Star Trek Creator: The Authorized Biography of Gene Roddenberry

Gene Roddenberry was a man of many talents: WW2 Pilot, commercial pilot, police officer, producer, voracious reader and creative writer. This Book is packed with interesting foot notes and reference material.

It was a long book about gene took awhile to read it. It was good

I found this to be a very enjoyable and illuminating read. The author does an excellent and thorough job exploring Gene's early years, his upbringing, his service in WW II, his heroism as a commercial pilot for Pan Am and his remarkable journey creating this enduring franchise.The author perhaps relies too much on letters and notes at times, and it makes for tedious reading. But there are other moments, when Gene is corresponding with fellow Sci Fi thinkers and writers where the contours of his vision and philosophy become apparent, and the reader can appreciate the franchise, indeed perceive the franchise, with a different and fresh perspective. This is in and of itself worth the trouble of working through the copious detail of this work.The book is also honest in pointing out Gene's less than admirable traits, but does not dwell on them.The book is light on exploring The Next Generation, likely because insufficient time passed at the time of the writing obtain the required detail for a retrospective. Perhaps also because Gene passed in the middle if the run, and was growing more ill after the early seasons and became less involved in the show.The work does capture the struggle, deep and enduring, that was required to stay true to Gene's vision of what Star Trek represented. It tells the story of his efforts to preserve that vision from being co-opted (from his perspective) by folks at the network and even members of the original cast. Sometimes he was successful, and sometimes he was not.But, by the conclusion of this story, Gene's contribution is made plain, and is rooted not in blind fandom but rather in the understanding in the man, his principles, and his life. This is the goal of any biographer, and it was amply achieved.

Great book- very well done- a must for any Trek fan. Copy I got was in condition it was advertised as.

The other reviewer was overly harsh. This book was a wonderful telling of Gene Rodenburry's life. Was it perfect? No, but I do feel that I have a greater appreciation for the man and his life. I have a much better understanding of what motivated him and his ideas. This book is so cheap that you can't lose.

It's Roddenberry!Need I say more??????

Delightful!

As Gene Roddenberry's authorized biography, there is a tendency to inflate Roddenberry's talents, but there are still aspects to his somewhat sordid double life that are hinted at between the lines. Don't get me wrong-- as an avid original Trekker, I am indebted to him for creating one of the most iconic and beloved science fiction franchises ever. He had a prodigious work ethic and libido, which got him into trouble. Overall, an informative book even if a certain amount of whitewashing is expected. Writing style is serviceable if a bit pedestrian. A good supplement to the unauthorized bios and Star Trek histories.

Chapers 3&4 were before my time (60’s ) his early shows he worked on(shows I’ve never heard of) but his early war days were captivating. On Star Trek actor salaries,prop costs, character development was very interesting. Good overall book to read if you like if your an original Star Trek fan and the Next Generation. Strongly recommend.

To fully enjoy this excellent biography it probably is best to first have an understanding of the hopes raised by the author that manned "deep space" travel would become possible within a matter of decades.The year 1966 saw the first screening of the 'Star Trek' series and just three years later in 1969 the first manned moon landing took place.It really did look as though 'Star Trek' might become a reality.But in July 2011 the space shuttle Atlantis completed its final mission bringing an end to the planned, manned space exploration programme by the U.S.A.A programme that by its limitations ultimately disappointed the millions who had a belief in the eventual fullfillment of 'Star Trek' space travel.All the more reason to enjoy reading the authorised biography of the creator of 'Star Trek' and marvel at his imagination.An imagination that allows many to believe that the dream he created may still be possible. The science just needs to catch up!The whole of Gene Rodenberry's life makes for compelling reading and is full of surprises, particularly his childhood and early working life before he became a writer.Hopefully the publishers will consider making new copies available as I was only able to locate the book via one of Amazon's second hand book shop contacts.

If you're a Star Trek fan, you can't not have this book. Not only it's the detailed, wonderfully written biography of a very exceptional man, it's also a fundamental step to learn all about the birth and development of the show, and the whole workings behind it.It was a pleasure to read, and I recommend it to any fan who wants to know a little more about Star Trek's dad.Delivery wasn't the fastest, but considering I'm in Italy, it arrived in reasonable time, so I have nothing to complain about.The book was used but in excellent condition.