Future Perfect: How Star Trek Conquered Planet Earth

Greenwald has done an excellent job in explaining, through various interviews done all across the globe, the popularity of Star Trek. From the people who actually create each new episode to the fans who put the 'fan' in 'fanatic', it's a wonderful real life adventure for the search of the meaning of Star Trek. It's also a real insight into the current masters of Star Trek; those who have taken up the work left by Roddenberry's passing. Highly recommended!

In this unprecedented view of how and why Star Trek has captured the psyche of the entire world, Jeff Greenwald has gone where no author has gone before. He has taken an objective view of the Star Trek craze (making this book a must read for not only ST fans, but for everyone!) from the far east to America. With unprecedented access to the sound stages of ST First Contact and Paramount's Hart building (where the writers weave their magic), this book is a ST fan's dream come true. Only after reading Mr. Greenwald's "away missions" can people truly understand how a 35 year old American-made TV show can capture the minds and hearts of people all over the world. Interview with cultural icons such as the Dalai Lama, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Arthur C. Clarke, Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart, and others help make this book the superb creation that it is. Make sure to eat a good meal and have a long nap before attempting to read "Future Perfect," because once you p! ick it up you won't be able to do anything else until you finish it. Mr. Greenwald's clear and concise method of writing allows you to dive into the book, only to resurface once you have read it in its entirety. The only thing I didn't like about the book was that it ended. I could have easily read another 500 pages full of the author's amazing insights and sense of humor! Copywrite 1998.

Jeff Greenwald observes and interviews various Star Trek authors, producers and TV Stars as well as Star Trek Fans all around the world. What is the result of that? The answer is: amazing! I can't remember having read anything like it before!First of all, he has a very fluent, easy-to-read writing style. You just sit there, flip over one page after another and get sucked into the book. After ten pages, I was unable to put the book aside for anything else but work, food or sleep. But the book does not stop there. Jeff Greenwald has written a very thoughtful, very reflective book on the Star Trek Fandom. No matter which facet he meets - may it be authors, producers, stars or the common Trekker - he shows a insight about how Star Trek gives each personal dream and hope a shape. Jeff tells us those stories of hopes and dreams - but always with a twinkle in his eyes, ready to catch remarks of people who may have hopes, but are as well capable to laugh about themselves.Oh boy - I waited long for such a book!

This book is full of very useful insights into the effect Star Trek has had on humanity in the last 32 years. By reporting on Star Trek's impact on so many different cultures, Jeff Greenwald is following in Gene Roddenberry's footsteps. He is helping his readers see not just themselves, but the diversity that exists among Star Trek's fans world-wide.Patrick Stewart is quoted in the book as saying how very valuable it is to be able to put yourself in someone else's shoes, to see their point of view (not just your own). If this book helps this happen for its readers, it will have served a very valuable purpose - not just providing a behind the scenes look at Star Trek, but a view of how people of other cultures see themselves as well.