To the Stars: The Autobiography of George Takei, Star Trek's Mr. Sulu… (1994)

Full disclosure: not a Trekkie.

But I'll take this over some William Shatner novel, sure.

Because it is a good memoir, because it gives you his memories; "Memory is a wily keeper of the past...."; "All memories now. All fleeting as the sand blowing past the window. All gone."

And although the writing itself isn't unusually good or bad, it is different to see how things end up being "only a collection of memories", when done.

(8/10) ( )

The first half of this autobiography, which describes Takei's family life in the shadow of Japanese internment, is stunning. Although his prose is imperfect (and prone to weird grandioseness, which seems fitting only if you imagine it read in the voice of . . . George Takei!), there's a real solid emotional resonance here. His affection for his family is the glue that holds the narrative together.But the second half of the book flounders, except when Takei discusses some of the relationships formed with Star Trek cast members, especially the rivalry with William Shatner (covered with a delicate, necessarily light touch). Otherwise, we're treated to long, rambling recollections of political experiences and acting gigs. The revelation, ten years after he wrote this, that he's gay is really the key to the mystery: our author is holding back on us emotionally, and that's where the narrative suffers. ( )

While this book is branded as a Star Trek autobiography, it is more a tale of Mr. Takei and his family, and what it means to be Japanese-American. He does an amazing job tying together Star Trek's vision of the future with the stark reality of his own past, including time spent in the concentration camps of America during the second world war, seen through the eyes of a child, through his sometimes idealistic attempts to make his way in the world of Hollywood, politics, and an ever-changing country. It's an autobiography written with a great deal of humility, hope, and a truly wonderful sense of humour. Well-recommended even to those uninterested in Star Trek, as Mr. Takei's story is a tale of growing up American that many people may never encounter without people willing to tell their stories. ( )

http://tpi-reads.blogspot.com/2009/05/to-stars-by-george-takei.html ( )

Maybe the best Star Trek autobiography. Sulu was a great character, by Takei's life is all the more fascinating, including time spent in an internment camp, acting with John Wayne in The Green Beret, and running for public office in Los Angeles. ( )