he is now the world's most recognisable person in a wheelchair. In true superhero style, Christopher Reeve refuses to resign himself to the life of a quadriplegic, and is actively campaigning to raise the profile of spinal-cord injury victims and research. Although he was initially told that he would only ever be able to move his head, he can now shrug his shoulders and breathe alone for increasing periods of time, and is determined that he will walk again. It is this extraordinary courage and determination that has made Christopher Reeve the internationally admired figure that he is, and it is this bravery which makes this autobiography about his paralysis and his journey to recovery such a powerful and moving story.
Reviews / Votes
A story of enormous depth: honest, intelligent and compelling. I have rarely read anything as moving * Sunday Times * Brave, funny and deeply moving * Sunday Telegraph * Fascinating and utterly lacking in self-pity * Guardian * Through his honesty, dignity, and clarity of purpose, Reeve has created an involving book and a meaningful life * New York Times Book Review * Still me redefines the idea of hero . . . In this detailed and well-written autobiography, Reeve proves that, in many ways, he has transcended previous accomplishments through his courage and character * Boston Globe * A REMARKABLE BOOK . . . Reeve's autobiography is distinguished not only by the dignified candor with which he describes his utterly changed world but also by his emotional directness. . . . Long hours of soul-searching have resulted in a heightened eloquence. . . . STILL ME may be the most important contribution Reeve could ever make to his healing, to his family, to his public. . . . [He] communicates so well, in fact, that it's easy to forget that every word of STILL ME has been wrested from a body in revolt against a mind clarified by adversity. This is a feat to daunt even Superman * Entertainment Weekly * Bold and unflinching * Washington Post * Captivating . . . an emotional memoir . . . The author takes readers on a roller-coaster ride from the height of Hollywood fame to his darkest days . . . In one heartbreaking passage, Reeve writes how he wanted to die after his Memorial Day accident until his wife urged him to live * New York Daily News * Inspiring * Los Angeles Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Cornerstone
Illustrations
16
File size
3,20 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-4070-9924-8 (9781407099248)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Christopher Reeve established a reputation as one of America's leading actors through his role as the world's favourite superhero, Superman. After being paralysed in an accident in an equestrian competition in 1995, he put a human face on spinal cord injury. Reeve was chairman of the board of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation (CRPF) and vice chairman of the National Organisation on Disability and lobbied vigorously for healthcare reform and funding of research. Nothing is Impossible, his follow-up autobiography to Still Me, was published by Century in 2002. He died in 2004.
