Best Trek Non-Fiction

[EnriqueH]

First post!

I've been on a MASSIVE Trek reading binge this year, and it all started with watching Rod Roddenberry's Trek Nation.

I'm in my late 30s but been a fan of the franchise since I was around 4 or 5 years old. I've read some of the actor biographies when I was in my teens, but Trek Nation inspired me to read up on Gene Roddenberry and all the behind the scenes stuff, which I never got THAT into.

Since January, I've devoured:

The 3 main Roddenberry biographies (by David Alexander, Joel Engel, and Yvonne Fern)

Susan Sackett's book about her relationship with Gene (I actually felt quite sad for her)

The Making of Star Trek

The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (enjoyed this, but it does seem a bit fluffy. Would've liked to have read more about the drama that took place that was alluded to in Shatner's Movie Memories)

Inside Star Trek by Solow and Justman (fantastic)

Chekov's Enteprise (what an interesting book!)

The Longest Trek by Grace Lee Whitney.

I'm currently reading "I Am Not Spock", with Nicholas Meyer's book lined up after that.

I'm going crazy because I really have nobody in my personal life to talk to about Star Trek with in an in-depth, geeked out way.

So hopefully you guys have something to say about these books.

 

[Timewalker]

I found Grace Lee Whitney's book godawful preachy. Of course I can't begin to know what she went through or how she feels, but I found little in her book to recommend.

I've read Chekov's Enterprise and really enjoyed it.


This list is missing Bjo Trimble's book On the Good Ship Enterprise.

 

[foxmulder710]

Thanks for the list, btw. I added most of what you've read to my Amazon Wish List.

 

[Enterpriserules]

The DS9 compendium is my favorite and Star Trek Memories and Movie Memories by Shatner are also well worth the read

 

[DS9forever]

Anything by Terry Erdmann is essential, particularly the DS9 Companion and the eBook The Magic of Tribbles. The Making of DS9 by the Reeves-Stevens is great as well.

 

[Paris]

My favs were the series companions for TNG, DS9, and Voyager (although I wish the Voyager one was more detailed), as well as the original Encyclopedia that went up to the end of TNG S6/DS9 S1, and the book that gave us a timeline for the various novels, Voyages of the Imagination.

I listened to some of the TOS actors biographies (Shatner's I think) as well. Not bad

 

[Mysterion]

The DS9 Companion is probably the best series reference to date. I'm also still very fond of David Gerrold's two ST non-fic books from the '70s: The Trouble with Tribbles and The World of Star Trek. Especially the latter which was the first time i think I saw anything approaching a critical analysis of TOS from someone who had been involved with TOS (Yes, there were probably others. I'm hjust saying that this is the first one I saw.).

 

[Otto Harkaman]

I've also been on a Star Trek reading, listening and watching binge. I don't know if I saw any of the original series broadcasts or not. I have vague recollection but I was so young I am not sure.

I recently finished listening to the "Inside Star Trek" audio book and was able to find a copy of the Korean film version of the book. In which I probably enjoyed the Matt Jefferies interview the most. I think Herb Solow could have been less vindictive since Gene wasn't alive to defend himself. I also listened to an audiobook of Shatner's "Star Trek Memories." Currently I am watching the Star Trek 25th Anniversary special hosted by Bill Shatner.

 

[EnriqueH]

I'm going to have to find the "Inside Star Trek" audiobook. (Is it on iTunes?) I have both Shatner Star Trek Memories downloaded from iTunes and listen to them regularly. I wish Shatner's "Get A Life" audiobook was on iTunes.

Anyway, since posting the first post, I finished reading "I Am Not Spock", "I Am Spock" and I just finished Nicholas Meyer's autobiography---all good reads.

Just started Allan Asherman's "Making of Star Trek II", which is interesting.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Boldly Writing (ebook link HERE) is a fascinating personal chronicle of the rise of Trek fanzines. Many of the stories mentioned can be found online now, which is awesome.

 

[BritishSeaPower]

I really love The DS9 Companion and Star Trek Phase II great insights into how a show is made (and isn't made!).