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Just Call Me Mike:A Journey to Actor and Activist by Mike Farrell with a new introduction by Martin Sheen Autobiography/Political Science | Trade Paperback The paperback reissue of the national best-selling memoir from the M*A*S*H star, with a brand-new introduction by Martin Sheen! Click here to see nationwide events featuring Mike Farrell. Follow Mike's daily travels on his Huffington Post tour blog!
A limited number of signed copies available via PayPal link above (while supplies last)!
Click here to see the hardcover version of Just Call Me Mike Click here to read an excerpt and view author photo. "After years of searching and some spectacular professional successes,
Mike Farrell made an uncompromising commitment to his fiercest
passion--a love of global fairness, collaboration, and civility. This
is a fascinating account of that journey." "Mike Farrell is a good man, a superb actor, and an imaginative
writer--a witness to the world for what is decent and just in human
affairs. This book is his testament to freedom, joy, love, and truth.
It is the most revealing and honest personal story that I have read in
a long time. A genuine gem." "First of all, Mike Farrell is an honest guy. Then you add in that
he's a stand-up guy as well. The combination means his book, Just Call
Me Mike, will entertain and inform you far beyond most
autobiographies. Farrell's life is fascinating and his journey is well
worth your time." "I've always just called him Mike. But now I have to call him
talented, brave, principled, indefatigable, thoughtful, generous, and
a man driven by his conscience. I learned things about him in this
book I never knew before. So now I have to call him humble, too. He's
really kind of irritating." "These pages contain pure, luminous self-revelation. We watch Mike
Farrell's unfurling soul from an unsure, unsteady little boy longing
for his father's approval into a man of integrity and grace as he
reaches out to suffering people in Cambodia and Central America, the
condemned on death row, and gay people subjected to withering,
homophobic prejudice. No one can read these pages and continue to live
a narrow, anxious, self-absorbed life." "Mike Farrell's personal journey is a wonder in itself. Those in the
cultural community who have ever been concerned about the arts and
political activism should have all their fears assuaged by this
wonderful documentation." "Mike Farrell's passion to discover, portray, and improve the human
condition shines through his book and brings credit to his profession
as an artist and as an activist." From its opening pages, Mike Farrell's memoir reveals the distinctive voice of a man for whom life is an ongoing odyssey of self-discovery, personal commitment, and uncompromising social engagement. The world-renowned actor offers inspirational and often humorous reflections on his path to fame and progressive activism in this book, which became a Los Angeles Times best-seller and drew tremendous national media attention.
With deep insight and disarming candor, Farrell describes his early years as a timid but restless teenager in West Hollywood, delivering groceries to the homes of Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, Jimmy Stewart, and countless other celebrities, while dreaming of having his own career as an actor. In stark but riveting language, he relates his formative years as a Marine recruit--confused, conflicted, and eager to prove himself as a man. Farrell humorously portrays his professional development from a young soap opera player on Days of Our Lives to the amiable star of two popular television series, M*A*S*H and Providence, to the respected producer of successful motion pictures like Dominick and Eugene and Patch Adams.
At the heart of his story, Farrell narrates his public struggle to be a responsible citizen of the world. From his first-hand accounts of the ravages of war and oppression in Cambodia, El Salvador, Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda, and the Gaza Strip, to his tireless advocacy against capital punishment, to his deep commitment to environmental causes, Farrell portrays each of these experiences with passion, outrage, and stubborn optimism. Best known for his eight years on M*A*S*H and five seasons on Providence, Mike Farrell is also a writer, director, and producer. Farrell has served on human rights and peace delegations to many countries around the world. As president of Death Penalty Focus, he speaks, writes, and coordinates efforts to stop executions. "I have long since come to understand and appreciate Mike Farrell's
sincere devotion and commitment to justice, fairness, and equality.
Despite being an accomplished actor and gaining notoriety as a human
rights activist, he remains humble and focused. Just Call Me Mike
confirms Mike's love and compassion for people. This book must be read
by all of those who profess to be committed to First Amendment rights
and human rights, but do not have the courage of their convictions to
stand up and speak truth to power. Mike's work and courage puts us all
to shame. We can all do better. Thank you, Mike." "Just Call Me Mike is a riveting tale of personal, professional, and
civic growth from sallow California kid to mature citizen committed to
a more just social order. ÊWhether Latin America, the Middle East, the
death penalty, or a whole host of other human rights issues, Mike
Farrell has confronted government abuse with courage, dedication, and
tenacity. It is a life lived in a way that would make Voltaire proud.
In short, I loved it." "This informative, courageous, and sometimes scary account of the life
of a modern American male grabs the attention early and never lets
go." "Mike Farrell's memoir is a sometimes funny but always serious
development of a committed artist's life. Read it and enjoy--and wonder
why there aren't more like him." "I admire Mike Farrell for his citizen activism. He has used the
influence that accompanies his celebrity as a force for doing good,
and the lasting impact of his humanitarian work is his legacy. The
story of his rise to stardom and his commitment to service is
inspiring." "It's the illumination, the light that Mike Farrell kindles with his life, and the wonderful complexity of his humaneness that shine through this extraordinary book. It will ennoble and empower all who read it." --Rabbi Leonard I. Beerman "An intimate, compelling memoir by a popular actor and dedicated
humanitarian, Just Call Me Mike is even more: It's an exciting
page-turner, a modern spiritual odyssey, and, as the reader discovers,
an account of one man's courageous battle against injustice in all its
nefarious forms. Mike Farrell makes the world a better place--and this
book may change your life." "Mike is one of the most gifted, committed, and interesting people I
know. His book is a fascinating perspective on his own remarkable
life, as well as our shared history. Full of great stories, valuable
insights, and powerful inspiration." "In Just Call Me Mike, the author tells of his campaigns across our
country and around the world on behalf of the poor, the forgotten, and
the oppressed. To this battle, our modern Don Quixote brings a
skeptical intelligence, a disciplined passion, and an informed
contempt for those in authority ever ready to sacrifice human rights
on the altar of imperial ambition. Without boast or brag, Just Call Me
Mike testifies to the vital role played by citizens who ennoble our
nation by their willingness to denounce abuses of power." "With raw honesty as his constant companion, Mike Farrell reveals a
journeyman's stirring quest for truth, which brought him to work
tirelessly on human rights, protection of the environment, abolition
of the death penalty, and so many other issues on behalf of the
voiceless. Just Call Me Mike is a riveting read, and left me inspired
by the determination of one person to create a more just world." "lncapable of putting his conscience on hold, Mike Farrell beautifully
articulates why he is a rebel without a pause." "Mike Farrell's passion for life and compassion for people are
formidable. Just Call Me Mike is not merely an autobiography, but
rather a roadmap and a book of directions for those desirous of making
positive change. He makes believable the principle that one person CAN
make a difference--we should all be that kind of citizen." "This book never, not for a page, emerges as self-congratulatory, and
yet one cannot help but be overwhelmed by Mike Farrell's principles,
his profound commitments, and his extraordinary courage. The account
of his life experiences is so real, so moving, it went straight
through my heart." "Each paragraph inspires . . . each page a sermon . . . the book, a
history lesson not generally taught. Mike Farrell is both poet and
fighter, his pen a sword that cuts through pretense and hypocrisy and
enables each of us to be courageous in pursuit of justice. His
greatest role is offstage acting on behalf of those who have been
silenced . . . His book is a gift for all. I am proud to 'call him
Mike'--friend to all." "Mike Farrell proves that ferocious conviction is the organizing
principle of an extraordinary life. In his memoir, Just Call Me Mike,
Mike describes the fantastic, sometimes painful, and ultimately
redeeming journey that his conscience has led him on. Like his life,
the book dances seamlessly between his great passions--from fond
memories on the M*A*S*H set, to nervous moments at military
checkpoints on his way to help refugees in war-torn Central America,
to scrubbing-in to real-life surgery on a prisoner of war in El
Salvador. In a disarmingly honest and gentle voice, Just Call Me Mike
collects an extraordinary diversity of experiences, so diverse that
it's difficult to believe that one person could accomplish so much, in
art and in service to others." |
