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66th out of 356 books
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Just a Geek
by
Wil Wheaton (Goodreads Author),
Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author) , Brett McLaughlin
Wil Wheaton has never been one to take the conventional path to success. Despite early stardom through his childhood role in the motion picture "Stand By Me", and growing up on television as Wesley Crusher on "Star Trek: The Next Generation", Wil left Hollywood in pursuit of happiness, purpose, and a viable means of paying the bills. In the oddest of pl
...moreHardcover, 267 pages
Published
June 29th 2004
by O'Reilly Media
(first published June 22nd 2004)
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(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.)
In case I've never mentioned it, since opening CCLaP I've had a growing amount of friends here in Chicago start to loan me older books on a regular basis, simply because they're interested in seeing what I have to say about them; that's how I ended up with Just A Geek, for example, the 20...more
In case I've never mentioned it, since opening CCLaP I've had a growing amount of friends here in Chicago start to loan me older books on a regular basis, simply because they're interested in seeing what I have to say about them; that's how I ended up with Just A Geek, for example, the 20...more
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I was telling my sister I was reading this interesting book by Wil Wheaton. She goes "who"? "Wesley Crusher!" "Doesn't ring a bell." "He's been on The Big Bang Theory" "Oh, Sheldon's nemesis?" (Of course my sister is someone who if you say William Shatner, she thinks Denny Crane.) So, I don't know if Wil would think it bad that he's known for a role where he's known for being known rather than the reason he is known in the first place; sort of a ...more
I knew Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher from Star Trek: The Next Generation when I was growing up, but I had no idea he had grown up to be an actual writer. Just a Geek is a fantastic collection of essays and memoirs that chronicle Wil's evolution from unhappy actor struggling to get out of the shadow of The Franchise to happy writer, blogger, and all-around geek whose life is no less interesting for being fulfilling. For me, the most interesting part of this book was watching the blog entries (c...more
I'm not a fan of biographies or memoirs. I find them to be self-glorified, embellished tales written by ego-centric individuals looking to capture (or recapture) their fifteen minutes of fame. Wil Wheaton is not that guy and Just A Geek is not that kind of memoir. It is well-written, brutally honest, intriguing and filled with enough pathos that you truly care about this guy, and what he's been though - whether you know him or not.
For those that don't know Wheaton, he was the younges...more
For those that don't know Wheaton, he was the younges...more
*dreamy sigh*
i admit it, i have a girl crush on wil wheaton.
i read dancing barefoot a few months ago and really enjoyed it. i enjoyed this book too.
i think wil’s a pretty good writer, and i enjoy most of the stories that he tells. he writes on his own blog of course, but also on tvsquad, suicide girls, and a myriad of other online sites. i think it’s pretty cool that he’s been able to (successfully) move from actor to writer. he’s not an actor/writer or a writer/actor. i thi...more
i admit it, i have a girl crush on wil wheaton.
i read dancing barefoot a few months ago and really enjoyed it. i enjoyed this book too.
i think wil’s a pretty good writer, and i enjoy most of the stories that he tells. he writes on his own blog of course, but also on tvsquad, suicide girls, and a myriad of other online sites. i think it’s pretty cool that he’s been able to (successfully) move from actor to writer. he’s not an actor/writer or a writer/actor. i thi...more
What can I say? This book is awesome.
Bearing in mind I grew up watching Star Trek:TNG (it's the best and I won't let anyone tell me otherwise!) and loving Wil Wheaton in movies such as Stand By Me, and also being a rather geeky character myself (hey I'm a programmer after all!) I must say this book reached out to me and I was hooked.
It documents with painful honesty and truth, the journey Wil has gone through from being a child star, through frustrating times during TNG...more
Bearing in mind I grew up watching Star Trek:TNG (it's the best and I won't let anyone tell me otherwise!) and loving Wil Wheaton in movies such as Stand By Me, and also being a rather geeky character myself (hey I'm a programmer after all!) I must say this book reached out to me and I was hooked.
It documents with painful honesty and truth, the journey Wil has gone through from being a child star, through frustrating times during TNG...more
A friend of mine got me this book after one of my "why does anyone give a fuck about Wil Wheaton" rants. He is so pervasive in online and geek culture, I really just don't understand why.
Anyhow, the 1st half of the book was good --- it was basically like Paul Shirley's "Can I Keep My Jersey." You've heard the stories of people going to Hollywood to "make it" and end up waiting tables for a decade. You've heard about people being crazy famous. How abo...more
Anyhow, the 1st half of the book was good --- it was basically like Paul Shirley's "Can I Keep My Jersey." You've heard the stories of people going to Hollywood to "make it" and end up waiting tables for a decade. You've heard about people being crazy famous. How abo...more
Wil Weaton's Just a Geek is a great little book filled with humorous and frank biographical essays not so much expanding on his early blog entries as debunking them. It is the chronicle of Wheaton's struggle to get out of Wesley Crusher's shadow, and he means to be as honest with us as possible. Many of the early blog entries fudged the truth, tried to paint a rosy picture, downplay the negative. In this book, Wheaton reprints many of those entries and goes on to tell us the stories behind the p...more
"I got to take a pee right next to BILLY FREAKIN' IDOL!!!... I went into the bathroom and I'm doing my business and I notice the guy next to me is rather dressed up, like in serious rocker clothes. So I try to just glance at him, without getting all gay and weird and he looks right at me, sneer and all. That's when I realize that it's HIM!"
Wil Wheaton should need no introduction to the d20 crowd. He is, like the title of his memoirs declares, Just a Geek. Most famous for his ...more
Wil Wheaton should need no introduction to the d20 crowd. He is, like the title of his memoirs declares, Just a Geek. Most famous for his ...more
Could be cut by about 67%. The parts that were good were REALLY good, and his reading of them is also great. I loved the asides. But...
After a while the angst is just really pathetic, especially when he whines about auditions. [Newsflash - being stuck in a room with 3-9 other people who are also bored silly hearing nearly identical readings the same goddamn script over and over again day after day to cast someone is not fun for them, why should THEY be responsible for making it "f...more
After a while the angst is just really pathetic, especially when he whines about auditions. [Newsflash - being stuck in a room with 3-9 other people who are also bored silly hearing nearly identical readings the same goddamn script over and over again day after day to cast someone is not fun for them, why should THEY be responsible for making it "f...more
Premise: From the back cover: "Just a Geek is the story of how Wil Wheaton faced down his constant companion, the ghost he calls 'Prove To Everyone That Quitting Star Trek Wasn't A Mistake.'"
I read this at a really good time. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that reading a memoir about career transition and self-doubt is really satisfying if one is full of doubt and in the midst of a potential career transition.
It doesn't hurt that this book is also clever, ...more
I read this at a really good time. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that reading a memoir about career transition and self-doubt is really satisfying if one is full of doubt and in the midst of a potential career transition.
It doesn't hurt that this book is also clever, ...more
Alan
rated it
Recommends it for:
Anyone who thinks actors can't be honest
Recommended to Alan by:
The man's blog
Neil Gaiman, who seems to pop up all over the place these days, says in his Introduction (page xiii) to this autobiographical work, "In an era of people blogging as pseudo-celebrities, this is the story of a celebrity blogging as a person."
This is precisely correct. Wil Wheaton stands out among former child stars and other Hollywood types: he's grown up, not just grown older.
For those who may think of him only as the character Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Ne...more
This is precisely correct. Wil Wheaton stands out among former child stars and other Hollywood types: he's grown up, not just grown older.
For those who may think of him only as the character Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Ne...more
If you had asked me all of a year and a half ago who Wil Wheaton, I would have had no idea. You could have even clarified and said Wesley Crusher on TNG, and I'd still be squinting at you in slight befuddlement for a couple of minutes before recalling who you were referencing. Just ask my roommate, he'll verify. I don't remember what brought him into the scope of my attention, probably webcomics. They do that on occasion. Anyways, I started to read some of his stuff, started following him on Twi...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
http://librarytalker.blogspot.com/2010/1...
Years ago there was a show about the future. It was a future that had been dreamed up by one man and put together by a cast of thousands in five different versions of one-hour shows spanning decades in our television history. The show that started it all was Star Trek.
One boy, Wil Wheaton, joined the second version of Star Trek, nicknamed TNG for The Next Generation, and he was supposed to represent the newest generation of Star...more
Years ago there was a show about the future. It was a future that had been dreamed up by one man and put together by a cast of thousands in five different versions of one-hour shows spanning decades in our television history. The show that started it all was Star Trek.
One boy, Wil Wheaton, joined the second version of Star Trek, nicknamed TNG for The Next Generation, and he was supposed to represent the newest generation of Star...more
I found out about this book after finding my way to Wil Wheaton's blog. Normally I am not a big fan of autobiographies, but this one really interested me. I don't know if it was because I grew up watching Mr. Wheaton in "Stand by Me" and "Star Trek TNG", or because I can relate to him being a geek. The great thing about Mr. Wheaton is he is proud to be a geek, I know I am.
"Just a Geek" is a deep look into Mr. Wheaton's life, and he doesn't pull any punch...more
"Just a Geek" is a deep look into Mr. Wheaton's life, and he doesn't pull any punch...more
I knew Wheaton from TNG, but I didn't really notice him until he appeared on two (amazing) episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" as Sheldon Coopers Nemesis - himself. So after I started to read Wils Twitter Feed and read some of his blog posts, I stumbled upon this book on Amazon.
What really impresses me about Wil is, that he manages to be very open and honest, when it comes to telling stories. It's not one of those "Look at me, I'm a freaking rockstar, bitches!" biog...more
What really impresses me about Wil is, that he manages to be very open and honest, when it comes to telling stories. It's not one of those "Look at me, I'm a freaking rockstar, bitches!" biog...more
I grew up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. Some of my best memories of my childhood included huddling with my sisters on the floor of my folks bedroom, our tiny 13" TV on the floor and Mom and Dad behind us in their chairs waiting for the show to start. We always had fresh, homemade cinnamon rolls, warmed up with butter melted on the top and homemade icing, big glasses of milk and our pj's on. It was marvelous. And, being a pre-teen, I harbored a massive crush on Wesley Crusher ...more
I've always known Wil Wheaton as one of the greater internet Powers.
That's how I think of people like Wheaton, Doctorow, Scalzi, and Jerry over at Penny Arcade. They are people who occupy the internet community on an almost deific level. They're actively engaged in discussions about things like creative commons, and web freedom, and other bigthink information-age issues. When they speak on a subject, the air shakes, people tweet and link and perform other media-appropriate types o...more
Posted on my book blog.
A little background on how I came to read this book: like many other people, I watched Star Trek when I was little. Because, in that time, tv shows would appear in my country 10 to 20 years after their debut, I managed to watch both the original series and the others in the same decade. However, I was pretty much indifferent to Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton's character on The Next Generation). And I didn't watch Stand By Me until much later in my life.
...more
A little background on how I came to read this book: like many other people, I watched Star Trek when I was little. Because, in that time, tv shows would appear in my country 10 to 20 years after their debut, I managed to watch both the original series and the others in the same decade. However, I was pretty much indifferent to Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton's character on The Next Generation). And I didn't watch Stand By Me until much later in my life.
...more
This book wasn't what I expected. I guess I thought it was going to be an autobiography as in "I was born in 1972 blah, blah, blah". But it ended up being a reiteration of former blogs from a two year period from his website.
That being said, I was pleasantly surprised from his very witty and entertaining story telling. He really does have a talent to make people laugh and still give his readers a piece of himself at the same time. At the end of his book he gives his FAQ w...more
That being said, I was pleasantly surprised from his very witty and entertaining story telling. He really does have a talent to make people laugh and still give his readers a piece of himself at the same time. At the end of his book he gives his FAQ w...more
I just loved this book. I mean, I really loved it. And I HATE autobiographies. Alan Alda’s destroyed my crush on him, Loretta Lynn’s was disappointing. Wil Wheaton’s was hilarious, heartbreaking, and wonderful. As I said on Facebook earlier today: “I’ve got a new destination for my ‘If I Had A TARDIS’ itinerary: I would totally go back to 2001 and give Wil Wheaton a hug.”
Admittedly, a lot of this book was Wil dealing with his feelings in the aftermath of leaving Star Trek, and I have...more
Admittedly, a lot of this book was Wil dealing with his feelings in the aftermath of leaving Star Trek, and I have...more
To preface how I approached this book, I need to rewind back to the TNG days where each week my father and I would bond by watching an episode together and throwing our geek out onto the table. Having the character Whesley Crusher on the show was a connection to point out - hey, teens can get in on the sci-fi action without the cheese wholesomeness (sorry fans) of Lost in Space. I liked Wheaton in Stand by Me and I'll never forget Toy Soldiers, but mostly I was a fan of Crusher. Not pin up the T...more
This book has a few different types of stories in it. There are the "Holy Crap, I can't believe that I get to hang out with <insert super cool celebrity here>" sections where Wheaton divulges his inner geeky thoughts while recounting his quickly passing time with different celebrities. I found these sections to be entertaining and enjoyable. There are the "I am such a good actor, but I can't get hired" stories that focused on what it is like trying to make a living in H...more
I actually knew of Wil Wheaton as a writer before I ever saw him on TNG. (I fell firmly on the Star Wars side of the Star Trek vs. Star Wars debate when I was growing up.) But he was writing his website and being a geek and staying up all night playing Diablo II at the same time I was. (I remember reading The Trade when it was posted.) So a lot of this book was very nostalgic for me. I mean, I used to be very active online and many of my oldest friends are people who I originally met online...more
The story most people are familiar with is Wil Wheaton's appearance in Stand By Me, followed by his portrayal of the oft-maligned Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation, after which he completely fell off the radar. In a sense, this is the story of What Happened to Wil Wheaton After Star Trek. But it's more than that, too. It is an unabashedly honest (and often hilarious) account of one man's journey from struggling and extremely insecure actor to confident and content writer. Thou...more
It is a rare thing for me to discover a book that when I put it down all I can think of is when I can next get back to it. For more than a year I've been reading Wil Wheaton's blog, listening to his occasional podcasts with Chris Hardwick and was already aware of the reviews he'd done on season 1 of STTNG. But that is so much to say I knew of him as "that guy who was famous for being on Star Trek...a really long time ago."
He was Wesley Crusher. I didn't like Wesley. Not. At....more
He was Wesley Crusher. I didn't like Wesley. Not. At....more
If you read Wil's blog, you probably don't need to read this book, but you probably will want to. The book includes many blog entries that help the newly initiated into Wil's world. The "must have" part is the inclusion of additional commentary that give additional details and back-ground information about what was happening when the blog entry was posted. This commentary adds color to an already interesting subject.
Normally a book of this type ends up just being a celebrit...more
Normally a book of this type ends up just being a celebrit...more
This is a quick, fun read. It's mostly selections from Wheaton's blog supplemented with his thoughts looking back on things after several years. The arc of the story is pretty obvious; it's a poor, struggling actor who overcomes personal demons to triumph in the end. I like Wheaton's writing style, and it's definitely enjoyable to read about his Star Trek and Stand By Me memories, but there's a vein of insincerity there that I'm not wild about. Wil talks a LOT about being honest, and how his...more
Ehhhh. So much angst and conflict and effort to show geek cred and listing all the people who have told him how awesome he is over the years...mostly, I feel disappointed. As for the writing...well...it felt like an okay-ish blog pretty much all the way through...even the parts that weren't cut and pasted from his blog.
I confess that I went into this not knowing much about Sir Wheaton...I just recently rediscovered my love for TNG, and I remember finding him amusing on the 80s fla...more
I confess that I went into this not knowing much about Sir Wheaton...I just recently rediscovered my love for TNG, and I remember finding him amusing on the 80s fla...more
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Wil Wheaton's successful acting career began in 1986 with acclaimed roles in Stand By Me and Toy Soldiers. He continued to build his resume through his teen years as series regular ‘Wesley Crusher’ on Star Trek: The Next Generation and opposite Robin Williams in Flubber. But Wil is much more than just an actor; he’s an author, blogger, voice actor, widely-followed original Twitter user, and a cham...more
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“Sometimes we know in our bones what we really need to do, but we're afraid to do it. Taking a chance and stepping beyond the safety of the world we've always known is the only way to grow, though and without risk there is no reward.”
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