What Are Your Top Five Books About TOS Production?
- Thread starter Thanos007
- Start date
Inside Star Trek: The Real Story by Herb Solow and Bob Justman
The Making of Star Trek by Stephen E. Whitfield & Gene Roddenberry
The Trouble With Tribbles by David Gerrold
The Star Trek Compendium by Allan Asherman
Star Trek Memories by William Shatner with Chris Kreski
The Making of Star Trek by Stephen E. Whitfield & Gene Roddenberry
The Trouble With Tribbles by David Gerrold
The Star Trek Compendium by Allan Asherman
Star Trek Memories by William Shatner with Chris Kreski
Inside Star Trek: The Real Story by Herb Solow and Bob Justman
The Making of Star Trek by Stephen E. Whitfield & Gene Roddenberry
Star Trek Sketchbook: The Original Series by Herbert F. Solow and Yvonne Fern Solow
[EDIT]
Star Trek: Lost Scenes by David Tilotta (@alchemist) and Curt McAloney.
[END EDIT]
Anything @Harvey eventually publishes
The Making of Star Trek by Stephen E. Whitfield & Gene Roddenberry
Star Trek Sketchbook: The Original Series by Herbert F. Solow and Yvonne Fern Solow
[EDIT]
Star Trek: Lost Scenes by David Tilotta (@alchemist) and Curt McAloney.
[END EDIT]
Anything @Harvey eventually publishes
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I've got the Inside Star Trek book and love it! I had the Cashman trilogy of books and liked them but I had nowhere to keep them as I have a family now so I sold them but kept the Inside book! 
JB
JB
I thought Cash Markman's books were just okay when I got them; they left me a little disappointed for reasons I couldn't quite pinpoint. Then I joined here and found out why!
Cash Markman indeed!!! 
What has everyone got against this guy? 
You know what happened to his uncle Ralph don't you? 
He's probably still out there now...
JB
What has everyone got against this guy? You know what happened to his uncle Ralph don't you? He's probably still out there now...JB
I understood them to be highly inaccurate.Cash Markman indeed!!!
JB
Really, in what ways inaccurate?
JB
JB
Also this thread https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/fact-checking-inside-star-trek-the-real-story.215992/ contains some mention of those books errors as well as Inside's errors
JB, after joining here about two and a half years ago now - and what a discovery this place was, and no, not that kind of Discovery
** - it became very clear that many posters here had done their own research based on the materials that Cushman used, many of which, as I understand it, are available in some form at UCLA's library. (I am planning a visit there myself at some point; should be interesting!) If I have understood correctly, the consensus opinion among these posters - who are well-credentialed and excellent writers to boot - is that Cushman cut corners, misinterpreted many details, and came up with some assertions that are not supported by the materials he cited. And, good God, man (end McCoy-style rant
), how can you not be aware of this?? The authoritative posters I mention above are pretty active around here! Take the awesome recent post (and cited blog) on production of The Alternative Factor; in fact, didn't you post in that discussion? **hey, I'm giving Season Two a chance and actually looking forward to it, hoping it rises above the mess it devolved into at the end of S1
Cheers, Phase! I've just finished reading the assessment of Cushman's errors and it was a great read! Why can't they make TV shows like this today? And no, they don't!
JB
JB
Only Trek book I've read was "Star Trek Memories" a Shatner vehicle written by a guy called Kreski
I enjoyed it immensely, until the last chapter, when from 25 years memory, the bold Shat let rip on some of his compadres on the show.
I enjoyed it immensely, until the last chapter, when from 25 years memory, the bold Shat let rip on some of his compadres on the show.
Duh. That's so recent I didn't even think about it. Gotta edit that post!
Meanwhile back on track.....Was there not a book that had close ups of the props used. I remember seeing a Klingon holster and apparently it was made of aluminum foil?
Sounds like maybe The Art of Star Trek
Same here. I got that book for Christmas, and I haven't had the chance to do more than flip through it so far. But it looks amazing. I'm sure it will have a spot on my list in a few months!
Yes! I look forward to seeing what he does with all the cool info he's discovered.Anything @Harvey eventually publishes
More the opposite. He went into why some of his TOS costars had such problems with him. Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig both took the opportunity to tell Shatner exactly why and how he was inconsiderate of his costars. Takei apparently chose not to broach the subject when they talked because they were having such a good conversation, which is pretty ironic considering how Takei never misses the opportunity to bash the guy now.
James Doohan refused to even speak with Shatner, certain that Shatner would either not use what he said, or quote him out of context. (And, considering that Nichelle Nichols and Majel Barrett both had issues with how Shatner used their quotes in Star Trek Memories & refused to be interviewed for Star Trek Movie Memories, maybe Doohan had a point.)
Personally, I think it was big of Shatner to acknowledge that some of his costars had a problem with him. It would've been the easiest thing in the world for him to not put any of that stuff into his book.
Yeah, I know how he went about it, but the way I read into it, it was his way of getting one over on them, or the last word if you like.
It was a real surprise to see it all in print for me, I was always under the illusion (at that time) that they were all a big happy Trek family.
I did enjoy the book though.
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