beyond uhura star trek and other memories

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Beyond Uhura : Star trek and other memories

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Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories Mass Market Paperback – Aug. 1 1995

• Print length 336 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Boulevard Books (MM)
• Publication date Aug. 1 1995
• Dimensions 10.8 x 2.54 x 17.15 cm
• ISBN-10 1572970111
• ISBN-13 978-1572970113
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boulevard Books (MM) (Aug. 1 1995)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1572970111
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1572970113
• Item weight ‏ : ‎ 181 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 10.8 x 2.54 x 17.15 cm

About the author

Nichelle nichols.

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Beyond Uhura - Star Trek and Other Memories

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The first African-American woman to have a major, continuing television role tells the inside story of Star Trek and its creator--her onetime lover and lifelong friend--and her struggle to overcome... This description may be from another edition of this product.

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Not just another star trek memoir, deserves to be reissued for today's readers, beyond uhura: star trek and other memories, lt. uhura for captain, a fascinating look at unknown facets of nichelle nichols, popular categories.

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Beyond Uhura : Star trek and other memories / Nichelle Nichols Unknown Binding

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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B001R691EW
• Language ‏ : ‎ English

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BEYOND UHURA

Star trek and other memories.

by Nichelle Nichols ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 19, 1994

One of the first black women to star in a television series (``Star Trek'') provides a valuable commentary on racism in the business, along with numerous sugarcoated stories about friends, fans, and family. Growing up in Robbins, a black-populated and black-governed town just outside of Chicago, Nichols began her singing and dancing career at the age of 14, touring nightclubs for many years. Nichols met Gene Roddenberry, later the producer of ``Star Trek,'' in 1963 when she was cast in an episode of one of his early television series. Her friendship with the married Roddenberry quickly turned into an affair. Nichols ended it when she discovered he was seeing someone else, although by her account, Roddenberry never quite forgave her for walking away. Nichols faced numerous racial and sexist barriers throughout her career, including conflict with the stuffed shirts of NBC around her role in ``Star Trek.'' Only after Nichols agreed to sign the contract did NBC executives learn that Roddenberry intended to hire a black woman as fourth in command on the Enterprise. They refused to honor the contract, but Roddenberry was free to hire her on a daily basis, which he did throughout the series. Nichols admits having felt humiliated not to be working under the same terms as the rest of the cast. Nichols also reveals the rocky relationship she and the entire cast had with William Shatner. Even though she occasionally offers kind words about Shatner's character and abilities, for the most part he is portrayed as arrogant and bossy. Nichols occasionally takes herself too seriously. Her speeches at ``Star Trek'' conventions often addressed the future of the space program. By her account, ``often, by the end of my speech, the fans would be crying, and I would be crying. Then we'd all be laughing.'' Nichols's story just doesn't have the expected punch from the woman involved with the first televised interracial kiss. But Trekkers will love the gossip. (40 b&w photos, not seen) (Author tour)

Pub Date: Oct. 19, 1994

ISBN: 0-399-13993-1

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1994

GENERAL NONFICTION

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More by Nichelle Nichols

BOOK REVIEW

by Nichelle Nichols with Margaret Bonanno Wander

THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE

50th anniversary edition.

by William Strunk & E.B. White ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 15, 1972

Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...

Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.

Pub Date: May 15, 1972

ISBN: 0205632645

Page Count: 105

Publisher: Macmillan

Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

More by E.T.A. Hoffmann

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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Beyond uhura - star trek and other memories - hardcover, nichelle nichols.

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• Publisher G. P. Putnam's Sons
• Publication date 1994
• ISBN 10  0399139931
• ISBN 13  9780399139932
• Binding Hardcover
• Edition number 1
• Number of pages 320

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Book Review: 'Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories'

You would think that after 30 years playing Lieutenant Uhura, Star Trek ‘s peerless communications officer, Nichelle Nichols would have learned a few things about, well, communication. Unfortunately, in her autobiography, Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and other memories (Putnam, $22.95) , Nichols never seems to find the right channel: Throughout most of the book, her self-aggrandizing voice is disquietingly loud, while her wide-ranging anecdotes and memories never focus into anything clear.

Nichols certainly does not lack for subject matter. The array of historical notables that figure in her life is astonishing, from Al Capone, who once threatened to kill her father, to astronaut Sally Ride, whom Nichols helped to recruit into the space program. Along the way, Nichols, who began her career as a cabaret star in Chicago in the ’40s, was discovered by Duke Ellington, danced with Bob Fosse, had an affair with Sammy Davis Jr., and clashed with novelist James Baldwin.

But Nichols’ tone is so self-absorbed that every incident in her life is overplayed into an example of moral righteousness, and every confrontation results in a validation of her talent. Her dancing is so accomplished, she reduces a bigot to tears. Her teeth are so perfect, toothpaste companies complain. When she disagrees with the producer of a musical, she smugly decides to follow her own direction: ”[The show] closed in a matter of days,” she recalls, ”although … my reviews were spectacular.”

When Nichols finally gets around to discussing Star Trek , she makes some intriguing revelations, such as the origin of the name Uhura (it was the title of the book she was reading when she went in for her audition) and what kept her on the show after the first season (a personal plea from Martin Luther King Jr., a fan of the show).

She also honestly dissects her involved and complex affair with the often selfish Gene Roddenberry, Trek ‘s legendary creator. And she is most unguarded when discussing Captain Jerk himself, William Shatner, vividly describing his petty insecurities on the set. ”I can’t say with certainty that I would refuse another chance to beam aboard the Enterprise … ” she concludes. ”However, as for Bill personally, I say, with some regret and much hurt, ‘This communication channel is now closed. Uhura out.”’

In the end, however, such moments can’t overcome the book’s overall droning tone and lack of perspective, and they simply stand out as the few intelligible moments amid a mostly static-filled transmission. C

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Beyond Uhura – Star Trek And Other Memories

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Inscribed copy of Beyond Uhura by Nichelle Nichols to co-star Gia Carides. Octavo, 320pp. Yellow hardcover, title in gilt over black vellum spine. First edition, first printing with full number line on copyright page. In publishers dust jacket, retail price on front flap, near fine with a hint of shelf wear. Inscribed by Nichelle Nichols to fellow actress Gia Carides. Inscription reads: “Gia Carides, Very Hi-Priestess of Val, Your ‘deadly sorcery’ is so cool. It is written. Blessings, Nichelle Nichols. Sagan.”

Comments: Star Trek alumni Nichelle Nichols starred alongside Gia Carides in the television movie The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space. Carides starred as Vesper, the High Priestess of Vox. Nichelle Nichols had a limited role as “Sagan,” the High Priestess of Pangea. It is considered an early sci-fi spoof, similar to Galaxy Quest.

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Product Key Features

• Book Title Beyond Uhura : Star Trek and Other Memories
• Author Michelle Nichols
• Format Hardcover
• Language English
• Topic General, Entertainment & Performing Arts
• Publication Year 1994
• Illustrator Yes
• Genre Biography & Autobiography, Fiction
• Number of Pages 320 Pages
• Item Weight 320.7 Oz

Additional Product Features

• Intended Audience Trade
• Lc Classification Number Pn2287.N48a3 1994
• Lccn 94-027640
• Dewey Decimal 791.4/5/028/092
• Dewey Edition 20

Great book on the important influence of Nichelle Nichols!

Great book on the important influence of Nichelle Nichols as an African American role model.

Beyond Uhura by Nichelle Nichols (1994)

Great book. Love it. I love Nichelle Nichols music, acting and books. She has a beautiful voice. Fantastic actress. She has done a great job also with the NASA Program. I have found that reading this book that we are from the outskirts of the Chicago land area and I find simularities in our beliefs. Thank you Nichelle for a wonderful insight into your loves, hopes, desires and dreams.

Beyond Uhura

An Informative personal read.A look into Mrs Nichols experiences.

Star Trek Fiction Hardcover Books

Star trek fiction hardcover books illustrated, star trek fiction hardcover books in english, star trek fantasy fiction hardcovers books, star trek action fiction hardcover books, star trek audiobooks.

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Johnson Space Center

The voyages of the Starship Enterprise came to a sudden and premature end on June 3, 1969, with the airing of the final episode of the Star Trek original television series. Ironically, the show’s cancellation came just six weeks before humanity embarked on its first voyage to land on another celestial body. Although the show ran for only three seasons, it generated a devoted fan base disappointed by the cancellation despite their write-in campaign to keep it on the air. But as things turned out, over the decades Star Trek evolved into a global phenomenon, first with the original episodes replayed in syndication, followed by a series of full-length motion pictures, and eventually a multitude of spin-off series. With its primary focus on space exploration, along with themes of diversity, inclusion, and innovation, the Star Trek fictional universe formed a natural association with NASA’s real life activities.

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry first had the idea for a science fiction television series in 1964. He presented his idea, a show set in the 23 rd century aboard a starship with a crew dedicated to exploring the galaxy, to Desilu Productions, an independent television production company headed by Lucille Ball. They produced a pilot titled “The Cage,” selling it to the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) network that then bought a second pilot titled “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” NBC introduced the show to its fall 1966 lineup, with the first episode “The Man Trap” airing on Sep. 8. To put that date in perspective, NASA launched Gemini XI four days later, one of the missions that helped the agency achieve the Moon landing nearly three years later. Meanwhile, Star Trek’s Starship Enterprise continued its fictional five-year mission through the galaxy to “seek out new life and new civilizations.” The makeup of the Enterprise’s crew made the show particularly attractive to late 1960s television audiences. The major characters included an African American woman communications officer, an Asian American helmsman, and a half-human half-Vulcan science officer, later joined by a Russian-born ensign. While the show enjoyed good ratings during its first two seasons, cuts to its production budget resulted in lower quality episodes during its third season leading to lower ratings and, despite a concerted letter-writing campaign from its dedicated fans, eventual cancellation.

Despite the show’s cancellation, Star Trek lived on and prospered in syndication and attracted an ever-growing fan base, turning into a worldwide sensation. Often dubbed “trekkies,” these fans held the first of many Star Trek conventions in 1972. When in 1976 NASA announced that it would name its first space shuttle orbiter Constitution, in honor of its unveiling on the anniversary of the U. S. Constitution’s ratification, trekkies engaged in a dedicated letter writing campaign to have the orbiter named Enterprise, after the starship in the television series. This time the fans’ letter writing campaign succeeded. President Gerald R. Ford agreed with the trekkies and directed NASA to rechristen the first space shuttle. When on Sept. 17, 1976 , it rolled out of its manufacturing plant in Palmdale, California, appropriately accompanied by a band playing the show’s theme song, it bore the name Enterprise. Many of the original cast members of the show as well as its creator Rodenberry participated in the rollout ceremony, hosted by NASA Administrator James C. Fletcher . Thus began a lengthy relationship between the space agency and the Star Trek brand.

During the development of the space shuttle in the 1970s, the need arose to recruit a new group of astronauts to fly the vehicle, deploy the satellites, and perform the science experiments. When NASA released the call for the new astronaut selection on July 8, 1976, it specifically encouraged women and minorities to apply. To encourage those applicants, NASA chose Nichelle Nichols, who played communications officer Lt. Uhura on the Starship Enterprise, to record a recruiting video and speak to audiences nationwide. She came to NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston in March 1977, and accompanied by Apollo 12 and Skylab 3 astronaut Alan L. Bean , toured the center and filmed scenes for the video in Mission Control and other facilities. NASA hoped that her stature and popularity would encourage women and minorities to apply, and indeed they did. In January 1978, when NASA announced the selection of 35 new astronauts from more than 8,000 applicants, for the first time the astronaut class included women and minorities. All distinguished themselves as NASA astronauts and paved the way for others in subsequent astronaut selections. Nichols returned to JSC in September 2010 with the Traveling Space Museum, an organization that partners with schools to promote space studies. She toured Mission Control and the International Space Station trainer accompanied by NASA astronaut B. Alvin Drew . She also flew aboard NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) airborne telescope aircraft managed by NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, in September 2015.

Meanwhile, the Star Trek brand renewed itself in 1979 as a full-length motion picture with the original TV series cast members reprising their roles. Over the years, several sequels followed this first film. And on the small screen, a reboot of sorts occurred in 1987 with the premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation, a new series set in the 24 th century aboard the Enterprise-D, a next generation starship with a new crew. That series lasted seven seasons, followed by a near-bewildering array of spin-off series, all built on the Star Trek brand, that continue to this day.

James Doohan, the actor who played Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, the Starship Enterprise’s chief engineer, had early associations with NASA. In April 1967, Doohan visited NASA’s Dryden (now Armstrong) Flight Research Center in California, spending time with NASA test pilot Bruce A. Peterson. A month later, Peterson barely survived a horrific crash of the experimental M2-F2 lifting body aircraft. He inspired the 1970s TV series The Six-Million Dollar Man, and the show’s opening credits include film of the crash. Doohan narrated a documentary film about the space shuttle released shortly before Columbia made its first flight in April 1981. In January 1991, Doohan visited JSC and with NASA astronaut Mario Runco (who sometimes went by the nickname “Spock”) toured the shuttle trainers, Mission Control, and tried his hand at operating the shuttle’s robotic arm in the Manipulator Development Facility. In a unique tribute, astronaut Neil A. Armstrong , the first person to step on the lunar surface , spoke at Doohan’s retirement in 2004, addressing him as “one old engineer to another.”

George Takei, who played Enterprise helmsman Lt. Hikaru Sulu, and his husband Brad, visited JSC in May 2012. Invited by both Asian American and LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Groups, Takei spoke of leadership and inclusiveness, including overcoming challenges while in Japanese American internment camps during World War II and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. He noted that Star Trek remained ahead of its time in creating a future when all members of society could equally participate in great undertakings, at a time when the country struggled through the Civil Rights movement and the conflict in Southeast Asia. The inclusiveness that is part of NASA’s culture greatly inspired him. JSC Director Michael L. Coats presented Takei with a plaque including a U.S. flag flown aboard space shuttle Atlantis’ STS-135 mission. He also visited Mission Control and spent some time with Robonaut.

Leonard Nimoy played the science officer aboard the Starship Enterprise, the half-human, half-Vulcan Mr. Spock. The actor watched in September 2012 when space shuttle Enterprise arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, on the last leg of its journey to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, where it currently resides. “This is a reunion for me,” observed Nimoy. “Thirty-five years ago, I met the Enterprise for the first time.” As noted earlier, the Star Trek cast attended the first space shuttle’s rollout in 1976. Following his death in 2015, European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti paid tribute to Nimoy aboard the International Space Station by wearing a Star Trek science officer uniform, giving the Vulcan greeting, and proclaiming, “Of all the souls I have encountered … his was the most human.”

Captain James T. Kirk, played by actor William Shatner, a life-long advocate of science and space exploration, served at the helm of the Starship Enterprise. His relationship with NASA began during the original series, with references to the space agency incorporated into several story lines. In 2011, Shatner hosted and narrated a NASA documentary celebrating the 30 th anniversary of the Space Shuttle program , and gave his time and voice to other NASA documentaries. NASA recognized Shatner’s contributions in 2014 with a Distinguished Public Service Medal , the highest award NASA bestows on non-government individuals. NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for Communications Robert “Bob” N. Jacobs presented the medal to Shatner. The award’s citation read, “For outstanding generosity and dedication to inspiring new generations of explorers around the world, and for unwavering support for NASA and its missions of discovery.” In 2019, Shatner narrated the NASA video We Are Going , about NASA’s plans to return astronauts to the Moon. He has spoken at numerous NASA-themed events and moderated panels about NASA’s future plans. On Oct. 13, 2021, at the age of 90, Shatner reached the edge of space during the NS-18 suborbital flight of Blue Origin’s New Shepard vehicle, experiencing three minutes of weightlessness.

Elements of the Star Trek universe have made their way not only into popular culture but also into NASA culture. As noted above, Star Trek fans had a hand in naming the first space shuttle Enterprise. NASA’s Earth observation facility aboard the space station that makes use of its optical quality window bears the name the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF). The connection between that acronym and the name of a Klingon officer aboard the Enterprise in the Star Trek: The Next Generation TV series seemed like an opportunity not to be missed – the facility’s official patch bears its name in English and in Klingon. Several astronaut crews have embraced Star Trek themes for their unofficial photographs. The STS-54 crew dressed in the uniforms of Starship Enterprise officers from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn, the second full-length feature motion picture of the series. Space shuttle and space station crews created Space Flight Awareness (SFA) posters for their missions, and more than one embraced Star Trek themes. The Expedition 21 crew dressed in uniforms from the original series, while the STS-134 crew chose as their motif the 2009 reboot motion picture Star Trek.

As much as Star Trek has influenced NASA, in turn the agency has left its mark on the franchise, from episodes referencing actual and future spaceflight events to NASA astronauts making cameo appearances on the show. The first-season episode “Court Martial” that aired in February 1967 featured a photograph of the December 1965 Gemini VI launch adorning a wall aboard a star base. In the second-season episode “Return to Tomorrow,” airing in February 1968, Captain Kirk in a dialogue about risk-taking remarks, “Do you wish that the first Apollo mission hadn’t reached the Moon?” a prescient reference to the first Apollo mission to reach the Moon more than 10 months after the episode aired. Astronaut Mae C. Jemison , who credits Nichelle Nichols as her inspiration to become an astronaut, appeared in the 1993 episode “Second Chances” of Star Trek: The Next Generation , eight months after her actual spaceflight aboard space shuttle Endeavour. In May 2005, two other NASA astronauts, Terry W. Virts and E. Michael Fincke , appeared in “These are the Voyages…,” the final episode of the series Star Trek: Enterprise.

In the 2016 documentary “ NASA on the Edge of Forever: Science in Space ,” host NASA astronaut Victor J. Glover states, “Science and Star Trek go hand-in-hand.” The film explores how for 50 years, Star Trek influenced scientists, engineers, and even astronauts to reach beyond their potential. While the space station doesn’t speed through the galaxy like the Starship Enterprise, much of the research conducted aboard the orbiting facility can make the fiction of Star Trek come a little closer to reality. Several of the cast members from the original TV series share their viewpoints in the documentary, along with those of NASA managers and scientists. Over the years, NASA has created several videos highlighting the relationship between the agency and the Star Trek franchise. In 2016, NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden led a video tribute to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the first Star Trek episode.

In 2021, on the 100 th anniversary of Gene Roddenberry’s birth, his son Rod hosted a virtual panel discussion , introduced by NASA Administrator C. William “Bill” Nelson , about diversity and inspiration, two ideals the Star Trek creator infused into the series. Panelists included Star Trek actor Takei, Tracy D. Drain, flight systems engineer for the Europa Clipper spacecraft at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim , Swati Mohan, guidance and operations lead for the Mars 2020 rover at JPL, and Hortense B. Diggs, Director of the Office of Communication and Public Engagement at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The mutual attraction between NASA and Star Trek stems from, to paraphrase the opening voiceover from the TV series, that both seek to explore and discover new worlds, and to boldly go where no one has gone before. The diversity, inclusion, and inspiration involved in these endeavors ensure that they will live long and prosper.

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Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories by Nichelle Nichols (1995-10-06) Paperback – January 1, 1994

• Language English
• Publisher Boxtree Ltd
• Publication date January 1, 1994
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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01HCAC0J4
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Boxtree Ltd (January 1, 1994)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7 ounces
• #544,307 in Science Fiction & Fantasy (Books)

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