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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.
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irc.goatse.info #trolls
"What Would Wil Wheaton Do?" is the question I find myself asking daily. I hope this book will help me find the answers I seek.
The title of the other book got that damn Biz Markee song stuck in my head.
"You say hes just a geek.
But you say hes just a geek,
But you say hes just a geek."
Yeah yeah, OT I know.
Pages, a big fat list of links, which I assuredly did not pay for but was funny on the shelf. Reading old blogs on paper is just an ironic anachronism. Although if the guy makes money, good for him. Is this a troll? I'm not a troller in general but I'm not sure this time... ;-}
I just heard some sad news on CNN - star of Star Trek: The Next Generation and open-source advocate Wil Wheaton was found dead in his California home this morning . There weren't any more details. I'm sure everyone in the Slashdot community will miss him -- even if you didn't enjoy his television show, there's no denying his contributions to popular culture. Truly an American icon.
"I'm not a geek, but I play one on tv."
Vote for Pedro
Hey I'd just like to say that all you people making fun of Wil's wife need to chill. Fat people need love to, especially single ones with bratty kids. The fact that Wil could see her inner beauty, and fell in love with her despite her obesity and excessive emotional baggage due to a child born out of wedlock to an ex-con, speaks volumes about his character.
Leave the poor couple alone!
and a prolapsed anus thanks to hurtful comments liek that!!!
In Soviet Russia, boy crushes Wesley!!
--
"Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
I agree with everything you say. It seems that the Dark Side is more logical and free-thinking. I wish to join your forces. And, seriously, blog-related news NEEDS to have its own section. Also, I would pay money to see someone fuck Wil Wheaton up the ass. Preferably a large muscular black man. Any takers? Or do any large black muscular men read slashdot? Probably not. You're all probably a bunch of Communist Hippie Fucks. But seriously, I HATE reading anything to do with blogging. Even the word "blog" makes me want to go around the neighborhood with an ak47.
This is the best book ever written, hands down. I can't wait to buy a copy for everyone I know.
Hey Wil Wheaton, you suck, your a shitty person. I'm going to go to school and tell all my friends that I made fun of Wil Wheaton and they will give me a high five.
i would rather have my eyes gouged-out with a rusty fork than have to submit to have wil wheaton as the representative of all of geekdom. all the ubergeeks i know consider wil wheaton to be something of a wiener monkey, and if you don't agree with us you should read something awful's article:
http://somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=1123
or
http://somethingawful.com/articles.php?a=972
wil wheaton should not be writing books, or blogging, or existing, or in any other way influencing my culture. and he should especially not be joining my green party and tainting it with his unholy presence.
Sounds like you've earned your $6,000,000 advance.
Finding God in a Dog
Wow, people suck.
Good god, it took you this long to figure that out??