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Shatner Rules

Your Key to Understanding the Shatnerverse and the World at Large
Shatner Rules: Your Key to Understanding the Shatnerverse and the World at Large. Dutton. Oct. 2011. 208p. ISBN 9780525952510. $21.95.
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The man who embodied Captain Kirk and currently stars in $#*! My Dad Says offers not so much a birth-to-now memoir as a demonstration of personality. For fans, including his 400,000 Twitter followers.
In a light, conversational style, the ever-present Shatner () offers his observations and thoughts on a number of topics including aging, success in Hollywood, and some of his past adventures. There's very little here in the way of structure, and Shatner often veers off on tangents. A number of "rules," set in boldface, are interspersed throughout; these are mostly nonsensical but function as jumping-off points for further conversation. It's difficult to say what might be the point of this book, other than to serve as a place for Shatner to air his grievances with his costars, promote his website and Twitter account, and make bad jokes. There are one or two poignant moments, but, unfortunately, they are lost in the overwhelming fluff. Shatner obviously has many fans, but this book is unlikely to gain him new ones. There will be initial demand, but don't expect lasting value. [See Prepub Alert, 4/18/11.]—Craig Shufelt, Fort McMurray P.L., Alta.
In a light, conversational style, the ever-present Shatner (Up Till Now: The Autobiography) offers his observations and thoughts on a number of topics including aging, success in Hollywood, and some of his past adventures. There's very little here in the way of structure, and Shatner often veers off on tangents. A number of "rules," set in boldface, are interspersed throughout; these are mostly nonsensical but function as jumping-off points for further conversation.
VERDICT It's difficult to say what might be the point of this book, other than to serve as a place for Shatner to air his grievances with his Star Trek costars, promote his website and Twitter account, and make bad jokes. There are one or two poignant moments, but, unfortunately, they are lost in the overwhelming fluff. Shatner obviously has many fans, but this book is unlikely to gain him new ones. There will be initial demand, but don't expect lasting value. [See Prepub Alert, 4/18/11.]—Craig Shufelt, Fort McMurray P.L., Alta.
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