Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy

by Richard Michelson, Edel Rodriguez (Illustrator)

A moving biography of the late Leonard Nimoy, the iconic Spock from Star Trek, whose story exemplifies the American experience and the power of pursuing your dreams.

“A wonderful new biography of Nimoy for children, and […] one of the most unapologetically Jewish profiles for kids in ages. It made me cry." —Tablet Magazine
 
Once there was a boy named Leonard who loved to sing and to act. His parents were immigrants who felt like aliens in America, and certainly didn’t understand Leonard’s drive to perform. “Learn to play the accordion,” his father told him. “Actors starve, but at least musicians can eke out a living.”
 
But Leonard reached for the stars . . . and caught them. He moved to Hollywood, where he took acting lessons, and drove a taxi and took every role he could get. He worked hard, learned his lines, showed up on time, and studied his craft. Until one day he was offered the role of an alien science officer on a new TV show called Star Trek. Leonard knew what it felt like to be an alien. But did he want the role?
 
Fascinating is the story of how one boy followed his dreams to become one of the most beloved figures of our time.

"In Leonard’s profound absence—it is so lucky that his dear friend Richard Michelson has thought to bring us this richly illustrated account of his inspiring life. Together with Edel Rodriguez they beautifully capture some of the highlights of Leonard’s journey from immigrants’ son in Boston’s west end—to one of the most iconic and recognizable characters in the world.”—Zachary Quinto

Genres: Biography, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, Star Trek, Biography Memoir, Jewish

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2016

Reviews

[Dov Zeller · Rating 5 out of 5]

One GR reviewer asks "did you know that the Vulcan sign comes from an ancient Hebraic hand gesture" or something along those lines. I did know that! (I don't remember when I first knew it.) But, did you know he spoke fluent Yiddish?!

I love the Yiddish Book Center conversations with him http://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/coll... (I think he talks about the Kohein hand sign and watching the men pray at shul.)

In any case, this is a lovely little biography. I somehow didn't realize it was a picture book when I got it out of the library and it was such a pleasant surprise--that it is a picture book, and that it is a wonderful one.

Nemoy lived an interesting and engaged life and was full of passion and compassion, and the desire to learn and create, discover and embody. He explores his sense of being an "alien" and his feelings of outsiderness (as a person from an immigrant family who came from the 'old country') as a way to be present in his role as a Vulcan alien and an outsider. He doesn't try to leave these feelings of outsiderness behind but rather to be guided by his experiences as a way to understand and empathize with the experiences of others (people and characters in acting roles).

Love the comment his father makes before he heads to L.A. with his heart set on an acting career. "Learn the accordion...At least a musician can eke out a living..."

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as he was thinking about giving up acting...we are all happy that (just this once) he listened to his heart over logic - a fascinating problem all of us have to deal with.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea that Leonard Nimoy was so much more than Spock until I read this book. Photographer, poet, author, playwright, director, as well as actor. Michelson describes how young Lenny discovered the hand motion that later became the Vulcan greeting, and how he embraced the role of Spock. This biography only goes up to the point where he lands the role of Spock on “Star Trek.” Additional information at the end of the book talks about all that Leonard did after “Star Trek” was cancelled. I love the photo of Michelson and Nimoy in the last two pages. I can see why people would think that Michelson is Nimoy’s son, as they do look remarkably alike. This book is a good place to start if you want to learn about Nimoy. Recommended.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Visiting our daughter for her 24th birthday, my wife and I give her a picture book read aloud marathon (Book 11 of 11). The bland finale!

I love me some Nimoy and Star Trek, but this reverent hagiography has way too many words and colors much too dark and somber for a children's picture book. It takes forever to get to Spock, and where's my Shatner?!?!

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite memories of my brother is watching old Star Trek reruns together on television. They ran on local stations in syndication then and as far as we were concerned, it didn't matter how many times we saw each episode - and eventually we saw them all. And while Captain Kirk was the lead character of the show, for us, it was really Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy.

Naturally, when I learned there was a new picture book about Leonard Nimoy, I was very excited. I no longer watch Star Trek (well...maybe once in a while I do), but I was aware of Nimoy's acting/directing career, as well as his photography books. I realized, however, that I knew nothing about his early life, other than the little I had read in his obituary.

Fascinating is written by Leonard Nimoy's good friend and gallerist Richard Michelson, and if Michelson's name rings a bell, it is because he has written his share of excellent children's books besides being a gallery owner. Michelson begins his biography with Nimoy's first stage performance - singing "God Bless America" at a talent show in Boston's West End, where the family lived.

His performance was well received, but Lenny's parents had emigrated to the United States from Russia and were less then encouraging about following his dreams, unlike his Bubbe and Zayde who both advised him to do just that. By 17, Lenny had been bitten by the acting bug and saved all his money to travel to Hollywood and become an actor.

Michelson follows Lenny's acting career as well as his interest in photography but basically ends the book with his role as Spock on Star Trek and the influence of both his hair style for that role and his Vulcan greeting "Live Long and Prosper." The hand gesture that went with it was part of a blessing Lenny saw during a Rosh Hashanah service when he was a young boy. He was fascinated by it and practiced getting his fingers to separate in the middle by taping them together. Who knew it would become such a famous gesture world wide?

Fascinating is a really well-crafted biography that introduces the life of this beloved actor to adult fans as well as a whole new generation of kids. And Edel Rodriguez's colorful illustrations compliment and enhance the text, making it a very accessible book.

Star Trek hasn't disappeared from TV and so neither has Leonard Nimoy. There are also the movies, some of which he was able to reprise his role as Spock. And you may recall he also made a guest appearance as Spock on a The Big Bang show before his death.

This is an insightful and inspiring book about a man who found his passion(s) and successfully pursued them. If for no other reason, it is a book to share with kids today.

This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was purchased for my personal library (because deep down, I'm still a Trekkie)

This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: Lenny took a deep breath and looked out at the playhouse stage.

Premise/plot: Richard Michelson has written a picture book biography of Leonard Nimoy. The book opens in 1939 with a young Lenny preparing to sing "God Bless America" at a talent show. He was the son of Russian immigrants--Jewish, and raised so. In fact, his inspiration for the Vulcan hand gesture--live long and prosper--came from a priestly blessing.

Readers learn about his interest in photography and acting. Both would be life-long pursuits and interests.

The book closes with Leonard Nimoy taking on the role of Spock and making it truly his own. The last illustrated spread depicts the first use of the "live long and prosper" from the episode Amok Time.

The next two pages fill out the rest of his life. He was an actor and a director. He was a photographer who displayed his photographs for the public, and, in fact published them as works of art. He was also an author.

The end brings a smile to my face. Before he left home, his mother encouraged him to learn to play the accordion. Acting jobs may come and go, she warned. But musicians can find a way to work. The book ends, "But he never did learn to play the accordion."

My thoughts: I LOVED this one so much. I thought it was very charming and well written. I did indeed find it fascinating. The author's note was great. I love that this book was written by one of Leonard Nimoy's close friends. I loved the personal touch--knowing that Nimoy read and approved of the project.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-crafted, insightful, admiring biography for young readers. I very much enjoyed reading it but I'm not sure how many elementary-age readers will seek out a biography of Leonard Nimoy. It works as an inspiring story about discovering and pursuing a passion.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This engaging picture-book biography follows the story of Leonard Nimoy, the son of immigrants, who would eventually become one of the great American (and World) icons of the 20th century. Growing up in working-class Boston, Lenny discovered his love of performance and the arts through the local settlement house, taking every opportunity to audition for and act in plays. Eventually deciding to become a professional actor, he followed his dream west, leaving Boston for Hollywood, where he studied acting and began performing in television and films. Then his big break came: he was offered the role of Spock, an alien officer in a science-fiction space exploration television drama called Star Trek. His performance in this role was informed by his experiences growing up the son of people who felt that they were aliens in their adopted country, and by the mystical side of his Jewish faith, and would create a figure - Mr. Spock - that millions would come to love and to identify with...

As someone who has been a passionate Star Trek fan since my early adolescence, someone who has watched every television series and every movie, someone who has read countless Star Trek novels, someone who taught herself Klingon (yes, you can buy instructional material for this fictional language from the Star Trek universe), I was incredibly excited when Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy came to my attention. Something that combined my love of Star Trek with my interest in children's books? What's not to love! As it turns out, the narrative here is quite engaging, successfully drawing out the parallels between Leonard Nimoy's own experiences and the fictional role that made his face known around the world. There wasn't much here that I didn't already know, but for those new to the subject, Richard Michelson's narrative will prove quite informative. The artwork by Edel Rodriguez is likewise appealing, moving from more sedate sepia tones, in the section of the book devoted to Nimoy's youth, to the bluer tones that parallel his exploration of Hollywood and (through the character of Spock) of space. The final two-page spread, in which Spock, in his Starfleet uniform, is lifting the ta'al (the traditional Vulcan salute), is just magical!

All in all, a wonderful addition to the field of picture-book biography, one I would recommend to young Star Trek fans, to young would-be actors, and to anyone looking for children's stories featuring the immigrant experience in America.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although there are a number of excellent children's books about the experiences of Jewish immigrants in America, I can't think of another that is a biography of a popular culture icon. The text and images in this Nimoy bio are very appealing. As a young boy growing up in Boston's West End, Lenny was attracted to performing at an early age, but his practical barber father Max saw no future in it. Readers learn that Lenny peeked during a Rosh Hashannah prayer when the men raised their hands over their heads and spread their fingers in an ancient Hebraic gesture. Lenny practiced spreading his fingers in the same way to look like the letter "shin." Of course, he used the symbol as Spock's famous and much-imitated greeting. As a boy, Lenny sold newspapers. As as adult, he was a vacuum salesman, before heading to Hollywood. His father finally reconciled himself to his son's career, and gave Spock haircuts to the kids in his barbershop. Michelson makes the point that the Nimoys were aliens in their adopted country, and Lenny played one of the most popular aliens in American culture. Leonard Nimoy approved the text before he died.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son picked this book for me to read to him because he assumed it would be one I would like to read to him. He was right. The story, aimed at children, tells how the son of Russian immigrants became the character known worldwide. In so doing, it covers aspects of the Jewish faith, how it took working various low end jobs, and years of dedication and struggle for Nimoy to find the success for which most know him.

The end result is a short book with layers - my son asked questions about the Russian immigration, Boston, and other aspects of what came up in the book. To engage kids in a real history and connect it to popular culture effectively, this book does great things in a short read, I would recommend it to anyone who has a kid with a passing interest in acting or Star Trek.

[Doc. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely tribute to a great actor, told with simple yet appealing artwork but perhaps too much text for a children’s book. I grew up watching Star Trek so this made me teary-eyed. I loved reading about the origin of the Vulcan greeting, and it was inspiring to learn more about Nimoy’s early years: his childhood passion for the theatre and the odd jobs he undertook as a young boy to make his dreams come true. As the son of Jewish immigrants who struggled to fit in, his connection to his fictional persona ran deeper than most of us realised, enabling him to bring a certain vulnerability to a role that might’ve otherwise been far too solemn and dull. A man who worked hard to get to where he was and then gave back to the world, Spock is dearly missed.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that Spock’s Vulcan greeting came from an ancient Hebraic gesture?

Did you know that Leonard Nimoy studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse?

Did you know that Nimoy once drove Former President John F. Kennedy, when he was still a Congressman?

These are the fascinating facts that I learned from Michelson’s book, a loving and intriguing read about one of pop culture’s legends. Learn about Nimoy’s childhood, his family, his acting journey and more.

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great choice for Trekkies or childen of Trekkies, this picture book biography of Leonard Nimoy explores the childhood and life of this son of immigrants who became a famous TV star and photographer.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating (if you’ll excuse the term) look at the life of Leonard Nimoy, written and presented for children. Beautiful illustrations accompany the text, making the presentation magical, entertaining and informative.

[Kara Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating -- 2017 Sydney Taylor Honor Book

Text to self: The connection I made with the book Fascinating (and the reason I chose the book in the first place) was because I grew up loving Star Trek. In the text, it talked about how Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock on the original Star Trek series, used a symbol that he grew up with, an ancient Hebrew blessing gesture, as his famous “Live long and prosper” gesture on the show. (Michelson, 2016, p. 26) My own connection to this is that for quite a while in middle school, I would greet everyone with the same gesture and “Live long and prosper”. As an adult, I find it interesting to learn the history behind the motion, and how Leonard Nimoy incorporated a symbol of his faith and beliefs into popular culture and into the future.

Text to text: In the book Fascinating, Michelson (2016) points out how various things that happened in Leonard Nimoy’s life affected both the choices and the opportunities he made later in his life, from participating in a talent show, which would spark his love for entertaining (p. 1), to feeling like an alien because his parents were immigrants, which led to him taking on an acting job as an alien from another planet (p. 4), to the Hebrew blessing representing peace that would later become his peaceful greeting acting as an alien on a TV show (p. 7). Like most of us, the things that Leonard Nimoy experienced while growing up affected who he became and the choices he made as an adult. This clear cause and effect style between experiences as a youth and as an adult reminded me of another biography I read – The Last Lion about Winston Churchill. During the Boer War in 1899, Winston Churchill was a journalist who was captured, broke out of a South African prison, hitchhiked on a train to safety, and then made the decision to continue reporting from the frontlines. (Manchester, 2013, p. 306) He took these experiences, wrote about them, and became a very well-known politician in England in the early 1900s. (p.331) However, perhaps more importantly, he took his experiences from that period of time and later applied them to his leadership during World War II. Much of his tenacity in fighting against Germany during the war came from knowing what he was capable of and sticking with what he believed in, something he learned from his earlier experiences. Both Leonard Nimoy and Winston Churchill were men whose adult lives were guided by the experiences of their youth. Both would become respected in their fields and make a difference.

Text to world: The connection I made with Fascinating has to do with Leonard Nimoy’s show Star Trek, and what it stood for. As Moskowitz (2009) points out in her article for Space.com, from the very beginning Star Trek had a unique vision of a future where all living things worked toward living together peacefully. While many people dismiss the peaceful future utopia envisioned on the show as a fantasy, scientists and psychologists are hopeful that humanity may one day achieve what was demonstrated on the show. Leonard Nimoy had a vision of peace, which he displayed with the Vulcan greeting of “Live long and prosper” and his hand gesture that he created for the show. While it may seem like it’s unattainable, especially given how far away the possibility may seem right now, psychologists believe that not only is it possible, but that Leonard Nimoy’s peaceful Star Trek future may someday be a reality, and at the very least, it serves as a model for the possibilities.

Manchester, W. (2013). The last lion: Winston Spencer Churchill visions of glory, 1874-1932.
New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Michelson, R. (2016). Fascinating: The life of Leonard Nimoy. New York, NY: Alfred Knopf
Inc.
Moskowitz, C. (2009). Star trek’s utopia: Yes we can! Retrieved from https://www.space.com/
6656-star-trek-utopia.html

[Serenity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read a biography of Leonard Nimoy, so I learned a lot from this picture book. The illustrations complemented the text well, and the information was very interesting. For a young reader looking to learn more about Nimoy, this is a great start.

I'm not sure how much of a market there is for this book, because Star Trek is not generally popular among young readers. If you have a young Star Trek fan or you are looking to add to your biography collection and want to include a true rags-to-riches type story, then this is a good choice.

Although this is a picture book, it is very text heavy so would be more for intermediate grades than primary kiddos.

[Laura Giessler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a Trekkie, so I didn't know or fully appreciate what an inspirational life Leonard Nimoy lived. This picture book shares insights about his personal and professional life--acting and Star Trek, as well as his many other artistic endeavors. The role of Spock seemed to be a perfect fit for him. I was intrigued to learn of two memoirs that he wrote entitled I Am Not Spock and I Am Spock. Too long for a read aloud with a class, but accessible for middle grade readers to read on their own.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful children's book that tells us in brief how a Jewish boy, a child of immigrants labeled aliens when they arrived in America from Russia, took on the role of the alien in Star Trek. One of the pieces revealed here is how Nimoy derived the Vulcan salute out of his own Jewish heritage. If you like Star Trek, take a read. It's "Fascinating," and of course a quick read.

[Laura Salas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous biography. I learned a lot about Nimoy, and I got a sense of him as a person, not just an actor. Learning where the "Live long and prosper" hand gesture comes from was very cool. A really inspiring book about the impact you can have if you work hard enough for it (and even if you're worried about what people will think). A great read (and think) for Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, and at a good level for children. The illustrations are perfect.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief but interesting biography of Leonard Nimoy.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy is a children's picture book written by Richard Michelson and illustrated by Edel Rodriguez. Michelson crafts a warm and moving picture book biography that reveals the impact of the actor's family and Jewish upbringing on his life and career.

Leonard Simon Nimoy was an American actor, filmmaker photographer, author, singer, and songwriter. He is best known for playing Spock in the Star Trek franchise for almost 50 years, from a pilot episode shot in 1964 to his final film performance in 2013.

Michelson's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. With a knack for elegantly weaving biographical and contextual details into the narration, Michelson highlights young Lenny's early flirtations with the stage and photography and his eventual decision to leave Boston for Hollywood to pursue acting. Backmatter includes end notes, which offer additional insights into the actor's life and legacy. Working in a subdued palette of muted blues and browns, Rodriguez captures the 1930s–1940s Boston of Nimoy's childhood and creates instantly recognizable images of the adult actor in the role of Star Trek's Spock in flat, poster-like images softened by gauzy, weathered texturing.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Noted actor and director Leonard Nimoy is profiled in this wonderful picture biography which details his rich Jewish background, his early love of theater, his highly developed work ethic, his deep love of family, and his determination to achieve his goals.

All in all, Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy is a fascinating insight of the actor, which has fascinated millions in his role of Spock of Star Trek fame.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good biography of the man. I know of him as Spock on the original Star Trek series and that’s why I was interested. Overall, I think this book will be of most interest to adults and young people who know that series or know of Nimoy’s work in other areas. But it’s a good book for some children who have never heard of him and have never seen anything Star Trek too, especially children that come from recently immigrated families or that live in poverty, especially those who have dreams, especially those who have interest in music, acting, directing, art, and other creative pursuits. Jewish children might also appreciate it.

I learned a lot about the man. He was impressive. I love the origin of the Vulcan greeting that Nimoy chose. Fun fact!

At the end there is 2 pages of straight text with more detailed biographical information and an author’s note with photograph or the author & Nimoy.

[Garrett Zecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son received this book through his book club. He loved it, and I loved the fact that it not only told a truly American story but also that it has (so far) geared him up for a Star Trek marathon with dad. Beautiful, precise prose meets gorgeous illustrations, this book was a pleasure to read as much as it was a pleasure to read with my son. To explore the life of such an inspirational man, and a fellow Bostonian to boot, is something that I see us revisiting again and again. I only wish the last two pages weren't so summative... But at the same rate, I now have context for when we visit the R. Michelson Galleries in Northampton, Massachusetts and view Nimoy's photography and listen to his voice at the Museum of Science's IMAX in Boston. Besides that, 'Fascinating' is a great little bedtime book with a television tie-in that I will totally take geeky advantage of very soon.

[Christina Getrost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful picture book tribute to the life of actor Leonard Nimoy, famous for portraying "Spock" on Star Trek. Focuses on his childhood and early acing roles through to gaining the Spock role. Last two pages are a nice summary of the rest of his accomplishments post-Spock. The author was a close friend of Nimoy's, his gallerist for his photograph exhibits, so while no book or online sources are given for the book, it's obvious it is all reliable information as he was able to have Nimoy read a draft of it before he passed away. I had forgotten the origin story of Nimoy's "live long and prosper" v-shaped finger Vulcan sign, that it was a Jewish blessing from his Jewish roots. The book really brought tears to my eyes with this quote: (by using that symbol) "He blessed the actors he worked with, and he blessed the audience, and he blessed everyone all over the universe."

[Diana Gagliardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a secret to share- Mr. Nimoy and I share a birthday. He died right before his 83rd but I'm still going.

I have a tattoo of the Vulcan philosophy IDIC- Infinite Diversity with Infinite Combinations. I remember reading "I Am Not Spock", his autobiography, and seeing how he had become this person beyond himself and longed to be both. He eventually did it all.

Leonard Nimoy had a background similar to my family's- Russian Jews who made their way to this country for a better life leaving behind everything they had known. Feeling different everywhere they were. Hoping for and striving to make the world a better, kinder, more welcoming place.

Fascinating. :)

Enjoy!

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may be a picture book, but I checked it out of the library for my 40-year old self. I knew quite a bit about Leonard Nimoy's life from reading several books by and about him, but this offered a new perspective and some great illustrations. It was well-told, and although it doesn't address many of the problems Nimoy faced in his life, it is an age-appropriate introduction to a great man.

[Sobia A Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised to learn that Nimoy's family were Russian Jews. I was also very surprised to learn that the "Live Long and Prosper" sign Nimoy famousized was actually copied from a Jewish ritual he saw done when he was little.

A great brief yet concise read for any Star Trek fan to get to know more about the iconic person who played Spock. Easy to read and also great for the youngsters.

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got lots of raves when it came out last year. But since I wasn't into Star Trek, I didn't read it. I'm glad I did though. An enjoyable read about this actor's life. I did find the author's note more fascinating than the actual story text though.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that Leonard Nimoy once gave John F. Kennedy a ride in a taxi Cab? Fascinating.