Beyond Uhura - Star Trek and Other Memories

Satisfy- Great work.

Unlike Leonard Nimoy's I AM SPOCK, Nichelle Nichols' BEYOND UHURA is a geniune autobiography, devoting much of the narration to her personal life and family before and between STAR TREK. She traces her mixed blood back to a southern plantation owner and to a white grandfather who helped establish Robbins, Illinois, a small town near Chicago. Her father was a mayor of Robbins. Nichelle trained in ballet and free-form dancing, and she began dancing professionally as a teenager, so young her mother initially accompanied here to appearances. Eventually she toured the country, settling in Los Angeles, where she was followed by her family.Maybe her most exciting adventure in life occurred during one of her tours. After a performance at a lodge in the Northwest, a local notable was supposed to give her a ride home. Unfortunately he was interested in another kind of ride. He groped at her, bruised her, and tore her dress, but she fought back gallantly, preferring death to sexual slavery. His lust frustrated, he ended up dumping her at his cabin, and his lawyer later recovered her. Though it is hard to prove guilt in such cases, she appeared courageously in court, where the public venue of the witness stand afforded her the opportunity to wreak at least a modicum of revenge.So Ms Nichols was Uhura before she was Uhura.About half of the 300+ pages are devoted to STAR TREK and related events, adding to information I got from books by Nicholas Meyer, William Shatner, and Leonard Nimoy. Probably many fans will agree with me when I say that her most interesting STAR TREK-related material concerns her affair with Gene Roddenberry, though that happened well before STAR TREK began production in 1966. Another exceptionally interesting STAR TREK matter is what she has to say about William Shatner, to whom she is both commendatory and condemning.BEYOND UHURA has a nice portfolio of photo plates, and an index with many sub-entries. Since it was published in 1994, which was only three years after STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY, and since she is still alive--eighty-one years old in 2013--her book does not say much about her post-STAR TREK life. But it gives hints as to how she has probably been spending her time: reading, jogging, music, STAR TREK conventions, miscellaneous public appearances, speaking out for the space program, and relating with friends and family. In Wikipedia's article about her, I see that she has been appearing in TV programs and movies.Read this fine book and discover why Nichelle Nichols is taller than her height.

When Star Trek debuted in 1966 I was only 15. I didn't realise what kind of trailblazing character casting it was when Nichelle Nichols appeared as Lt Uhura. Looking back on it these decades later I see the breakthrough she and her character represented. This book is quite good. It is a thorough and readable memoir of a woman who would become a superstar and an icon.

I am so happy to have ordered this book. It is a wonderful autobiography Nichelle Nichols wrote that was published in 1994. The book arrived in excellent condition. Nichelle wrote about her early years which was revealing and very interesting for me as I mostly knew her from Star Trek.

This was a fun book for me. Ms Nichols has been someone I have loved since I was a child. My ideal of what a woman should be contains a lot of her, smart, powerful, kind, creative, and always classy.While there was a lot about Star Trek and those in it as one would expect, there was so much more too. A real insight into a young Black Actress trying to make it before and during the civil rights era and what she faced, and how she faced it. A sparkling wit drives the narrative and makes it fun to read.

An interesting book, by an interesting lady, writing about a time in American history that I knew almost nothing about. Nichelle Nichols had a strong career in music, stage and movies before Star Trek, that I knew nothing about. The pain she went through as a black woman and single mother in America is a story that needed to be told. Her intense commitment to the American space program should be shouted to the heavens. Her affair with Gene Roddenberry, which he evidently never got over ... well, who could blame him? ;) Still interesting to Trekkers like me, to see that the Great Bird himself had feet of clay.The book is well written and describes a time that should be more well known. I liked it very much.

The book arrived quickly and in excellent condition. Ms. Nicols' writing was intelligent, thoughtful, insightful and entertaining to read. I have admired her from afar since I was a child and I am glad to have read more about her early life as a dancer and her work for racial and gender equity in both the entertainment industry and in the NASA recruitment process.

Arrived promptly. Great story and well written! I am a Star Trek fan. Love Uhura! A pleasure to do business with. Thank you.

This book is a beautiful and poignant story about Nichelle Nichols before,during, and after her life as 'Uhura',It is an easy read and full of wonderful photographs! Such a nice book for Star Trek fans and others.

Greatly written book with superb pictures. Fantastic reading for any Star Trek Fan. She has lived a Good Life!

Perfect!

I really enjoyed this book a lot! Nichelle has a very poetic and descriptive way of retelling her life before, during and after star trek. Very informative and engaging book.

Very good over all service ☺️