That's one of the conclusions of author and TV writer David
A. Goodman in a first of its kind book for a "Star Trek"
character that imagines new details about the life of the man
who captained the starship Enterprise.
Often taking one-line references from episodes of the iconic TV
and movie science fiction franchise and building entire
storylines, Goodman paints Kirk as a driven, sometimes insecure,
absent father, a man who "left his son, for his job," yet was
destined to be a Starfleet hero.
"Almost everything that's new came out of something that we
already were familiar with," Goodman said.
"The Autobiography of James T. Kirk – The Story of Starfleet’s
Greatest Captain," is to be published by Titan Books on Tuesday
- 49 years to the day after "Star Trek" premiered on television
in 1966.
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It comes with illustrations, including Kirk's Starfleet Academy
class graduation photo and an unsent letter he penned to his
son.
Fan fiction plays a popular role in the "Star Trek" universe and
interest has been building since actor William Shatner, the
best-known embodiment of Kirk, appeared at July's Comic-Con
International with Goodman and read excerpts from the book. A
Shatner-signed copy of the book can be found on the Internet
selling for $150.00.
According to the autobiography, Kirk passed over the Vulcan Mr.
Spock to be his first officer of the starship Enterprise; 20th
century social worker Edith Keeler, not the mother of his son,
was the great love of his life; and Kirk may have another son on
a distant planet – who makes what suspiciously looks like "Star
Trek" movies.
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The book also tells how Dr. McCoy got the nickname “Bones,” and why
Kirk would regret saving history “for the rest of my life."
With the fall of legendary lawyer Atticus Finch, in Harper Lee’s
novel "Go Set A Watchman," will fans of "Star Trek" also suffer
disappointment learning new details about their favorite starship
captain?
"Real heroes are still human beings,” Goodman said
Spock and McCoy are certain his legacy is safe.
In the book's forward, McCoy makes the case that Kirk is "the
greatest hero who ever lived," and Spock in the afterword, writes
"his work and accomplishments make him one of the greatest men who
ever lived. That is objective fact; as a Vulcan, I am incapable of
hyperbole."
(Reporting By Frank Simons, editing by Jill Serjeant)
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