Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
New York Times Bestseller
Goodreads Choice Award Winner
Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner first crossed paths as actors on the set of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Little did they know that their next roles as Spock and Captain Kirk, in a new science fiction television series, would shape their lives in ways no one could have anticipated. In seventy-nine television episodes of Star Trek and six feature films, they grew to know each other more than most friends could ever imagine.
Over the course of half a century, Shatner and Nimoy saw each other through personal and professional highs and lows. In this powerfully emotional book, Shatner tells the story of a man who was his friend for five decades, recounting anecdotes and untold stories of their lives on and off set, as well as gathering stories from others who knew Nimoy well, to present a full picture of a rich life.
As much a biography of Nimoy as a story of their friendship, Leonard is a uniquely heartfelt book written by one legendary actor in celebration of another.
**
How good was it? I took the time to write the author, William Shatner, c/o the publisher, a letter. Remember letters? They have stamps and go into a thing called a mail box. It gets delivered by the US Postal Service.
Also, I listened to the audiobook: William Shatner did a great job narrating this memoir, and you could hear the emotion in his voice. My only critique would be his tendency to mumble. It was like the sound engineers didn't want to try rerecording those sections or something.
This book is basically a love letter to their friendship. A lot of the information is taken from other sources, such as Nimoy's I Am Spock or interviews people gave, so if you read about these people regularly, not much will be new. Shatner also jumps around chronologically several times - you think you've moved on from the 1960s TV show and suddenly we're back and talking about it. But he also writes with an emotional honesty that is touching.
TL;DR: You probably won't learn much of anything new in this book, but if you enjoy Star Trek, and reading about/from the actors who brought the characters to life, this is definitely a worthy addition to your collection.
This is an excellent look at the life of the late Leonard Nimoy, with one caveat that I’ll get into later.
Most people know Leonard Nimoy as the actor who portrayed Mr. Spock on Star Trek; The Original Series, early Star Trek movies and episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. This book covers that portion of his life, especially the three years of the original TV series, in good detail as related by someone who was right there next to him.
But Nimoy was so much more than that fictional character that captured the hearts and minds of millions. He was an actor who portrayed a multitude of different characters on TV and the stage; a director who helmed successful movies; a photographer who created incredible photos and a philanthropist. He was also an alcoholic, and then a recovering alcoholic, and was obviously a man who was driven to accomplish as much as he could in his lifetime.
Now for that one caveat. I like William Shatner, the author of this book, I really do. But I resent his constant need to compare himself and Nimoy. All the way from their childhoods, through their careers and their final years together. I bought this book to read about Nimoy, not to have Shatner horn in on every part of Nimoy’s life, tooting his own horn either directly, or through self-deprecating humor that still puts the spotlight on Shatner. Rumors through the years of his massive ego and self-centered behavior seem to be true, if this book is any indication.
But if you can get past that, this is a nice stroll through the life, loves, career, and passing of Leonard Nimoy.