Just a Geekby Trisha SebastianReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 10 In the second half of my interview with Wil Wheaton, he said, "I sure hope that [my second book] Just a Geek lives up to its expectations."I say he has absolutely nothing to worry about. The followup to Dancing Barefoot, Just a Geek details the period between 2000 and 2002 during which Wheaton realized that there is more to life than fame and fortune in Hollywood. More than that, the book takes you through the steps of how Wheaton discovered that he was meant to be a writer instead of an actor, and how he came to that realization. I've been a huge fan of Wheaton's blog entries for a while and I'm happy to see that some of the really good entries have made it into this book, such as "The Wesley Dialogues," because the stories behind these entries make for some pretty compelling reading. It's those stories that we're here to read as Wheaton reveals that while the Internet as a whole saw a happy, upbeat man who just didn't have any luck with work, the real Wil Wheaton was suffering from bouts of depression, was on the brink of bankruptcy, was neglecting his family, and starting to slide into bitterness and despair. It's when we see the entire picture that we start to realize just what fame (or the promise of it) can do to someone. At the same time, anyone who's a Wil Wheaton fan will also get to read some really cool anecdotes relating to life after Star Trek and geek out over how cool the Next Generation actors are. In Chapter 7, Wheaton recounts conversations that he has with Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes backstage at an event called "The Galaxy Ball" with such such detail that you feel as if you're right there in the room with him, from the point of view of a fan who has gotten to walk among the stars. The same goes for Wheaton's account of what happened when he went to shoot the small scenes he had in Star Trek: Nemesis that got cut out of the theatrical release of the movie and didn't even make it to the collector's DVDs (a grevious oversight, in my eyes). It's in these anecdotes that you get a real feel for Wheaton's knack for dialogue and timing, as well as his own still-recurring problems with self-doubt. In fact, this book has a little bit of everything for everyone. Parents will be able to empathize when Wheaton has to cancel a family vacation in order to be available for some "work" that doesn't come. Geeks everywhere will identify with the feeling of alienation whenever Wheaton is around the other Next Generation actors who are more famous, better looking, and have more going for them than he does (relatively speaking). Lovers will appreciate the homages to his wife; pet lovers can relate to the tales about his cats and dog. Most of all, fans of the written word will appreciate watching the change in his blog entries, as Wheaton moves away from Hollywood and towards the printed page. Just like you can see the progression in a comic artist's portfolio over the years, you can watch as Wheaton begins to tell stories rather than just relate what happens. His attention to and amount of detail increases, and he begins to settle on a voice and persona: charming, a little self-deprecating, humble, bombastic. When Wheaton writes, it's like a friend has just invited you to sit down and hear a really great story. I'm not ashamed to say that I got a little teary-eyed as I finished the book. In fact, I was carried through a whole gamut of emotions, one of which is anger at popular media for focusing on what they think the public wants to see (like Ashton Kutcher) instead of who would be better for the part. It's through his entries on the faults and flaws in the Hollywood system that you start to realize that as long as the movie-making and television-making industry remains focused on the "new and shiny," the really innovative cannot and will not get the audience it deserves. But enough about me raving about this book. I highly urge all of you to pick it up from your local bookstore or favorite online retailer. Written: May 30, 2004
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