New Book about TOS: These Are The Voyages

Discussion in 'Star Trek - The Original & Animated Series' started by neoworx, Jul 13, 2013.

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  1. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    If one wants to quibble with Cushman's television history...

    The (television version) of the infamous Amos 'n Andy actually beat Lucy and Desi to the air by four months (June 21, 1951 vs. October 15, 1951). Andy filmed at Hal Roach Studios (in Culver City) using the three-camera method.

    The claim about The Lone Ranger is mostly right. Hopalong Cassidy actually beat that series to the air, but Hopalong Cassidy was made of repurposed theatrical shorts until 1952, when it began filming new material.
     
  2. plynch

    plynch Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    It's like he's writing "common knowledge" off the cuff so often. I will say this, thanks to the kindle sample, I have a handle on GR's busy-ness as a writer pre-Trek. (Assuming the author is telling me the truth! Many small errors cast doubt on the big stuff.)
     
  3. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    Those credits -- along with much of Cushman's chapter about Roddenberry -- are sourced straight from David Alexander's biography (as well as, to a lesser extent, Joel Engel's less sympathetic biography). Alexander's book is deeply flawed in many ways (it excuses and even takes delight in Roddenberry's flaws, but goes after his critics), but he did a good job accounting for all of Roddenberry's credits.

    I haven't compared the two books, but I assume Cushman could get that much right. He generally knows a lot about Star Trek. The problem is that he (a) doesn't know a lot about tv/film history and (b) doesn't differentiate between speculation and established fact.
     
  4. SpHeRe31459

    SpHeRe31459 Captain Captain

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    That's certainly an error due to Cushman's own ego. He wrote the pitch for "Sarek" and he's mighty proud of it in the special features of the TNG Blu-ray content.
     
  5. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    He also wastes time on things like the history of NBC, which has little to do with the subject. He apparently got someone to copy edit, but he still needs and EDITOR with a mean blue pencil, and a fact checker.
     
  6. Frontier

    Frontier Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Is there going to be such? I want to read it but my days of physical book reading are done.

    I got to read a sneak peak of this early on, as the editor/publisher wanted some feedback about it and so asked TrekCore. :) Should have given me a free copy too! :wah: But Adam our webmaster got one. :p He gets all the free stuff now! :rofl:
     
  7. Shaka Zulu

    Shaka Zulu Commodore Commodore

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    This is an independently made (most likely self-published) book not being sold through a big store (or big stores) and is therefore going to cost a lot of money. Did you think that the writer(s) were publishing this to be sold very cheaply?:vulcan:

    At least the people behind it worked their tails off to get it out to the wider world-errors and all- unlike the lazy people at the official publishing company who seemed not to give a shit to be able to get the interviews with the people responsible for the original series published and archived in book form before most of them passed on.
     
  8. Corran Horn

    Corran Horn Vice Admiral Admiral

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    That's one thing that's disappointing. Some of these issues are on things that really didn't need to be included in the book at all.
     
  9. trevanian

    trevanian Rear Admiral

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    I'll grant you that last part, because Pocket certainly had the opportunity as well as folks champing at the bit to do the interviews for some years and completely shined it on.

    But if this was a genuine labor of love, I don't think the image rights issue would still be a factor. For his massive THE INVISIBLE ART matte painting book, Craig Barron had to get rights for ALL of the images, which I recall him telling me involved a combination of trading services to studios with the rights and shelling out nearly six figures himself ... that's not the publisher doing that, that's the author!

    That's certainly an exceptional case, but with TREK, with all the interest down through decades, wouldn't it merit the same special consideration and effort, to be definitive and uncontestable?
     
  10. Warped9

    Warped9 Admiral Admiral

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    Yes, there is a Kindle version at significantly reduced price.
     
  11. Shaka Zulu

    Shaka Zulu Commodore Commodore

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    Based on what I've just read, I too won't be buying or supporting this, and I've also just rescinded my previous comment supporting this book.
     
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  12. trevanian

    trevanian Rear Admiral

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    Nice to read that, especially in the context of the other remarks.

    Proves Ellison is right yet again ... "everybody is entitled to their INFORMED opinion."
     
  13. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    I can tell you right now that I have already cost the author at least a dozen sales over this issue, and I will continue to spread the word.

    If they were to remove the contested images from future printings and don't use such images in subsequent volumes, I will then encourage people to buy the book, despite its flaws. But until then I will not assist them on capitalizing on the hard work of others without permission or recompense.
     
  14. trekker670

    trekker670 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    It's statements like these that are encouraging my purchase of the book.

    It's one thing to make a personal stand and decide not to purchase the book because of something that you believe is wrong. That's your right and I fully support it.

    What I don't agree with is making it your personal mission to undermine the sale of this book because of your beliefs, even though they have no legal standing or at least the parties involved aren't interested in stopping the sale of the book because of it.
     
  15. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    Wrong is wrong.

    If someone asked me about the book I would discourage them purchasing it based on the actions of the publisher/author.
     
  16. trevanian

    trevanian Rear Admiral

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    As was said, everyone is entitled to their INFORMED opinion.

    What you do with that information is your call, but by having the benefit of someone presenting more information, a service is being provided - don't mistake it for a crusade being launched (though I'd've been okay with that too on this issue.)
     
  17. plynch

    plynch Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    The Kindle sample had me fact checking on Lucy/Desi and the history of three-camera setups, led to wikipedia, led to the intricacies of the Lucy Show and Here's Lucy. About an hour of my life I'll never get back. I remember seeing reruns of those and knowing even as a kid they sucked compared to the I Love Lucys. Ah, memories.
     
  18. Harvey

    Harvey Admiral Admiral

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    I recently watched almost all of I Love Lucy (still have a few of the comedy hours left), but haven't been in a rush to see any of Lucy's subsequent television shows. Everything I've read about them has been less than kind, even when it comes to The Lucy Show (the immediate follow-up to I Love Lucy, which had Desi Arnaz onboard in a creative role early on).

    If that turns out to be true, it's a total shame. Lucille Ball may have been a terrible studio head, but she was a very, very funny performer.
     
  19. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    "Mission" makes it all so grand. I tell people about the photo issue and most of them choose not to support such conduct. I don't told a phaser to their heads.

    If you want to buy the book, do it because you want the book, not to spite me. You're not hurting me at all. Just remember the kind of people and behavior you're rewarding by doing so.
     
  20. CrazyMatt

    CrazyMatt Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Everyone must do what they feel comfortable doing, and we should all be satisfied with that.

    I bought the book for the words, not the pictures. If the words disappoint (inaccuracies, fallacies) enough, I'll put my money back in my pocket.
     
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