Unless you’ve been living on an asteroid somewhere you know about Star Trek. Numerous TV shows, movies and merchandise have resulted from the popularity of The Original Series.
The various incantations of Star Trek has garnered millions of fans all over the world and generated billions of dollars.
With the recent introduction of streaming Star Srek TV series the popularity of Star Trek promises to be around for a very, very long time.
In authors K. M Heath and A.S. Carlisle’s new Rowman & Littlefield hardbound book: The Voyages Of Star Trek A Mirror On American Society Through Time, readers are given the opportunity to examine a different aspect of Star Trek as a phenomenon.
Ever since the original series aired Star Trek has tackled various social issues, often disguised as science fiction.
Poverty, prejudice, war, famine, the environment, human rights-every issue that has faced the United States has been covered.
The appeal of Star Trek has gone past the U.S. borders. Countries and societies all over the world recognize its examination of social problems.
Fortunately while Star Trek recognizes the problems, most of time it addresses them. Quite often the solutions offered are controversial.
Still, subjects are brought up and discussions are begun. It’s a start.
The book is far from a simple regurgitation of social phenomenon. It also delves into the various series and movies often-mentioning specific issues, pivotal moments and important episodes, figures and characters.
It’s Star Trek as the series creator Gene Roddenberry intended it to be-an honest, often disturbing look at the ills of society and as a result the combined effort of mankind to solve them.
There are your standard trite, pabulum, and spoon-fed TV shows and then there are the classics.
But, even more impressive are the cult TV shows (that are sometimes classics).
They are the series that garner special attention. Over the years their fan bases remand. They cross cultural, social and community borders.
They often address subjects that push the border of acceptable TV fare.
Sometimes they are long-running, often times they are cut short and may only run a season or two.
But, somehow, someway they manage to stay attached to the public consciousness.
In The Greatest Cult TV Shows Of All Time hardbound book by Christopher J. Olson and CarrieLynn D. Reinhard, readers are given a literary tour over the decades of some of the most influential and ground-breaking TV shows ever created.
Look for some archive photos, exhaustive information on the shows’ premises, cast and crew lists and a few tidbits on certain individuals.
As a TV buff I enjoyed reading about the history of each series, the commentaries and especially the little hidden secrets about each.
This is a sit down, put your feet up kind of book. It’s fun and funny, entertaining, informative and a great resource on a part of TV history.
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