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Dancing Barefoot
After nearly two years of blogging, Wheaton compiled and edited an autobiography from his blog entitled Just a Geek, to be released in June 2003. Several of the stories which didn't fit into Geek have been collected in a smaller companion volume, Dancing Barefoot, which is now available from Wheaton's publishing company, Monolith Press (www.monolithpress.com). The legions of Trek fans who have rediscovered Wheaton as a guy much like themselves, as well as those weblog readers who enjoy Wil's humor but don't know the difference between trilithium and tribbles, will find Barefoot irresistable. Those with only a casual interest in Wheaton but familiar with Trek will find the book's showpiece, The Saga of Spongebob Vegas Pants, well worth reading. Wheaton's conversational, intimate writing style may even convince them to read the rest of the book. Cartoon illustrations provided by Ben A. Claassen III are an excellent complement to the casual essays.
Barefoot begins with four short pieces, essentially vignettes of days (or even moments) in the author's life. These range from the amusing (ruminations on teenaged lust and paths untaken) to the melancholy (Houses in Motion, a paean to Wheaton's deceased great aunt), and one needn't be told that they were culled from journal entries, because they very much read that way. The best is Houses -- although it sometimes ranges into maudlin territory, it is also the most courageous writing in the book. Wheaton's generation has been raised on a diet of pop culture and cynicism, and it's invigorating -- if somewhat startling -- to see someone of that generation openly expressing such feelings of devotion and despair.
The man who spent his formative years aboard the starship Enterprise departs from the short form for the final and most engrossing portion of the book, the aforementioned Spongebob Vegas Pants. It's the chronicle of a Star Trek convention held in Las Vegas, during which Wheaton tolerates the alternatingly ugly and kindly faces of fandom, but eventually rediscovers his enthusiasm for the Trek universe. Those who have attended such conventions will immediately recognize the fan archetypes, while those who have never been to such an event may decide that they never, ever want to. Fortunately, the story is less about the horrors of being a convention guest and more about the resolution of Wheaton's conflicted personal feelings about having been a part of the Trek phenomenon -- including his unpleasant run-ins with the original captain of the Enterprise, referred to repeatedly as William F---ing Shatner.
Certain sections of Dancing Barefoot could have used another turn under an editor's pen. Sponge Bob Vegas Pants, in particular, has a few passages that don't serve the story much, but as with the deleted scenes on a special edition DVD, some readers will be grateful for the extra material, regardless of how it affects the overall pace. Frequent atticisms will sustain the rest of the book's audience through the book's slower passages, though, and the author's humility is an effective antidote for the feeling that one might be about to read the memoirs of yet another self-indulgent celebrity blowhard -- which Mr. Wheaton certainly is not.
Given that the engaging Dancing Barefoot comprises the material that didn't make it into Just A Geek, it feels much like an appetizer to the larger work. Let's hope the main course is as tasty.
I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at Dancing Barefoot as well. If you've read Wheaton's blog at all, you may be familiar with his funny, often self-deprecating, and above all, honest writing style. Sometimes, his blog entries are brief one-liners, but other times, they are quite courageous and emotional stories that really draw you in.
Even if you don't want to be drawn in.
Of course, I wasn't all that drawn in, you know, 'cause I'm a bad ass.
No, really.
And I didn't get choked up at ALL reading any of it, especially the one about his Aunt Val's house.
I did NOT.
Shut up.
Where was I? Oh yeah. Dancing Barefoot takes some stories that were previously on the blog, and adds to them, finishes them -- puts some more polish on the edges, and presents something that is incredibly human, touching, and even grand.
This book is worth reading just for the Saga of Spongebob VegasPants alone. Even if you're a long-time blog reader, I can almost guarantee there is some stuff you haven't seen yet.
I'm glad to see some of Wil's writing make it into print after having read his blog for so long. His style online, while not always what one would consider highly-polished (an asset, actually) is very heart-felt and honest.
Nice to see someone who had an early acting career not show up as one of those 'and they found him in his car, stoned out of his mind, with 17 sheep and a bottle of vodka' sorts of stories. Wil seems to be a decent guy, and I hope he succeeds enough with his writing to make that his profession, if he chooses.
Cheers, Uncle Wil.
What a content-free review. We're told time and time again that we will find this book facinating but never how this book provides something that books written by other Trek actors or other genXers doesn't. Are we supposed to find this 'better' than other books because of Wil's supposedly candor in his writing style? It's not clear to me.
It sounds like this book is only directed towards Wheaton fans. This review doesn't suggest that this book will view already familiar subject matter from a fresh perspective. Maybe it does. Hell, I certainly don't know. But this review is terrible. The review also states that the book is comprised of four vingettes. Well, are these things actually related? Or is it just a collection of stuff? Again, the review doesn't say.
Seriously, my time is pretty valuable. I only read stuff that I think will provide me with something fresh and new. This review does not tell me whether this book does such a thing.
GMD
watch this
I want to know more about its general feel! I want to know more about what I might not like! I want to know more than "There are parts that need to be polished, but ignore my last sentance"!
The general feel is kind of like the author is a friend or a family member writing you a letter about stuff. Like the review says, "Hey, dude, you gotta check this out" kind of thing. It just sort of makes you feel like you know the guy, even though of course you don't. Like you might have hung out together in high school, then lost touch.
What might you not like? Well, you might not like that kind of friendliness. The stories are emotional in many ways. Depending on your point of view, you might see them as overly sentimental or even maudlin. I didn't, but I know a few cynical folks to whom any indication of emotion is automatically sneered at. It's not a technical book. It's more of a glimpse into one person's life. If you don't care for personal glimpses, you might not like it.
Dunno. I've watched some episodes of Star Trek, and even enjoyed them, but I had no idea who Wil Wheaton was until I once read his Slashdot interview. I just enjoy his writing, and this book contains some of the best.
What else would you want to know?
The illustrations are cool too.
Heheh.
I'm surprised that Wil hasn't been on "Where Are They Now?" on VH1. It's absolutely amazing how hardcore-trekkers reviled him in yesteryear, and everybody else essentially ignored him. And here he is, a Slashdot regular. You gotta take your hat off to the guy...not everybody gets a second chance.
--- Where's my car, and why are these grass stains on my pants?
I never thought many moons ago I would see someone on TV, and then talk to him many years later on this Internet thing.
I discussed how much I hated some horror movie where his family was getting infected(I can't access IMDB right now). He replied on fark a few posts later how much he hated it as well.
I felt like I upped my geek status at that point.
I've never had the particular honor to have been able to speak with him in person or on an online forum, but I've read over some of his comments and blog posts in the past. This book sounds like one I need to add to my list in the near future!
Mr. Wheaton has always come across to me as being an honest, true techie with a Clue. The fact that he speaks his mind without hesitation only makes me respect him that much more; a guy could easily dig himself into quite a hole with as many ears listening as he has.
I wonder, though, if this is the beginning of a new wave of publications-- dead-tree compilations of blogs? I'm not sure what I feel about that. For every good blog, there're a few hundred that are a total waste of electrons.
From the review of Dancing Barefoot:
The best is Houses -- although it sometimes ranges into maudlin territory, it is also the most courageous writing in the book. Wheaton's generation has been raised on a diet of pop culture and cynicism, and it's invigorating -- if somewhat startling -- to see someone of that generation openly expressing such feelings of devotion and despair.
Startling, but not unique in this generation. David Eggers' memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius: Based on a True Story specialises in this style of self-revealing, self-referential, reflective, intelligent, witty prose. One can't help but notice the similarities in the relationship between Eggers and his brother Toph, and the relationship Wheaton has with his stepson. While reveling in the part of himself that will always be a boy brought out by the younger (the child is father of the man, and all that) he also can reflect on the call to greater responsibility required by the relationship, accepted somewhat reluctantly.
Eggers started a whole (and very good) imprimatur with a group of authors and artists who also transcend the pop culture they were raised on. Good Stuff and worth reading!
It's neat that Wil has `geek' tendancies, and it's not often that celebrities have blogs (but becoming more common), but he has much to learn before we can dub him `head-geek'.
Unless he's locked in a closet with my grandma and a tricorder, of course :)
Wow, people suck. I hope these are just a fringe element, and not a representative sample of the current slashdot population.
So for a different perspective, i thought Wesley Crusher was an annoying git, even though i'm a bit jealous of the name recognition (better to rule in hell than serve in heaven or some such.) I know very little about you, but you seem like an okay guy based off the posts here. Cool! You've got a book out! Wish i could do that :) Hope it does well!
This Space Intentionally Left Blank
I wonder how Gene reacted to the public irritation with his characterization of Mr. Crusher.
:)
It hurt him a great deal.
Wesley was Gene's idealized self. Wesley was the kid that Gene couldn't be, and he hated it that the fans, who he loved, hated this character so much.
I remember once, we were at the same convention, and there was a group of fans chanting someting like "kill wesley" or "wesley sucks" or something equally intelligent.
Gene, who was about a thousand at the time, and not exactly spry, stormed up on the stage, grabbed the microphone, and said something along the lines of, "All you people just STFU! I make this show the way I want to! I don't make it for you, I make it for me, and if you don't like it, you can watch something else!"
There was a stunned silence, and then applause from the few majority of people who didn't share the opinion of the haters.
It was awesome.
I know that Gene respected and appreciated the fans, just like all of us do . . . but there's only so much a guy can take, you know?
Just read this thread at 1, and you'll get an inkling of about 1/10E6 of what I put up with for 15 years . . . and I was just an actor on the damn thing. I didn't even create it.
I know now, as a writer, that criticism of writing stings much worse than criticism of acting. The writing is much more personal, you know?
And thanks for setting the record straight on my history with TNG.
I remember noticing this really goofy guy . . .
:)
Heh. Some things never change.
You made a teenage geek very happy. Thank you.
That's awesome. I always try to be not a dick when people ask me for autographs and stuff . . . but when I was a teenager . . . well, I didn't just look goofy. I *was* goofy: insecure, awkward, and anxious. I could have easily let my insecurities get the better of me, and acted like some of the AC's here. I'm glad I didn't.
I was at Disneyworld then with my best friend Darin. It was for his 18th birthday. I was 16, and we thought we were SO COOL (nod to Teen Girl Squad) being all the way in Mysterious Florida . . . I have nothing but wonderful memories from that vacation (even though I lost my nerve and didn't kiss the cute girl while I was there.)
It's awesome to me that you have a good memory, and I'm part of it. Thank you for sharing it.