The Search for Not Spock

“Wine is technically a juice.” You read any- and everything on the Internet.

Porridger’s Almanack (Breakfast of Ganglions)

The universe is winding down—why shouldn't we?

— Woody Allen, Whatever Works

I forget just when or just how I learnt of Leonard Nimoy’s early memoir, I Am Not Spock, but I’ve certainly been keenly curious to read it, at the latest since watching Star Trek on Blu-ray. Trying to hunt the book down, my experience was that the results presented to me were invariably the sequel, I Am Spock. Yes, I wanted to read the later book, too, but, well, where possible I like to take these things in order. I did find a very good used hardcover copy of the later book for ca. $5, and while I waited for that to come in the mail, I rang my friendly local librarian. Librarians are some of my favorite people. The Library has a nice website and generally speaking it’s possible to search the catalogue there, but I appear to have a penchant for wanting items for which I do not succeed in searching online. Thus, I asked my librarian for I Am Not Spock. She also, in her search, found the sequel and indeed I had to assure her that there really is/was a book of the title I had specified. She expanded her search (in ways unavailable to us laity) and she found a copy to borrow from a certain network of libraries. The copy which I have had the privilege to read was—well, frail would be overstating its condition. Let’s call it well-read. I have lately finished reading the book. Indeed, I’ve just this hour returned it to the Library. Now, I did enjoy the reading. Very much. But I don’t need to pay $50 to own a used “acceptable” copy. So the adventure has been a thorough success.