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Just a Geek [Hardcover]

Wil Wheaton (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)


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Book Description

June 2004

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 places, Topeka, Kansas, Wil discovered that despite his claims to fame, he was at heart Just a Geek.

In this bestselling book, Wil shares his deeply personal and difficult journey to find himself. You'll understand the rigors, and joys, of Wil's rediscovering of himself, as he comes to terms with what it means to be famous, or, ironically, famous for once having been famous. Writing with honesty and disarming humanity, Wil touches on the frustrations associated with his acting career, his inability to distance himself from Ensign Crusher in the public's eyes, the launch of his incredibly successful web site, wilwheaton.net, and the joy he's found in writing. Through all of this, Wil shares the ups and downs he encountered along the journey, along with the support and love he discovered from his friends and family.

The stories in Just a Geek include:

  • Wil's plunge from teen star to struggling actor
  • Discovering the joys of HTML, blogging, Linux, and web design
  • The struggle between Wesley Crusher, Starfleet ensign, and Wil Wheaton, author and blogger
  • Gut-wrenching reactions to the 9-11 disaster
  • Moving tales of Wil's relationships with his wife, step-children, and extended family
  • The transition from a B-list actor to an A-list author

Wil Wheaton--celebrity, blogger, and geek--writes for the geek in all of us. Engaging, witty, and pleasantly self-deprecating, Just a Geek will surprise you and make you laugh.



Editorial Reviews

Review

"A cleverly constructed and vivid collection of memoirs with flashes of brilliant wit, this title betters even Dancing Barefoot." - Paul Hudson, Linux Format, Nov (top stuff award)

About the Author

Wil Wheaton may be one of the most unusual celebrities of our time. Born into stardom with the movie "Stand By Me", and then growing up on television as Wesley Crusher on "Star Trek: The Next Generation", Wil was in the spotlight nearly his entire childhood. Instead of burning out as a child star, he left fame behind and became a computer specialist in what Hollywood might consider the middle of nowhere: Topeka, Kansas. Now, Wil considers himself "just a geek", and both Dancing Barefoot and the forthcoming biography Just a Geek are about his journey in rediscovering himself and coming to terms with what it means to be famous, or, ironically, famous for being previously famous.


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (June 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 059600768X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0596007683
  • Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #457,942 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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 Twitter user, and a champion of geek culture.

Wil currently splits his time between acting and writing. In 2010, he joined the cast of Eureka as Doctor Isaac Parrish, and recurs as Sheldon Cooper's nemesis, Evil Wil Wheaton, on The Big Bang Theory. He's published three acclaimed books: Just A Geek, Dancing Barefoot, and The Happiest Days of Our Lives. His latest books are Sunken Treasure, The Day After and Other Stories, and Memories of the Future, Volume One. All of his books grew out of Wil's immensely popular, award-winning weblog, which he created at WIL WHEATON dot NET and currently maintains at WIL WHEATON dot NET: in Exile.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
114 of 120 people found the following review helpful
Not just for Star Trek fans September 6, 2004
Format:Hardcover
If you wish you could be a famous actor like Wil Wheaton, after reading this book you might understand that being a famous actor is not all cracked up to be. This is a guy who has had a hit movie and a hit TV show. Not many actors can claim one of each, and yet, he suffers the life of a "has been" and doesn't enjoy the riches we all think famous actors of hit stuff enjoy for a lifetime.

This guy has impressed me with his brutally honest autobiography. The people and industry he speaks of are the people you and I are likely to have heard of. It's the kind of stuff that could get you kicked out of Hollywood for good.

Why would anyone want to read an autobio about a guy on a couple of hit shows who is a blogger? I can't answer that, but I can tell ya it is great reading. The people who would like this book are geeks, bloggers, Star Trek fans, famous people fans, actor wanna-bes, parents with step-kids, and Shatner haters.

Despite his being celebrity, he's a guy who faces problems many of us do. Financial, a difficult ex who is no help with the kids, balancing a career and family, and finding the right job.

His writing style is candid, conversational and comes across like a friend who is talking to you. Since he and I are parents, must mention that he uses a few cuss words. If you like his blog writings, you'll like this book - without question. However, if you've read every blog entry he has done, you've read most of this book. Furthermore, if you've read Dancing Barefoot, you've caught about a chapter's worth of this book.

Trek fans, don't expect an entire book on his life as Wesley. Wheaton, the actor fans, don't expect an entire book about acting although it covers a bit. WWdN, you're getting exactly what you see in his blog.

He might be famous and a hotshot blogger, but he has lived through many things you and I have, too. That's what makes the book a delight. This review may sound like one from a groupie, but my responsibility is to readers not to Wheaton. My only disappointment was "re-reading" the "Saga of Spongebob Vegaspants" since this was already covered in Dancing Barefoot.
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118 of 130 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is a frank, straight up look into Wil Wheatons life and transformation from actor, to writer (and believe me there is a lot that happens in between that transformation). I highly recommend this book, whether you are a Star Trek fan or not, its a book about simply being a loving, caring, individual.
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60 of 65 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Although Wil draws on his experiences during and after Star Trek for this book, it's not a celebrity memoir or similiar plea for attention. Just a Geek is a real-world story of one guy's struggles to be a good person/husband/father/actor/blogger/geek -- basically what we all deal with to some degree or another -- but funnier than heck. Wil Wheaton has great comic timing and a refreshing willingness to poke fun at himself and his mistakes.

And even though Trek isn't all this book is about, if you've ever attended a SF convention or watched Trekkies read this book for a glimpse of the actor's lives behind the scenes.

I never bother to get writers to sign their books, but if I ever get the chance to meet Wil, I'll ask him to sign my copy. Brilliant stuff.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Unflinchingly honest almost to a fault
The strength of Wil Wheaton's memoir is his willingness to bare his soul, flaws and everything. His heart-on-sleeve style is nearly too much for me, but I can't help but admire his... Read more
Published 1 day ago by Daniel Estes
A Geek
Nice to see what Wil Wheaton has done beyond Star Trek. He's a very smart and funny guy, and the book is quite amusing.
Published 1 month ago by J Hante
Geek before it was cool.
Wil Wheaton -- he's not just Wesley Crusher anymore. In fact, he's a real-life geek.

This is Wheaton's longer book of short, autobiographical stories. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Luna Lindsey
Entertaining from beginning to end.
This book was lost in a move before I had a chance to read it and it just turned up this morning. I read it beginning to end in just a few hours and enjoyed every bit of it. Read more
Published 4 months ago by NatalieX
Great Read
Just a Geek is an enjoyable read. The book is an autobiography of Wil Wheaton, focusing on his life and struggles after Star Trek. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jeremy Kubica
Painfully, Intimately Honest
I wondered what happened to Wil Wheaton after Star Trek: Next Generation. He's shown up lately in The Guild webisodes, but this was written before that. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mom of Nearly Triplets
A wonderfully personal account of the struggles of a creative mind
I just finished listening to the audiobook version of this book which Wil reads and annotates quite well. Read more
Published 7 months ago by msting100
Fantastic and Touching Memoir for all us Geeks
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... Read more
Published 10 months ago by BlueFairy
Insightful and Engaging
As the title of my review suggests, I found this book to be insightful and engaging. I couldn't put it down, and I really enjoyed the gritty, honest look into a child actor's life... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Jillian Iris
An honest review of a man's life
You know, I suspect that I was one of about five people that liked the character Wesley Crusher. It fueled my dreams of one day entering space and maybe, just maybe I could do it... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Dominic
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