The Autobiography of James T. Kirk
{4.5/5} “During this period, the only personal connections I relied on were with Spock and McCoy. McCoy and I went back far enough that our friendship was like old leather. Spock’s friendship was different; because of his devotion to Vulcan principles, it never felt close, and he never required emotional support from me. But I could always count on him to be there.”
The Autobiography of James T. Kirk by David A. Goodman, published in 2015
Part of James T. Kirk wants to settle down and raise a family — but a larger part wants to explore the galaxy. So that’s what he does, eventually becoming the captain of the Enterprise and going on multiple 5-year missions with his friends Spock and McCoy. They do a lot of good, even saving the galaxy once in a while, but Kirk is troubled by all the lives lost under his command.
Goodman cleverly and judiciously weaves key events from Kirk’s life into a coherent picture. A few events make more sense with the additional details he provides.
We also find out how Kirk felt about those events, which is the real added value of this book. Goodman does a remarkable job.
The pieces of his own that he adds fit in seamlessly, and sometimes hilariously.
This is the 1st book by Goodman I’ve read — he’s also written for television, including Star Trek: Enterprise.