Helpful Score: 2
Up Till Now yet another autobiography/memoir from William Shatner, is an inconsistent and puzzling book about a man who is himself inconsistent and puzzling.
For the first time in this book, Shatner discusses his childhood and family but only up to a point. We learn, for instance, that he has two sisters, one of whom is older. The other sister is never identified by name or by birth order. Oversight? Attempt to shield her from unwelcome publicity? Who knows? Shatner certainly has no problem discussing incredibly sensitive details of other peoples lives, including one co-workers longstanding substance abuse. The individual is quoted at length, so one assumes these revelations were not a surprise; however it is at best odd that they would come to light in Shatners book and not be handled in a book by or about the original subject.
Yet some of the most affecting portions of Up Till Now deal with Shatners relationship with his third wife, Nerine, whose death (accidental or suicidal its never made clear but Shatner seems to lean toward the former) is directly attributable to her alcoholism and drug abuse.
Shatner is at his best when telling funny stories on himself; at other times he describes jokes which exposed friends and co-workers to embarrassment and never seems to acknowledge either at the time or in retrospect how truly insensitive and appalling some of his actions were.
Theres also a rather detailed tour through his acting career, also a study in contradictions. When given the opportunity to work with good writers and production values, he can reveal himself to be a powerful actor. And in the next instant, hes doing something as horrendous as White Comanche surely one of the worst movies ever made.
There are no definitive answers here. If youre a fan of William Shatner, its worth a read. Just dont expect to understand him any better when youre done.
For the first time in this book, Shatner discusses his childhood and family but only up to a point. We learn, for instance, that he has two sisters, one of whom is older. The other sister is never identified by name or by birth order. Oversight? Attempt to shield her from unwelcome publicity? Who knows? Shatner certainly has no problem discussing incredibly sensitive details of other peoples lives, including one co-workers longstanding substance abuse. The individual is quoted at length, so one assumes these revelations were not a surprise; however it is at best odd that they would come to light in Shatners book and not be handled in a book by or about the original subject.
Yet some of the most affecting portions of Up Till Now deal with Shatners relationship with his third wife, Nerine, whose death (accidental or suicidal its never made clear but Shatner seems to lean toward the former) is directly attributable to her alcoholism and drug abuse.
Shatner is at his best when telling funny stories on himself; at other times he describes jokes which exposed friends and co-workers to embarrassment and never seems to acknowledge either at the time or in retrospect how truly insensitive and appalling some of his actions were.
Theres also a rather detailed tour through his acting career, also a study in contradictions. When given the opportunity to work with good writers and production values, he can reveal himself to be a powerful actor. And in the next instant, hes doing something as horrendous as White Comanche surely one of the worst movies ever made.
There are no definitive answers here. If youre a fan of William Shatner, its worth a read. Just dont expect to understand him any better when youre done.
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