Leonard

I finished this book on the bus ride to class this morning.

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.

I loved this book, except for Shatner not owning up to the reason why Nimoy refused to speak to him in the last years of his life. When you are as close as he claims to have been with someone you know when you've done something to piss them off.

But it still was so sad to remember how I felt hearing about Nimoy's death. How excited I had been to see him on Fringe and just how much I loved everything he did. This was as much about Shatner as it was about Nimoy, but it was still a sweet glimpse into a complicated, but strangely also simple and direct man.