Future Perfect: How Star Trek Conquered Planet Earth

by Jeff Greenwald

Future Perfect is a Trek book like no others an insightful, irreverent, and sometimes hilarious look into the myth-making machinery behind the world's most enduring TV show. Bestselling travel and science author Jeff Greenwald has traveled the globe in search of Star Trek lore and signs of its influence, including attending a Klingon wedding in the Black Forest of Germany; interviewing Leonard Nimoy about his tempestuous relationship with his alter-ego, Mr. Spock; visiting NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where a new generation of aerospace engineers are living out their Star Trek-inspired fantasies; and speaking candidly with the Dalai Lama -- a longtime Trek fan.Future Perfect also provides a rare glimpse into the hearts and minds of Trek's creators. With broad access to the sets and stages of both Voyager and Star Trek: First Contact, Greenwald conducts probing interviews with series stars Patrick Stewart, Michael Dorn, and Kate Mulgrew -- as well as with the writers and producers charged with bringing Gene Roddenberry's vision to life. For anyone interested in how American pop culture has taken over the world, Future Perfect is fascinating reading. For Star Trek fans, it's indispensable.

Genres: Star Trek, Nonfiction, History, Technology, Science Fiction Fantasy, Pop Culture

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Jeff Greenwald has published six books, including Shopping for Buddhas (just out in 25th Anniversary edition) , The Size of the World (for which he created the first Internet travel blog) and Snake Lake. His tales and essays appear in many print and online publications. Jeff’s first voyage abroad, at 17, ended in utter disaster, and a host of subsequent mishaps have provided rich fodder for his storytelling career. His critically acclaimed one-man show, “Strange Travel Suggestions,” premiered in San Francisco in 2003. Jeff is also the Executive Director of Ethical Traveler (www.ethicaltraveler.org), a non-profit dedicated to human rights and environmental protection.

Reviews

[Raygun Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book WHIPPED. Lots of cool little easter eggs for Trekkies (i learned a bunch of cool behind the scenes stuff that I've not seen from other sources). Yes it was written in 98 so there's some weird misogynist and frankly racist attitudes (which is why i didn't give this a 5 star rating) due to that.

This book is also way hornier than I was expecting but that just delighted me further.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did you know that Martin Luther King loved Star Trek? This book will explain why.

As some of you know, I'm a Trekkie. If not...surprise! This is one of my favorite Star Trek books. For non-Trekkies, it's a good, not-so-crazy book about Star Trek and how it evolved into a cult-like phenomenon. It's also really interesting for history buffs, as it explains how Star Trek used science fiction as a back drop for political commentary during the 1960s.

For Trekkies, this book caters more towards TOS enthusiasts. It gets at the core of Roddenberry's vision, how that got incorporated into TOS, and the historical impact that episodes like Plato's Stepchildren (1st inter-racial kiss on TV) had on society. Though I'm partial to TNG, this book gave me a better appreciation for the origination of Star Trek and its 7th Heaven-like moral teachings every episode. It also has interesting side bar trivia that I haven't found in any other book.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re-read since I got this in 1998, but not worth moving it to 3 different homes. Mediocre fanboy drooling over witnessing a part of the making of FIRST CONTACT and hanging with writer/bro Braga. Tidbits of gossip about the actors and visits with international fan clubs were mildly interesting but nothing that can’t be found all the interwebs. I hope he made a few bucks from the effort.

[Alan Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent look.

[Derek · Rating 2 out of 5]

A documentary tale of the author's interactions with cast and crew as Star Trek: First Contact was in production, along with some other cast/crew/fan experiences. Sordid at times, and not really enhancing my enjoyment of Trek, this isn't as much fun to read as it sounds.

[Breena Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super good. Just came out with new, 50-year anniversary edition. Finally a funny book about Trek culture from someone inside, who actually interviewed the show creators, actors and fans around the world (including the Dalai Lama!)

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

791.43 How Star Trek has become popular across the globe for many various reasons. Includes many interviews, insights, etc.

[Dan Ray · Rating 1 out of 5]

Written badly by a fan about the "high point" of Star Trek. Badly missing the actual weakness of his central point. This book would have done much, much better if linked to the recent reboot.