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Just a Geek

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I just finished reading Wil Wheaton's "Just a Geek."  It recounts his struggles after leaving Star Trek.  Today Wil Wheaton is a prominent Geek.  He has 3 books, a popular blog, and was the keynote speaker at PAX 2007.  However, for the 15 years between leaving Star Trek: The Next Generation and today, he really struggled.  This book is a look into his mind during that tumultuous period.  He was a has-been who couldn't get work as an actor.  He was a husband and a dad and couldn't provide enough money to pay all the bills.  He was struggling with who he was and with his decision to leave Star Trek before it was over.

The book is basically a collection of blog entries from WilWheaton.net and his previous site.  However, unlike some books that are mere collections of blog entries, there is a lot of additional context around the entries that you'll only find in this book. 

Wil holds nothing back in his descriptions of what he was going through.  He had it rough for a while.  His style and openness makes the reader care about him as a person.  This isn't a book to read to get all the dirt on his life.  Rather, it is a book to read to understand Wil Wheaton the man.  It is an inspiring read.  To see him overcome his doubts and fears.  To watch him brought to his knees and admit defeat only to renew himself for victory on a new front.  One cannot help but be inspired by his story.  I find myself looking forward to reading his other material.  I read his new blog, but only irregularly.  I got tired of reading about his poker games.  After reading this book, it will go back on my regularly read list now though.  It looks like poker is taking a lesser role once again.

Has anyone read his newest book, "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" yet?  Is it any good?

Comments

  • Anonymous
    December 29, 2007
    I asked Wil about his tapering off of poker related blog postings when he was at PAX this September. His reason for fewer blogs on the subject? He's not playing as much.<P> I bought and had him sign a copy of <I>Happiest Days</I>.  It's good.  Not quite as good as <I>Just a Geek</I>, but it's very, very similar. After reading his blog for a year or so, after reading <I>Geek</I>, and after hearing his keynote at PAX, the stories were pretty familiar; it didn't seem to me that he covered a lot of new ground.<P> The chapter, "The Butterfly Tree," is one of the best from his new book. I read it when he <A HREF="http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2007/04/the_butterfly_t.html">posted it last April</A>.<P> IM me, Steve, if you'd like to borrow my copy.