Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 1-5 of 8 | | NEXT » |
 Brilliant book, excellent read. October 12, 2008
This is a very amusing, interesting, and joyous look of William Shatner's life.... and all in his own words (well, with a little help from co-writer David Fisher). Shatner's book starts - as they usually do - in his home country; Canada. He tells us about his Jewishness, his father's plans for him (which he rejected) and how he got into acting. Then taking an unconventional route towards America and onto his destiny as a star ship trooper. But before he boldly goes where no man has gone before he tells us about his naivety in the land of the green buck and being picked up by `lovely men', who he thought just wanted to be nice to him (and was taken aback by what they actually wanted from him). Gradually he gets jobs (small parts in plays etc), then TV work, appearing in such classics as the Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Man from U.N.C.L.E., Kung Fu and many other famous TV programmes, including successful films, and the mediocre ones (and some even worse than that) until he lands the job as a Star Ship captain (only because the original pilot choice Jeffrey Hunter couldn't make it). He tells us about the cancellation (after 3 seasons) of the Star Trek series in the 60's before moving on and leaving behind the science fiction programme that he thought was just another job for a jobbing actor. Until the Enterprise reverses thrusters, that is, and comes back into his life, thus making him an icon and the best loved and well known figure in TV and movie history. He talks about his ominous start with co-star Leonard Nimoy (Vulcan Spock) and eventual friendship. He talks about the bad feelings he had with some of the stars of the show, in particular James Montgomery Doohan (or Scotty). He tells us about his time playing an American Cop, where he played the title role as veteran police sergeant T.J. Hooker, from 1982 to 1986. He tells us about being a bestselling author, producer, director, and celebrity pitchman, most recently as the Representative for the Priceline.com travel website (which gets well promoted throughout his book). The awards he won, and didn't win. He describes his ex-wives; one of them he discovered dead at the bottom of their pool. The affect it had on him and how he learnt to moved on. He tells us about his brilliant ideas... which didn't always turn out so brilliant. He tells us about his life with his 3 daughters. He talks about the albums he made, while the world laughed on... but coming back to benefit him... thus getting the last laugh. He talks about his TV commercials and why he did them. His love for horses and how he met his current and fourth wife and much more.
Shatner learns that taking the mickey out of himself gave him a new direction in life after Star Trek. If this book has any faults then it is that he doesn't tell you enough (in my opinion) about his life as Captain James T Kirk; the name that made him world famous and put him up there with the legends of the TV and celluloid screen.
He currently co-stars as attorney Denny Crane on the television drama Boston Legal, for which he has won two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. This is a truly remarkable life of a man who doesn't take himself seriously and benefiting from it. If you read this remarkable book I am sure you won't be disappointed.... I know I wasn't.
A real delight....wonderfully funny! September 23, 2008
What a fantastic book. I couldn't put it down. Bill's self-deprecating humour ensures you're laughing & smiling all the way. Even if you'd never heard of him you'd enjoy this book so don't let Trekkie obsessives put you off. The tales of his stunts are worthy of a book on their own & he's got such a positive attitude to life it's a true breath of fresh air. What a star!
 Love or loathe him - he just bounces back. August 5, 2008
William Shatner makes it clear fairly early on this book that his keyboard is firmly in his cheek as he retells the story of his life and trys to sell you stuff from his on-line store.
While some will find the style off-putting this is a very personal memoir from a television icon - an actor for almost 60 years he has at least three great shows to his name (Star Trek, T.J. Hooker and Boston Legal) but the book is about more: his joys, his tragedies, his life "up till now".
If you are a fan of his work there are plenty of anecdotes about the well known shows and horror stories about the unknown films. Other facets included are his family, his charity work and his passions - food, woman, horses - maybe not in that order but you get the idea.
Shatner admits to making stuff up in the past, being no good at marriage for many years and making some truly awful films but he does it all in a way that makes you like him and, you get the sense, that may be his aim in all he does
The best one! August 1, 2008
Shatner has written (co-written, dictated,whatever) a lot of novels and memoirs. This one is the best. The other positive reviewers have spelled out why (and the non-positive one hasn't really made a good point. What's wrong with exclamation marks???!!!).
The book is an easy read, and great fun! It made me laugh! Shatner has made himself (deservedly or not) a few enemies, and has had (deservedly or not) quite a few detractors, but his quirky sense of humour has stood him in good stead, and let's face it, he's given a lot of people a lot of pleasure! (and as Captain Kirk, too!)
Fantastic Stuff! July 19, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Like a lot of people I only really bought this book as I'm a fan of the original Star Trek series. However, I must also admit to being a bit of a fan of his music. "Has Been" was great, but if you can, try and track down "In Love" - it's brilliant.
I really enjoyed this book and I avoided doing what I do with many biographies by actors, musicians, etc, I didn't skip any bits. I did buy this with an attitude: I'll read about the Star Trek period, but miss out the rest, but I didn't.
The book is easy to read and it's refreshing to read about a star (as that's what Our William is) who doesn't take himself too seriously. For example there's a great line about a review he'd had when Star Trek was first aired, he'd been called 'wooden'. Bill writes in the book that this didn't bother him at the time and it's continued not to bother him for the last forty years!
I would heartily recommend this book, it can be sad, touching and laugh-out-loud funny.
William, you are really something!
|
