Nothing Is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life - Hardcover

Christopher Reeve

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0375507787 ISBN 13: 9780375507786

Publisher: Random House, 2002

Synopsis

So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable. If we can conquer outer space, we can conquer inner space, too.

Christopher Reeve has mastered the art of turning the impossible into the inevitable. In Nothing Is Impossible, the author of the bestselling autobiography Still Me shows that we are all capable of overcoming seemingly insurmountable hardships. He interweaves anecdotes from his own life with excerpts from speeches and interviews he’s given and with evocative photos taken by his son Matthew.

Reeve teaches us that for able-bodied people, paralysis is a choice—a choice to live with self-doubt and a fear of taking risks—and that it is not an acceptable one. Reeve knows from experience that the work of conquering inner space is hard and that it requires some suffering—after all, nothing worth having is easy to get. He asks challenging questions about why it seems so difficult—if not impossible—for us to work together as a society. He steers the reader gently, offering his reflections and guidance but not the pat answers that often characterize inspirational works.

Published on the eve of both his fiftieth birthday and the seventh anniversary of his spinal cord injury, Christopher Reeve’s Nothing Is Impossible reminds us that life is not to be taken for granted but to be lived fully with zeal, curiosity, and gratitude. That is a powerful message in itself, but it is the messenger who gives it its full resonance.

About this title

Review

A sequel of sorts to Reeve's bestselling memoir, Still Me, Nothing is Impossible is a concise, meditative companion to the earlier book. Each of its nine chapters is devoted to some aspect of successful living (humor, faith, hope) or addresses a major life issue (parenting, religion, recovery). Although Reeve draws on his experiences prior to his spinal chord injury in 1995, it's clear that his views on life have evolved dramatically in the seven years since. Clearly of most obvious value to those facing the challenges of physical paralysis, this book also serves as inspirational primer for otherwise able-bodied individuals who may be thwarted by mental rather than physical wounds. In additional to his personal message, Reeve is also a blunt proponent of medical insurance reform and government research funding, devoting a chapter to it here, as well as a significant portion of his nonprofit Web site, christopherreeve.org. --David Bombeck

From the Back Cover

Praise for Still Me

“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. . . . [Reeve] communicates so well 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.”
-Entertainment Weekly

“A decent human being with a stunning lack of ego . . . Through his honesty, dignity and clarity of purpose, Reeve has created an involving book and a meaningful life.”
-The 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.”
-The Boston Globe

“A story of enormous depth: honest, intelligent and compelling. I have rarely read anything as moving and would offer one small piece of advice should you be tempted—read it in a room on your own so you won’t feel ashamed of weeping, and keep a box of tissues and a stiff drink within reach at all times.”
-Sunday Times (London)

“A memoir that’s outspoken, wise, and tremendously moving . . . No doubt, Reeve is ‘still me’—but readers of his beautifully composed book will see that he is now also more—that through nearly unimaginable suffering and effort, he has transformed a charmed life into one blessed to be a true profile in courage.”
-Publishers Weekly

Edition details

• Publisher: Random House
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0375507787
• ISBN 13: 9780375507786
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192