Michael J. Fox Discusses Time Travel Novel and ‘Back to the Future’ Legacy

Michael J. Fox has shared insights into his personal reading habits and the lasting impact of his iconic film, Back to the Future. In an interview, the actor named Jack Finney’s novel Time and Again as a favorite, praising its creative approach to time travel. He also spoke candidly about how his Parkinson’s disease has led him to transition from physical books to audiobooks for his reading.

The actor further connected the themes of the 1985 classic to contemporary society, emphasizing its message about resilience in the face of bullies, a concept he finds powerfully relevant today.

Fox’s Reading Habits and Favorite Novel

During a discussion with the New York Times, Michael J. Fox revealed he is an avid listener of audiobooks, typically having one fiction and one nonfiction title queued up at all times. His fiction preferences range from classics to crime novels, while his nonfiction interests include history and political commentary.

He specifically highlighted Time and Again by Jack Finney as a standout time-travel story. The novel follows an artist involved in a government project that transports him from the 1970s to 1882 New York. Fox commended the book’s “low-tech Dakota-building-as-time-machine device” as a particularly genius element.

The Enduring Message of ‘Back to the Future’

Reflecting on the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future, Fox told Empire magazine that the film’s core themes remain significant. He identified bullies as a central conflict, drawing a parallel between the film’s antagonist Biff and modern-day challenges.

“We live in a bully culture right now,” Fox stated. “Time is a bully. For me personally, Parkinson’s is a bully. And it’s all about how you stand up to them and the resolve that you take into the fight with them.” He believes the movie’s focus on courage and resilience is why it continues to resonate with audiences.

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