{4.5\/5} “Will… they put us in charge of these vessels, they train us as best they can to be emissaries of peace, to avoid conflict… but there will always be those who look to war and violence for their solution, who operate out of greed and self-interest. We can’t blame ourselves for their occasional success. Just be certain the moral arc of the history is on our side.”<\/p>\n
The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard<\/strong> by David A. Goodman, published in 2017<\/p>\n Jean-Luc Picard’s family owns a vineyard, but he sets his sights on the stars — and he gets there, courtesy of Starfleet Academy. After serving aboard the Reliant he transfers to the Stargazer, where he eventually becomes captain while still a young officer. The Stargazer offers him the chance to hones his abilities, all of which he will need when he boards the Enterprise.<\/p>\n Goodman includes key events we know of from the series and movies. However, no events are included from the novels — they’re from a different publisher.<\/p>\n Events include meeting Guinan for the 1st time, becoming friends and colleagues with Walker Keel and Jack Crusher, the Federation’s introduction to the Cardassians, and a fascinating encounter with the Denobulans.<\/p>\n We watch Picard become a better captain — and a better person. Much of the book takes place before he becomes captain of the Enterprise.<\/p>\n As with Goodman’s previous book, it’s delightful. He picks reasonable events that we know about, and includes his own details which fit in perfectly.<\/p>\n