Scan barcode
librarianonparade's review
3.0
One of the defining characteristics of Star Trek, through all of its various incarnations, has always been the way it used its futuristic setting to shed light on the events of humanity's past and present, to use allegory and parallels to tell stories that were alien enough to be entertaining but sufficiently recognisable enough to teach something about our own lives and cultures and history. Whether it was Kirk, Spock and McCoy visiting planets whose culture was modelled on the Chicago gangs of the 1920s or Nazi Germany, or the optimistic diverse and integrated society heralded by the presence of an African-American woman, a Russian and a Japanese man on the bridge, Star Trek always had something to say that was relevant to its audience, whether that audience was watching in the 1960s, 70s, 80s, or right up to today.
This collection of essays explores a variety of historical aspects of Star Trek, discussing elements from all five television series and all the movies, including the 2009 reboot. The essays range from discussions about Star Trek as a sci-fi Western, exploring the Vietnam War in four TOS episodes, the depiction of Native Americans in Star Trek's Federation of Planets, the role of classic literature, the depiction of historical settings on the holodeck, the casting of the Klingons as the Soviets and the Cardassians as the Nazis.
Some of the essays seemed a little out of place, and I couldn't really see how they quite fitted into an anthology about Star Trek and history - the essay on technology, for instance, or the portrayal of women in Star Trek. Interesting topics, but the historical connections were, for me, tenuous. Still, it was a light, entertaining read, although few of the essays really contributed anything especially philosophical, thought-provoking or unfamiliar.
This collection of essays explores a variety of historical aspects of Star Trek, discussing elements from all five television series and all the movies, including the 2009 reboot. The essays range from discussions about Star Trek as a sci-fi Western, exploring the Vietnam War in four TOS episodes, the depiction of Native Americans in Star Trek's Federation of Planets, the role of classic literature, the depiction of historical settings on the holodeck, the casting of the Klingons as the Soviets and the Cardassians as the Nazis.
Some of the essays seemed a little out of place, and I couldn't really see how they quite fitted into an anthology about Star Trek and history - the essay on technology, for instance, or the portrayal of women in Star Trek. Interesting topics, but the historical connections were, for me, tenuous. Still, it was a light, entertaining read, although few of the essays really contributed anything especially philosophical, thought-provoking or unfamiliar.
More...