Up Till Now: The Autobiography

Up Till Now: The Autobiography
by William Shatner, David Fisher

Up Till Now: The Autobiography
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Book Summary Information

Author: David Fisher, William Shatner
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Published)
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2009-04-28
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Book Reviews of Up Till Now: The Autobiography

Book Review: Fascinating
Summary: 5 Stars

Most of us just go about, in relative anonymity, for seven decades, give or take a few years. However, just about anyone in America, and many beyond these shores, know the name, the voice, and the face of Captain Kirk of the original Star Trek series. In his autobiography, there's about a hundred pages of William Shatner's life before Star Trek. And, at the time, Shatner viewed Star Trek as a failed television series and moved on with his career. Without its success in syndication, his life, and our culture, would be different.

There are many reviews of this book online, so I'll focus instead on some general themes within it. First, Shatner's energy comes across, as well as his ability to poke fun at himself. His work ethic comes from his upbringing-- his merchant father taught him to take advantage of all opportunities and to work hard to achieve success. Although he decided to become an actor early in life, Shatner seems to have been very worried, for years and years, about not having work. That, and the financial instability that is part and parcel of an actor's life, motivated him to say, "Yes!" to almost every money making opportunity, however taxing-- or downright bizarre. Being willing to work has kept him working. Every performance seemed to lead to some other opportunity, and Shatner's energy and his courage stand out, even when he pokes fun at many of the ways he has made money over the years. I did laugh aloud a few times, and the good humor of it all does keep the reader smiling and turning pages.

Although this account of Shatner's life starts early and ends late, Up Till Now is not always a linear narrative. Sometimes he tells stories which are on topic, but not in the time line. As a man who is gifted in years, he has much to tell, so the disruptions add to the charm of the book. In addition to his lengthy acting career and the Star Trek phenomenon, Shatner does address his lack of success in marriage, and the account of his third wife's death is particularly heartbreaking. With surprising candor, Shatner places much of the blame for his divorces on his own shoulders. As he rambles through his life, most of his major roles are fodder for a few pages, and he does discuss Boston Legal, his latest television series, at some length.

Fans of Star Trek will enjoy the insights that the original Captain Kirk shares, but those who are interested in acting on stage and screen will also find interesting observations about the actor's craft in Up Till Now. Shatner discusses his approach to roles, and he often contrasts his way with the methods used by co-stars. At times, Shatner is funny, at times his struggle evokes a mixture of pity and amazement. Who would have thought that after Trek, Shatner would live in the back of a pickup truck in New York City, eking out a living doing an off Broadway play?

During the portions of the book devoted to the original Star Trek and the five movies it spawned, Shatner frankly discusses the challenge of making a television series set in space, but with such a low budget that the cast and crew had to be very creative. As a fan of science fiction, and of Star Trek, I especially enjoyed his assertion that Gene Roddenberry saw Star Trek as the quest for intelligent life on the other side of a television screen.

For Shatner's fans and for Star Trek fans, Up Till Now is a must read. And, really, this book is funny. Who else would auction his kidney stone on eBay? Or play the amazing Denny Crane? William Shatner may not be tall, but describing him as larger than life is an understatement.

Summary of Up Till Now: The Autobiography

The New York Times bestseller

After almost sixty years as an actor, William Shatner has become one of the most beloved entertainers in the world. It was the original Star Trek series, and later its films, that made Shatner an internationally known figure, but he neither began nor ended his career with Captain Kirk. He straddled the classic world of the theater and the new world of television. He stepped in for Christopher Plummer in Shakespeare?s Henry V and stared at ?something on the wing? in a classic episode of The Twilight Zone. And since then, he?s gone on to star in numerous successful shows, including T. J. Hooker, Rescue 911, and most recently, Boston Legal.

            In this touching and very funny autobiography, William Shatner reveals the man behind these unforgettable moments and tells us how he?s become the worldwide star and acclaimed actor he is today.

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