Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard

by Chip Carter

Discover all of Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s sage advice, insight, and wisdom from the deck of the USS Enterprise and beyond in this ultimate collection of wise words from the esteemed Starfleet captain.

Any Star Trek fan knows that Captain Jean-Luc Picard is renowned for his impressive oratory skills, preferring negotiation and diplomacy over violence and destruction. Now, you can finally ponder all of his wisdom in one place—from his thoughts on leadership and sense of duty to justice and the limitlessness of exploration—in The Wisdom of Picard.

Journey with the Starfleet captain through his seven seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation to the Star Trek movies to the current series Star Trek: Picard. The Wisdom of Picard boldly goes where no book has gone before to log Picard’s timeless advice in one impressive collection, perfect for Star Trek fans everywhere! Make it so!

Genres: Star Trek, Science Fiction, Philosophy, Fiction, Adult

208 pages, Hardcover

Published November 10, 2020

About the author

Chip began his trek into the written world with numerous STAR TREK trading cards. After selling a story pitch to STAR TREK: VOYAGER, he wrote the Obsessed With Star Trek trivia book, gift books highlighting Star Trek technology, and continues to work on other licensed products including thousands of questions for licensed Trivial Pursuit sets for THE WALKING DEAD, HARRY POTTER and of course, STAR TREK.

Reviews

[Etienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quotes book! I like those ones about fictional characters, the one about Tyrion Lannister was awesome and this one is also great. We get insight from Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek with a good bunch of quotes from various episodes of the TV Shows, might have been some from the movie too, but I’m honestly not sure, bad memory, sorry! Great coffee table book for the fans of the franchise that you could pick and read some thoughts. Could also be use from the mega geek as a trivia, try to know from which season or episode the quotes is? I’m honestly not that good, again memory, but I’m sure some dedicated fans could have some fun doing that! Well done!

[Alvaro Zinos-Amaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong selection of quotes, nicely organized.

I do wish they had waited until Star Trek: Picard is finished, though. Oh well.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally I don't have time for the coffee-table style quotes books, but in this case some care and attention were applied to this project. Picard is a special case in regards to quotes. Across 30+ years, two series and four films, this is an example of amazing writing combined with the talents of an extraordinary actor...and the end result is a character that actually lives up to "words of wisdom". So I have much time for this little gem.

[Simone Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Its not just the quotes, I could hear the captain as I read them, its Patrick Stewart too and the man he and Picard are. Wonderful!

[anji · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star Trek: Wisdom of Picard is a compilation of quotes spoken by Picard and his surrounding characters. It features quotes and stills of Lwaxana Troi, Worf, Seven of Nine and more! It also includes still shots of both TNG and Star Trek: Picard, through its multiple episodes.

I like how each part of the book gave a little bit of backstory on Picard's character as revealed in the TV series, Star Trek: Picard. This little compilation is perfect for those looking for a small intro to this groundbreaking Star Trek character and his wisdom.

The shorter quotes in this compilation were my favourite, as they said more about his thought process and the show in general, than the longer excerpts and dialogue. I did notice that there were some quotes placed in the book simply for the sake of "fluffing it up," but overall, this small book is amazing as an intro to both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: PIcard.

Overall:
Three-star compilation, five-star quotes!

ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪꜱʜᴇʀ ꜰᴏʀ ɢʀᴀɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴇꜱꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Some of it was insightful, and some of it I don't agree with, but I enjoyed the memories.

One reviewer complained that the quotes did not have context, but that did not bother me, perhaps because I knew the character even when I couldn't remember the specific episode.

Favorite quotes:
"Fear is an incompetent teacher." -"Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2"

"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - "Peak Performance"

"The quest for youth ... so futile. Age and wisdom have their graces, too." - "Too Short a Season"

"The road from legitimate suspicion to rampant paranoia is very much shorter than we think." - The Drumhead"

"I'm not as brave as I used to be ..."
"Then you're getting wiser."
- "Nepenthe"

"I haven't reached any conclusion. A good scientist doesn't function by conjecture."
-"The Inner Light"

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leader, diplomat and esteemed Starfleet officer, Admiral Picard has often been used to develop the ideals of 'Star Trek'. Chip Carter has gathered some of the greatest quotes of one of 'Star Trek's best characters.

[Rob Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nostalgic look back at the career of Jean-Luc Picard through quotes and classic photos from The Next Generation, the TNG movies and the first season of Picard.

It's a quick read but great if you're a Trekkie.

[Jaymie · Rating 3 out of 5]

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

3.5 stars = Good+

This is a collection of quotes from Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard, including ones from Next Generation (show and movies) and the new Picard series. Also includes photos from episodes and movies.

There's no context for the quotes other than a loose section description for the sections in the book. My review copy did not include show, season, and episode notations for each quote, but I assume they are all present in the final version. I think the book could have gone one step farther and been indexed - by show and season, or maybe by who Picard was speaking to. It would be nice to be able to cross reference the quotes with one another ("Here are all the quotes from this particular episode or season.") or to see an evolution in, for example, Picard's relationship/conversations with Q.

I think fans will enjoy this - some will recognize the quotes and the contexts for themselves right away. Others will be prompted to go back and view the episodes cited to see the quotes in full scenes. I'm not sure newcomers will get as much enjoyment from this. With only a few words or lines, it might not be enough to draw novices in and push them to seek out the larger stories that accompany the quotes.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be published on my blog at release: Nonstop Reader.

The Wisdom of Picard is a collection of quotes and philosophy from Picard, curated and presented by Chip Carter. Due out 2nd Dec 2020 from Simon & Schuster on their Adams Media imprint, it's 208 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is an officially licensed book, which is cool, and it's also full of photos and chapter intros by the author who is a self-confessed Star Trek obsessed fan and a former staff member at Paramount. Besides those features, it's pure Picard. The philosophy and quotes are grouped roughly thematically: philosophy & humanity, history & science, literature & the arts, exploration & adventure, politics leadership & diplomacy.

This will be a huge hit with Star Trek fans (of all stripes, even the ones who profess to prefer the original series). It would make a superlative gift for fans of Star Trek or of Sir Patrick Stewart.

Five stars. Definitely worth a look for the photography, liner notes, or for the remarkable relevance of Picard's observations to our current world situation. I had a thoughtful time reading this one.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Insert Name Here · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing you'll notice about this book is the size. It's a square book, just a little wider than your average paperback. I assume this is to accommodate the (many, beautiful) pictures inside, but it has the added benefit of fitting really well in your hands, assuming your hands are anything like my hands in size. :D

The second thing you'll notice is all the wisdom contained within. Captain Picard is the thinking man's captain, after all, and all his best nuggets of wisdom are in here. Most are just his line; where set up is necessary, other character's lines have been included as well. Each has its' episode name, and the season and episode number, printed with it. And to my surprise, some lines from Picard have been included! I thought it was too recent, but no, they're there. (No pictures of Captain Rios, though. Sigh.)

The pictures are full colour and nice and clear, and all the pages are made of shiny paper to show the pictures off better. I did read this book right through, but I'll come back to dip into it again and again, whenever I need to know WWPD. This is a wonderful book for any fan of Star Trek or of Sir Patrick. Perfect.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diplomat, explorer, archaologist, lover; Captain Picard has been many things to many people over his years in Starfleet, and he has uttered many gems during that time. Now his best sayings are here, accompanied by wonderful full colour pictures and with explanations where necessary.

People in the Dr Who fandom often talk about 'their Doctor'; the actor who was their favourite in the role, not neccesarily the first one they saw, or the longest lived. (Matt Smith as the Eleventh, if you're curious.) I've never heard Trekkies discuss 'their captain' in the same way, but if they did, Picard would be my captain, always and forever.

(I obviously need a rewatch, though, because I couldn't place all the episodes. I assure you I'm hanging my head in shame.)

I want to mention the pictures again, because I was surprised! I read this book in Kindle format, where they were nice, and they'll be even better in real life; full colour, episode stills, from all of Next Gen and even a few from Picard. Inclusions of quotes from that series were another lovely surprise, one I wasn't expecting at all. After all, there are so many fantastic quotes just in Next Gen. (Although it is right there in the description, so that's my bad.)

I loved this book. I'll be coming back to it in future. Now, which character is going to be next? I'd like to humbly suggest Tom Paris...

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard by Chip Carter
Publisher: Adams Media
Genre: Nonfiction (Adult)
Release Date: November 10, 2020

Star Trek: The Wisdom of Picard by Chip Carter is a book sharing the words & philosophy of Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

The book is divided into five chapters, grouping the quotes into the five different themes. I love the way this books is laid out. The quotes come from the Next Generation, Picard, as well as some of the movies.

The photos included are beautiful and enhance the quality of the book.

My husband is a huge Star Trek fan and can quote entire episodes of the Next Generation. Together, we have been watching Discovery and Picard and I have been enjoying the shows (he is more of a purist but appreciates the new shows). All that too say, he will be getting this book for Christmas and I know he will love it!

I'm so grateful to Chip Carter, Adams Media, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

[Mario · Rating 4 out of 5]

A small quote book with more than 200 phrases from one of the best captains in the Star Trek universe. Introduced in The Next Generations, he would also appear in feature films and brought back for a new series. This book includes quotes from all these instances.

Captain, soldier, friend, scholar, Picard is many things and the different chapters are broken down by category, interlaced with selected images from the television series or the movies, they show the deep thoughts of the character.

Although small in size, this book will be a great addition to one's collection.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 2.5 of 5

Let's be honest. If you are thinking of buying this book, it's because you are already a big Star Trek fan (or at least a Picard/Next Gen fan). You are probably interested in buying it because you are a Trek/Picard fan, or you're thinking of it as a gift for a Trek fan. In any case, a review is not likely to sway you one way or the other.

This book is filled with quotes, spoken by Captain Jean-Luc Picard in any of his television or film appearances. Well ... not filled with quotes exactly. More like - there is a smattering of quotes within. Sometimes there may be two quotes on a page. But that almost makes up for the pages of photos rather than quotes.

At best this is a coffee-table type of book. It's something you leave out so that guests know you're a Star Trek fan and that they can thumb through while you're getting drinks or chips.

At less than best, it's a bathroom reader. Something that you won't get too involved in and that you can put away easily. The only problem with this as a bathroom reader is that it won't tide you over very long because there's not much to this book.

I love quotes - pearls of wisdom in a simple statement or sentence. I collect quotes (I've shared a few through my blog) and I have picked up more than a few books of quotes and honestly, I was hoping for something here that was either essay-like, taking a look at the Wisdom of Picard, or, if going with the quote idea, a heftier collection categorized by type.

To be fair, editor Chip Carter does give us five 'chapters' with specific themes to the included quotes. We have Philosophy and Humanity; History and Science; Literature and the Arts; Exploration and Adventure; and Politics, Leadership, and Diplomacy. The chapters have between 26 and 35 quotes each, and a small handful of photos.

Aside from the sparseness of the book, I was a bit disappointed that while Carter gives credit to the episode in which the quote was delivered (and the season and episode number of the show, he doesn't give any credit to the writers ... the people who put that wisdom into Picard's mouth! (I know I could look it up pretty easily, but in that case I could just watch the episodes and not bother picking up this book, too.

To say I was disappointed would be putting in gently. This feels like just another attempt to make a buck off of Star Trek fans who will often buy things just because it says "Star Trek" or "Picard" on it. I'd rather save my money for a replica phaser.

Looking for a good book? The Wisdom of Picard, edited by Chip Carter, is a wise way to relieve some Trek fans of their money.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

After recently watching the last season of 'Picard', of course I was excited to pick up anything about the show. Picard is a favorite character of mine, and I thought this would be a good book to read. He's seen a lot, experienced a lot, etc., so what could one of the most celebrated captains and now admiral say?

This is a book that is a collection of quotes roughly arranged by theme as said by Picard from the very episode of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' through the first season of PIC. There is no context beyond the episode name and the origin show. You might have a picture for context as well, but not all of them do.

There is not much else to say. I will admit, I was disappointed. While I pretty much knew all of the quotes, I thought there would be more context or commentary, etc. This is really just a cash grab taking advantage of the show (and it did not even wait through the end PIC either!).

If you're a big fan this might be a fun read but I would say that overall this is one of those items that is really only for collectors. If you're a fan of the show or Picard himself in particular then this might be enjoyable to borrow or browse through the bookstore instead.

I bought a new copy but I would have preferred a bargain buy or library. I would guess this is one of those books that would make its way to the bargain bin in a few years, if not already.

And maybe this is a small thing that is unlikely, but I do hope that it is updated someday to reflect the entirety of the 'Picard' show.

[Rosemarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love quote books, this one is a must have. I have several quote books and even at lease one other Star Trek quote book. But that one encompasses all of Star Trek, this one is specifically Captain Picard's quotes.

This book is nicely done with an assortment of quotes and photos from both the new series "Picard", "ST: The Next Generation," and the ST movies. I would have preferred more quotes from TNG, I know they must have left some good ones out because it's a small book. (Too small to be a coffee table book, IMHO)

While there were a surprising number of good quotes in "Picard," there were so many more episodes of TNG that I felt the balance was was off with PIcard being over represented. However, I do realize that the book was made in connection with the newer series, so I'm sure that's the reason why. I just don't think the newer series was quite as good as TNG overall.

But, regardless of the series, Captain Picard is my favorite Star Trek captain and no one can deliver a good quote quite like Sir Patrick Stewart can with that amazing voice of his. So, I am really happy to have this book in my collection!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book for the thought-provoking and inspiring quotes from one of my favorite fictional philosophers, Jean-Luc Picard. Unfortunately, some of the quotes here are just that... quotes from the show. You read them and think, "yeah, I remember that episode..." but it doesn't stir any deeper meaning. For instance, the book quotes "There are Four Lights" where a better quote from that episode might have been at the end, where Picard is talking to Counselor Troi and admitting that after being tortured for so long, he began to see five lights... it was a show about how torture is always wrong and how coercion can affect a person's reality.

And whenever there was a particularly lame phrase, it was almost guaranteed to be from that disappointment, the new "Picard" show and not TNG. Still, Picard (and therefore Patrick Stewart too) are always a delight. This is one to check out from the library and not to buy for your coffee table.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Irrelevant review alert. If you are in the market for a book that adds about six hundred words max to a shedload of isolated quotes from Captain Picard, whether from Nemesis, First Contact, TNG or the first episodes of his own series, then – as regards the purchase of this – you will make it so. Some cool pics here, and at least it's up to date, but either you're buying this or you're not, and I won't influence your decision one iota. It does look to be well produced, though – or should that be, well replicated.

[David Dunlap · Rating 4 out of 5]

(In the interest of full disclosure: I was a johnny-come-lately to the 'Star Trek' universe, only catching selected episodes of 'The Next Generation' when they were in syndication. I've followed all the subsequent series, but TNG remains my favorite, on the whole...largely due to Jean-Luc Picard!) This book compiles quotations from Enterprise captain Jean-Luc Picard on a wide variety of subjects. The origin of each quotation is given. -- I loved this book, but I'm not sure that non-Trekkers would probably find much of interest...

[Paul Lunger · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Wisdom of Picard" by Chip Carter is an easy book to read that is more gimmick than anything else for the fans of this character. Across parts of 5 chapters, we get snippets of things that meet what Picard would've said regarding things taking quotations from TNG, the movies & Picard's first season. It is nice on occasion to see an occasional full conversation out of these, but overall, it's just an easy read for the fans & not the casual Trek person.

[Stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Captain Picard is my favorite Star Trek captain and an excellent example of a Humanist. That said, I wasn't as impressed with this book of quotes as I had hoped. There are photos from the various shows and movies, with quotes and conversations, but not necessarily matching up. Some of the quotes are Picard quoting other sources "''" particularly Shakespeare, which seems kind of like cheating. And for me, many of the quotes don't have the impact they had in context. These quotes were part of a moment, a highlight of the drama, the wisdom being most relevant in how the words were applied. Good library check out.

[Kieran Nurmi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quotes grouped into four chapters, each starting with a page giving a brief overview of the theme. The low rating is because the quotes themselves are provided largely without context, just their speaker and episode reference, and in some cases that lack of detail completely recontextualised the quote.

That said, it's about what I should expect when then about the author section is about trading cards and trivial pursuit questions.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! I am a big fan of Star Trek as it is and this was a perfect book for me. As I read the different quotes and advice that John Luc gave over the time of his service it brought back memories of episodes that I had forgotten over the time. If you enjoy star trek this book is definitely a keeper.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read for any Star trek fan.This book is a compilation of several Picard quotes. The various Picard quotes were enjoyable and nostalgic, making me want to rewatch several episodes. It would function best as a coffee table book and I plan on buying a hardcover copy once its released. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a Star Trek Next Generation fan and adore Captain Picard, this title would make a great addition.

Each section has a little write up before going into pages upon pages of images and quotes. Each quote labeled with the show and episode it comes from.

Definitely a quick read that could be more reference when you want a bit of Picard wisdom. Now I'm ready to rewatch the series.

[Louise Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great piece of nostalgia and a reminder that sometimes wisdom can lie in the heart of pop culture. Fans will see a lot of familiar stuff here but it is a fantastic collection and includes some genuinely inspirational material.

[Stephanie Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read consisting of quotes and photos from various episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation as well and the Star Trek: TNG movies and finally from Star Trek: Picard. A must for the fan of Star Trek

[Ann Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars IF you are a Picard fan. That being said, we have to step back a moment and remember that Picard is a fictional character and can’t “say” anything the writers don’t make him say. There are lots of great quotes but that really is thanks to the writers who created such a great character.

[Bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of quotes from one of Star Trek’s favorite captains. This book will be a favorite for any fan of the series.

I received an ARC from NetGalley.