Stock up on summer holiday reads with this bumper roundup of 13 books with a Parkinson’s theme. There are inspiring stories of people with Parkinson’s who have undertaken incredible physical feats, how-to guides on how to live well with the condition and tips on coping with a Parkinson’s diagnosis, a collection of poetry and a book to help explain the condition to children. We’ve also sourced books in multiple languages, including French, Spanish and German.
If you’ve read a great new book about Parkinson’s or know about one that is due for release, please let us know – either tag us on social media, or send us an email with the details to [email protected]. We’d love to increase the non-English books we include so please do get in touch – as well as books we feature relevant journals, comics and other publications.
New Parkinson’s books in English
1. Living Parkinson’s: 7 Strategies for Living a Full Life with Renewed Purpose by Steve Yellen
How can you live your best life with Parkinson’s? This is what Steve Yellen, who lives with the condition, wants to help others achieve with his book, Living Parkinson’s. It aims to provide a roadmap to help people with Parkinson’s take control, find purpose and face the condition head-on. The book offers 35 “What You Can Do” actions to jumpstart change, and includes expert insights from neurologists, researchers, therapists and advocates from around the world – including Parkinson’s Europe board member Cathy Molohan.
Buy Living Parkinson’s on Amazon
2. I Love You, Grandma Sharon! by Dr George Ackerman and Brooke Ackerman
Written to explain Parkinson’s to children aged six to 12, I Love You, Grandma Sharon! has been written by Dr George Ackerman, whose late mother Sharon Riff Ackerman, had Parkinson’s, and his daughter Brooke. It details the journeys and adventures of a grandmother and her granddaughter during her grandma’s journey with Parkinson’s. It aims to help guide children through the emotions and questions they may have when they learn that a relative has the condition.
Buy I Love You, Grandma Sharon! on Amazon
3. The Kindness of Strangers: Coast to Coast to Coast in Sixty Days by Lloyd Taylor
In The Kindness of Strangers, Canadian Lloyd Taylor documents his battle with Parkinson’s, and the incredible journey he took on his bike across Canada one summer to fight it. From the rocky outcrops of the Maritimes to the frozen tundra of the Arctic, he recounts his adventure as part of the Spinning Wheels Relay to End Parkinson’s on their journey to inspire hope and raise awareness.
The book tells how Lloyd and his fellow riders battled their condition with courage as they rode through storms and untamed wilderness, with intriguing encounters ranging from Inuit grandmothers at the edge of the North Pole to musician fishermen in Newfoundland.
Buy The Kindness of Strangers on Amazon
4. Oh Crap! It’s Parkinson’s: A Rebel’s Guide to Taking Back Control of Your Life by Sara Whittingham, MD
Written with clarity, compassion and lived authority, Oh Crap! It’s Parkinson’s is a guide for navigating the shock, fear and uncertainty that follow a Parkinson’s diagnosis. Blending personal experience with accessible medical insight, it helps you understand what’s happening in your body while also tackling how to rebuild your life.
As well as clearly explaining Parkinson’s and what it means for daily life, it outlines practical ways to regain a sense of control and offers perspective on identity and how to move forward. Whether you are newly diagnosed, supporting someone you love, or trying to make sense of what comes next, this book is designed to help you take the next step.
Buy the Oh Crap! It’s Parkinson’s ebook on Amazon
5. Sheila’s Voice by Sheila North
We are always moved by people with Parkinson’s ability to respond to their diagnosis with creativity – and even humour. Sheila North has lived with Parkinson’s for over 30 years now. Her poetry collection, Sheila’s Voice, highlights the realities of having the condition and has been described as “truthful, moving, funny and heartbreaking”.
Buy Sheila’s Voice through the Parky Players’ website
6. Twitch: My Life with Parkinson’s by Annemarie O’Connor
In 2021, Irish Examiner columnist, stylist, author and podcaster Annmarie O’Connor was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s. In this memoir she outlines her journey from receiving a life-altering diagnosis to becoming an activist and agent of change for people with the condition.
Buy Twitch on Amazon
7. 100 Exercises for Parkinson’s Disease by Dr Susha Thomas
The power of exercise to improve life for people living with Parkinson’s is well known. Written by Dr Susha Thomas PT, DPT, C/NDT, a physical therapist and Parkinson’s rehabilitation specialist, 100 Exercises for Parkinson’s Disease provides an easy-to-follow guide to improving strength, flexibility, balance, mobility and confidence and slowing progression, with the exercises designed for lying, sitting or standing positions. The book also includes expert insight on combining therapy, nutrition, and medication for better outcomes.
Buy 100 Exercises for Parkinson’s Disease on Amazon
8. Long Straight Walk: A Parkinson’s Story by John MacPhee
After hitting an all-time low following his Parkinson’s diagnosis, John MacPhee decided to do something positive: he walked the length of the UK from South to North in as straight a line as possible. Long Straight Walk follows John on his journey, as he recalls encounters with the people he met along the way, and details how he has come to terms with his diagnosis.
Buy Long Straight Walk on Amazon
9. This Wasn’t the Plan: Exploring Health from a New Perspective by Marta Crespo
For Marta Crespo, being diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s not only changed her daily life – it led her to discover a new way of living, facing challenges, and finding purpose through movement and community.
In This Wasn’t the Plan, Marta shares her personal journey, offering an inspiring account of acceptance and the key role that exercise, nutrition, and emotional support play in facing Parkinson’s with dignity and determination. Through practical chapters and real-life stories, this is a life guide for those seeking hope, tools, and connection in the face of adversity.
Buy This Wasn’t the Plan on Amazon
New Parkinson’s books in multiple languages
10. Dreaming Awake by Jordi Cruz
Featured in a previous books round-up, Dreaming Awake tells of the ambition of rock climber with Parkinson’s Jordi Cruz to compete in the 2028 Paralympics, as well as his life with the condition. Free to download and read, his inspiring story has now been translated into French, Italian (pictured), German, Portuguese and Dutch.
Download copies of Dreaming Awake in French, Italian, German, Portuguese and Dutch for free from LinkedIn
New Parkinson’s books in Spanish
11. Este No Era el Plan: Explorando la Salud Desde una Nueva Perspectiva
Este No Era el Plan is a Spanish translation of This Wasn’t the Plan – listed above.
Buy Este No Era el Plan in Spanish on Amazon
New Parkinson’s books in French
12. Neptune Qui Ose Vivra! by Christophe Agnus
This book (whose title translates as Neptune: He Who Dares to Live!) tells the story of Bertrand Delhom, who lives with Parkinson’s and participated in the Ocean Globe Race 2023/2024, making it the first crewed round-the-world race with a person with Parkinson’s. It was Bertrand’s dream to participate in the race – but it pushed him to his very limits, as this moving account reveals.
Buy Neptune Qui Ose Vivra! on Amazon
New Parkinson’s books in German
13. Shake It, Baby! by Oliver Peral
This humorous semi-autobiographical novel by Oliver Peral is inspired by living with Parkinson’s. Oliver Vega Berger talks his way through life while his body rewrites the rules. Once a week, Oliver attends a fantasy support group with famous fellow Parkinson’s travellers Michael J. Fox, Muhammad Ali, Ozzy Osbourne, Salvador Dalí – and Robin Williams, who cracks jokes even in the darkest moments.
Buy the Shake It, Baby! ebook on Amazon
