Christopher Lukas

Blue Genes is the memoir of producer/director Christopher (Kit) Lukas, which regales his life and his relationship with his brother, Tony. The Lukas boy’s mother committed suicide when they were children, something the kids didn’t know until much later. Both boys battled depression at different points during their lives and Tony eventually follows his mother’s path. This memoir tells not only Kit’s life, but more importantly, it tells how he came to deal with his past, his family, and his so-called blue genes.

Lucas succeeds in Blue Genes by making it very easy for the reader to relate to him in every stage of his life. Looking back at his childhood we find ourselves knowing both the boy and the man looking back at the boy. This is the way we see every event in the book- as Lukas saw it at the time, and as he is able to look back and dissect it as an adult.

Unfortunately, Lukas’ ability to look back at his life is also the biggest fault with the book. Not often, but at times, it seems his clinical nature gets in the way of the story itself. Yes, Lukas studied psychology in school, but this doesn’t mean we want to hear every iota of psycho-babble he can relate to his family. If this dissection has helped him heal then good for him, but as a reader it gets old after a while. It’s great when we get to see Lukas looking back at his life with adult insight, minus the clinical talk.

Still, Blue Genes is a great look at the life of an amazing man, and in some ways it’s a look at both Kit and Tony. The biggest surprise is the way the two brothers turn out differently, even though they experienced the same relative childhood. Lukas’ memoir is inspiring to anyone, but especially to anyone with a history of depression in his or her family. He’s living proof that we can overcome our genes and find satisfaction and happiness in life.… (lisätietoja)