"Infinite diversity in infinite combinations." Star Trek's primary philosophy as defined by its creator, Gene RoddenberryI�m a Star Trek fan. Have been since I was 9 years old and saw the very first episode, the one about the shape-changing alien who sucked all the salt out of a person, killing them in the process. Yeah, I know how dumb a shape shifting, salt sucking monster sounds. And it was dumb compared to some of the Star Trek episodes that would come later such as City On The Edge Of Forever, The Trouble With Tribbles or The Devil In The Dark, but compared to anything else on television at the time, and most of what�s on these days for that matter, it was solid gold. And from that first episode I have seen every movie, read the bulk of the books and only missed three or four episodes of the entire Star Trek franchise; not just the original series, but the entire franchise of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. Like I said, I�m a fan.
And the fans, and their stories, are what Get A Life! is all about. In the real world we have almost always been, in some way, the outcasts, the outsiders or the disenfranchised. We are the ones who are or have been cripple, the children of drunks�or worse, the nerds, the young girls who would rather play ball then play house, the young boys who�s rather read then play baseball, the ones who are too short, too tall, too fat, too skinny, too shy, too unattractive or too�something. We are the ones who just don�t fit in. But we know, we know, that we would be accepted in the Star Trek universe, a universe that joyfully celebrates infinite diversity in infinite combinations. And, as Get A Life! so merrily points out, because we know this we finally do fit in�with each other. The many stories here of people who found acceptance, maybe for the first time in their lives, with other Star Trek fans makes this a very touching, very moving book.
It is also one of the wittiest, laugh out loud books I have ever read. William Shatner is a very funny writer who doesn't mind teasing some of his friends, especially poor Leonard (Mr. Spock) Nimoy, as he goes along or laughing at himself either. And while the stories he tells about the fans, the actors, the people who worked behind the scenes of Star Trek could easily be embarrassing they are told with such love and affection that everyone involved can grin and laugh with no hurt feelings. If you�re looking for a book that could make you smile or raise your spirits then you don�t have to look any further, here it is. Be warned though, when you read this book don't read The Elephant Story while eating. It is gross...hilarious, but gross. You've been warned. ;-)
And finally, Mr. Shatner sums up in the end just what Star Trek and its fans are all about for those people who still just don't get it. "Though Star Trek's fandom may be rooted in science fiction, it revolves, and thrives, around friendship, belonging, love, hope, and understanding." So if, like myself, you're a Star Trek fan, may you live long and prosper.
Average Grade: A+
