I Am Spock
Ratings4
Average rating4.5
15
Ratings4
Average rating4.5
It sounds like something from ancient mythology: three brothers living near the edge of a forest witness the coming of an invading army. They arm themselves, take to their horses and seek refuge in the woods they know as well as they know anything. The enemy arrives and systematically starts killing the long-oppressed minority to which the brothers belong. Horrified and angered, they lead guerrilla attacks against the enemy's installations and exact vicious revenge on local collaborators. Prompted by the eldest, who is selected as commander, the brothers and a growing numbers of warriors begin a campaign to save all their people, including the weak, the young, the old, the sick. Slowly the group evolves into a makeshift forest city with a hospital, workshops, a school and even a bathhouse. When the invading army retreats, the brothers emerge from the woods - the saviours of 1,250 people.
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I read this immediately after reading the first biography Mr Nimoy wrote “I Am Not Spock”. While they contain a lot of similar memories and situations, “I Am Spock” is written with the wisdom of age and in a much more recognizable Nimoy/Spock tone. Its a splendor to read and I for one will always see both Spock and Leonard whenever I see either face. The two are very much one in the same.
If you're as into Star Trek and Spock as I am, do yourself a favor and read both. If you have time for only one read this one. It references the older one and builds on it in a much more complete way.
LLAP
I read this having seen more SNW Spock than TOS. I knew of two contributions by Nimoy that gave me a positive impression and spurred me to read another memoir by someone I wasn't necessarily a dedicated fan of (following the vibrant Fingers Crossed by Miki Berenyi). One was something he wrote in 1968 for FaVE magazine entitled Spock: Teenage Outcast, and the other was The Full Body Project from 2007 via Lindy West's piece about his photography.
The writing is plain and there are from-another-era moments (although I'm sure he would've been pro a sensitivity reader). Nimoy is gracious throughout, I appreciated hearing his approach to storytelling and insights into directing, and I got all the background tidbits I was looking for. Favourite piece of trivia: “On the Star Trek set, I'd take copious swigs of honey around three or four in the afternoon in order to keep going.” He also made me want to seek out all the episodes written by Dorothy Fontana as well as the 1973 animated series she produced.
I don't remember a time before Star Trek. I was born the year it was cancelled. I grew up in a time of syndicated episodes, and always hurried to watch in my grandfather's den every time I visited them. It was just something I loved. I watched every episode faithfully. And when the movies were released, I watched them, too.
And I loved Spock. I don't recall the exact moment, but I know I had several times where I identified with Spock. Quiet, introverted, fascinated by information. If I had been part of that crew, his was the role I most wanted to take. His people the people I wanted to be a part of. I remember running upstairs after we got home from Wrath of Khan and being horrified that I couldn't watch a new episode, proving to me that Spock wasn't dead at all. That he would never really be gone, so long as we had the show. Unfortunately, Sports won out that day over Star Trek, and the usual syndicated slot was taken by an extended baseball game.
So by extension, I loved Leonard Nimoy. How could I not love the man who created a character I loved so much? And the more I knew about him, the more I adored him. He put his passion into everything he did. Spoke out about things that truly mattered to him. So much so that many things were released that might never have seen the light of day, like Never Forget, which spoke about the Jewish experience in a way that had not been done before.
When I got a twitter account, his was one of the first celebrities I added. His posts about life always made me smile. His memories of his Star Trek companions even more so. And too, he spoke out about his illness, the one that took him from us. I will always admire him for his courage and generosity. I only hope he and DeForrest Kelly and James Doohan are up there smiling down on us.
It has always been in the back of my mind that I should read his books, but I'd never gotten around to it. Not until someone gifted this one to me for my birthday. I loved it from the first page. Nimoy shines out of the page, his voice so clear in my ear it is as though I am hearing it on tape. But too, it only makes me wish for more. I will be tracking down his first book, because I want to read more. I do hope, though, that someone who knew him well finds a way to write a final book about his life, covering all that this book stops before. Because I would read it. In a heartbeat.
I highly recommend this to any Star Trek fan. There is simply so much that goes on behind the scenes that you can't tell from the finished product. Nimoy's narration never drags down, but pushes you along, curious as to what will happen next, even when you know.
And one final word; to quote Nimoy: LLAP.
