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The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy
Living with Dad was like living with a stranger—as a kid I often had trouble connecting and relating to him. But I was always proud of him.
Even before Star Trek I'd see him popping up in bit roles on some of my favorite TV shows like Get Smart, Sea Hunt, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. And then one night he brought home Polaroids of himself in makeup and wardrobe for a pilot he was working on. It was December 1964 and nobody had heard of Star Trek. Still, the eight-year-old me had watched enough Outer Limits and My Favorite Martian to understand exactly what I was looking at.
Spock's popularity happened quickly, and soon the fan magazines were writing about dad's personal life, characterizing us as a "close family." But the awkwardness that defined our early relationship blossomed into conflict, sometimes smoldering, sometimes open and intense. There were occasional flashes of warmth between the arguments and hurt feelings—even something akin to love—especially when we were celebrating my father's many successes. The rest of the time, things between us were often strained.
My resentment towards my father kept building through the years. I wasn't blameless, I know that now, but my bitterness blinded me to any thought of my own contribution to the problem.
I wanted things to be different for my children. I wanted to be the father I never had, so I coached Maddy's soccer, drove Jonah to music lessons, helped them with their homework—all the things dads are supposed to do. All the things I wanted to do. So what if my Dad and I had been estranged for years? I was living one day at a time.
And then I got his letter.
That marked a turning point in our lives, a moment that cleared the way for a new relationship between us.
Even before Star Trek I'd see him popping up in bit roles on some of my favorite TV shows like Get Smart, Sea Hunt, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. And then one night he brought home Polaroids of himself in makeup and wardrobe for a pilot he was working on. It was December 1964 and nobody had heard of Star Trek. Still, the eight-year-old me had watched enough Outer Limits and My Favorite Martian to understand exactly what I was looking at.
Spock's popularity happened quickly, and soon the fan magazines were writing about dad's personal life, characterizing us as a "close family." But the awkwardness that defined our early relationship blossomed into conflict, sometimes smoldering, sometimes open and intense. There were occasional flashes of warmth between the arguments and hurt feelings—even something akin to love—especially when we were celebrating my father's many successes. The rest of the time, things between us were often strained.
My resentment towards my father kept building through the years. I wasn't blameless, I know that now, but my bitterness blinded me to any thought of my own contribution to the problem.
I wanted things to be different for my children. I wanted to be the father I never had, so I coached Maddy's soccer, drove Jonah to music lessons, helped them with their homework—all the things dads are supposed to do. All the things I wanted to do. So what if my Dad and I had been estranged for years? I was living one day at a time.
And then I got his letter.
That marked a turning point in our lives, a moment that cleared the way for a new relationship between us.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 17, 2024
The Most Human by Adam Nimoy is so much more than a memior. It is at its core a story of growth, forgiveness and moving forward. The thing I enjoy most about reading others non-fiction lives is the gritty insight. I don't want it sugar-coated or written with an artistic license. I have fiction for that.
Reading about others struggles on the surface seems like it would be overwhelmingly negative but I'd argue the opposite is true. Seeing commonalities between us and the human side of our favorite stars endears us to them even more. We're not that different after all.
This book is a collection of memories by Adam about his father. It isn't dressed up or controversial but it speaks to a strained relationship between parent and child that lots of us growing up in this era had. I suspect some healing came from the writing and reliving the stories itself. I don't know how I expected life as Leonard Nimoy's son to be, but this was a little eye-opening. Leonard the man, the actor, the synagogue member, and how he navigated the trials of complex relationships, was an interesting peek into his real life. I could relate to having a distant father, even though mine definitely wasn't a movie star. A lot of what we viewed as coldness as a child, I know now as an adult, was simply generational. If you can separate the star from the man or if you like the sociology of fatherhood, then you'll enjoy this too.
Reading about others struggles on the surface seems like it would be overwhelmingly negative but I'd argue the opposite is true. Seeing commonalities between us and the human side of our favorite stars endears us to them even more. We're not that different after all.
This book is a collection of memories by Adam about his father. It isn't dressed up or controversial but it speaks to a strained relationship between parent and child that lots of us growing up in this era had. I suspect some healing came from the writing and reliving the stories itself. I don't know how I expected life as Leonard Nimoy's son to be, but this was a little eye-opening. Leonard the man, the actor, the synagogue member, and how he navigated the trials of complex relationships, was an interesting peek into his real life. I could relate to having a distant father, even though mine definitely wasn't a movie star. A lot of what we viewed as coldness as a child, I know now as an adult, was simply generational. If you can separate the star from the man or if you like the sociology of fatherhood, then you'll enjoy this too.
June 10, 2024
Narration: B+
Content: B+
Best Aspect: I learned a lot about the Nimoy family I didn’t know a thing about. And Adam airs all the dirty laundry.
Worst Aspect: So much toxic family behavior it can be a little upsetting.
Recommend: Yes.
Content: B+
Best Aspect: I learned a lot about the Nimoy family I didn’t know a thing about. And Adam airs all the dirty laundry.
Worst Aspect: So much toxic family behavior it can be a little upsetting.
Recommend: Yes.
July 19, 2024
This is not a book about Leonard Nimoy; it's a long-winded, extremely dull and repetitive series of complaints by a recovering drug addict who wants everyone to feel sorry for him. It is mostly filled with negative energy toward everyone the author has encountered, including his dad, mom, first wife, and children. If you're expecting insights into his relationship with his famous dad you'll be extremely disappointed because that makes up only a tiny portion of the pages.
The book starts off wrong by saying some of the people and "details mentioned in this book have been fictionalized." Huh? Why would this mostly unknown writer need to do that? And since he never tells us what has been fictionalized, we have no idea what to believe.
The main thrust of this book is the writer's decades-long addiction to pot, which he compares to Leonard's love of drinking. When he finally sees how it has destroyed his career and family life, he writes, "I had always believed there was no comparison between pot and alcohol; you can maintain while under the influence of week more so than you can on booze...(But when he saw how his father abused liquor) I could see that it really didn't make any difference."
That's a strong statement to make that everyone needs to hear, especially the dope deniers who claim that pot isn't addictive or can't really hurt you. So for that I'm grateful.
But the book goes down hill once he starts recovery and he uses the rest of the pages to become his personal therapy session where he regurgitates all the negativity in his life.
This disturbingly comes with terrible anti-Christian, anti-Catholic, and very anti-Republican rants that are totally out of place for a guy who claims to be "liberal" or "open-minded" in his thinking and tolerant of all! Typical left-leaning Democrat. Adam says he was raised by very liberal parents who also seemed to have their own warped biases about those that weren't Jewish. If anything, this book makes Jews look racist and bigoted. He should be ashamed of using the pages to rant against conservatives he hates instead of being truly open to common ground or see that hanging around with liberals that lie, cheat, and don't give you love are simply hypocrites.
The author tries to convince us he's a good parent but he's actually a disaster. He allows his little kids listen to totally inappropriate adult rock music, then brags when his 11-year-old son who can't pass schoolwork shows great knowledge of how to play a rock song. Nimoy inexplicably moves out of his family house to his own apartment when he starts recovery and never returns, then wonders why his kids are so bitter toward him (refusing to visit his place) and why his first wife becomes so mean or vindictive. The guy is a self-centered jerk who became worse while going through AA!
He tries to claim that he finally comes to peace with his dad after apologizing for a long list of grievances, but Adam doesn't recognize that it wasn't until after his mother died that the long-divorced Leonard started reaching out and accepting his son. Didn't Adam ever think that his dad was standoffish because he felt the son had taken the mother's side in the divorce?
The worst part of the book is how badly it's written. He tells "stories" that have no real point or ending. He starts a subject that sounds intriguing, then it falls flat because nothing happens. At one point he writes, "Mostly we did ordinary, more mundane things." That's for sure--but why does he think we should care about them? Because he's a Nimoy? There are almost no specifics about his father's career nor about Adam's own Hollywood workload. By the middle of the book I just wanted to give up because it was so dull--who cares about the minutia of his recovery program or driving his kids places or what he ate or who dated him? It's a lot of navel-gazing and masturbatory self-congratulations to make him feel better than others.
The section on his courtship and marriage of a second wife (a Catholic with conservative parents), who lived only a year or so beyond their wedding, is confusing and incomplete. It had the start of something interesting but once again he fails to provide details or a compelling storyline. And how could he gloss over the part he mentions twice that his mother condemned his wife's Catholicism falsely blaming that religion for abusing Jews in the Holocaust. There was no context beyond those ignorant statements, and why include them when they only made his parents look bad?
This book was meant, I think, to show that Leonard Nimoy was extremely human, distant, and self-focused; instead I discovered that Adam Nimoy is bitter, delusional, clueless, and much worse.
The book starts off wrong by saying some of the people and "details mentioned in this book have been fictionalized." Huh? Why would this mostly unknown writer need to do that? And since he never tells us what has been fictionalized, we have no idea what to believe.
The main thrust of this book is the writer's decades-long addiction to pot, which he compares to Leonard's love of drinking. When he finally sees how it has destroyed his career and family life, he writes, "I had always believed there was no comparison between pot and alcohol; you can maintain while under the influence of week more so than you can on booze...(But when he saw how his father abused liquor) I could see that it really didn't make any difference."
That's a strong statement to make that everyone needs to hear, especially the dope deniers who claim that pot isn't addictive or can't really hurt you. So for that I'm grateful.
But the book goes down hill once he starts recovery and he uses the rest of the pages to become his personal therapy session where he regurgitates all the negativity in his life.
This disturbingly comes with terrible anti-Christian, anti-Catholic, and very anti-Republican rants that are totally out of place for a guy who claims to be "liberal" or "open-minded" in his thinking and tolerant of all! Typical left-leaning Democrat. Adam says he was raised by very liberal parents who also seemed to have their own warped biases about those that weren't Jewish. If anything, this book makes Jews look racist and bigoted. He should be ashamed of using the pages to rant against conservatives he hates instead of being truly open to common ground or see that hanging around with liberals that lie, cheat, and don't give you love are simply hypocrites.
The author tries to convince us he's a good parent but he's actually a disaster. He allows his little kids listen to totally inappropriate adult rock music, then brags when his 11-year-old son who can't pass schoolwork shows great knowledge of how to play a rock song. Nimoy inexplicably moves out of his family house to his own apartment when he starts recovery and never returns, then wonders why his kids are so bitter toward him (refusing to visit his place) and why his first wife becomes so mean or vindictive. The guy is a self-centered jerk who became worse while going through AA!
He tries to claim that he finally comes to peace with his dad after apologizing for a long list of grievances, but Adam doesn't recognize that it wasn't until after his mother died that the long-divorced Leonard started reaching out and accepting his son. Didn't Adam ever think that his dad was standoffish because he felt the son had taken the mother's side in the divorce?
The worst part of the book is how badly it's written. He tells "stories" that have no real point or ending. He starts a subject that sounds intriguing, then it falls flat because nothing happens. At one point he writes, "Mostly we did ordinary, more mundane things." That's for sure--but why does he think we should care about them? Because he's a Nimoy? There are almost no specifics about his father's career nor about Adam's own Hollywood workload. By the middle of the book I just wanted to give up because it was so dull--who cares about the minutia of his recovery program or driving his kids places or what he ate or who dated him? It's a lot of navel-gazing and masturbatory self-congratulations to make him feel better than others.
The section on his courtship and marriage of a second wife (a Catholic with conservative parents), who lived only a year or so beyond their wedding, is confusing and incomplete. It had the start of something interesting but once again he fails to provide details or a compelling storyline. And how could he gloss over the part he mentions twice that his mother condemned his wife's Catholicism falsely blaming that religion for abusing Jews in the Holocaust. There was no context beyond those ignorant statements, and why include them when they only made his parents look bad?
This book was meant, I think, to show that Leonard Nimoy was extremely human, distant, and self-focused; instead I discovered that Adam Nimoy is bitter, delusional, clueless, and much worse.
May 22, 2024
A remarkable and honest portrayal of Adam Nimoy's reconciliation with his father Leonard. Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC, and the wonderful audiobook narrated by the author.
June 21, 2024
It’s an iconic line, isn’t it? “Of all the souls I’ve encountered in my travels, his was the most human.” In my head, I still hear it with all of the Shatnerian pauses, and it still brings a tear to my eye, even though Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan came out more than 40 years ago – and we all know that wasn’t the end for either Spock or the man who made that ‘pointy-eared Vulcan’ a cultural icon.
But Spock was a fictional character, played by a very human man, filled with all of the virtues and flaws that are part and parcel of that human condition. This is a bit of the story of that humanity, as seen through the eyes of someone who was up close and personal with the virtues, and caught – or at least held onto – the brunt of entirely too many of the flaws.
And in this introduction, I’m doing exactly what the author has done – used the memory of his famous father to get at the story of his son. A role reversal of something that Leonard Nimoy once alluded to, that someone – actually someone looking for money in particular – would use his son to get at him.
So this isn’t a Star Trek story. And it explicitly isn’t a biography of Leonard Nimoy. Rather, it tells the story of the family that lived in, as the author referred to it, ‘the house that Star Trek bought’ in LA’s Westwood Village in 1968, how they got there, where they came from, and especially what happened after to the boy pictured on the book’s cover, Leonard Nimoy’s son Adam.
This is Adam’s journey, not Leonard’s. But, as with all families, the lives of the parents – who they were, where they came from, their reactions to the ways that their own parents raised them, and how they internalized that upbringing – reflect on their children, for better and for worse.
This is THAT story.
Reality Rating B: If you come to this book expecting a ‘Making of Star Trek’ story, you’re going to be disappointed. If you’re expecting a ‘warts and all’ biography, you’re not actually going to get that either. Not that both the father and the son didn’t have plenty of those.
This is, admittedly, a story about a man who was a hero and/or a touchstone for more than one generation of fans that shows that he had feet of clay up to the knees – but then so do most humans, which is kind of the point.
Circling back around again – because it is irresistible to talk about the father when this is a book by and about the son – it’s about a dad’s impact, both good and bad, on the life of one man who just so happens to be the son of someone famous.
Once one throws out the preconceived notions about what one expected in this autobiography, it’s something entirely different. At first, I had a bit of a difficult time connecting to the story and the author, but then it started to feel a whole lot more familiar than I expected.
His story resonated with me because our fathers were both products of the same Eastern European, Jewish immigrant, Depression-era generation. Both were workaholics who financially supported their families but weren’t physically around, were often in their own heads when they were, and as a result had strained relationships with their children. Adam Nimoy is my age, so we were viewing the world of the 1970s and 1980s from similar ages and from familiar backgrounds and expectations.
There are times when I wonder if ‘daddy issues’ are what makes the world go around, but I digress, just a bit.
I’m saying that once I found a way into his perspective a little, it made the whole thing work better for me. I listened to the audio, and even his speech cadences felt familiar – not because he sounds like his famous father – he doesn’t – but because those cadences arise from a similar time and place and culture. It was kind of like listening to a cousin.
His story is very much, at points, a walk through dark places, of taking heavy blows from sometimes self-inflicted wounds, and then walking a hard and frequently lonely path through recovery. It becomes a story about what happens after a person stops medicating their emotional pain away and starts feeling their feelings.
Which was something that resonated a hell of a lot more than I expected – as did the parts about how easy it is to hold onto old hurts and older grudges and how difficult it is to let them go.
Rating an autobiography feels different from rating a work of fiction, because even though I’m rating the story as it’s told, that can’t help but feel a bit like rating the life of the person telling it – no matter how much I try not to. And rating someone else’s life is just wrong. It was what it was and it is what it is and what needs to matter here is how good a job the author AS AN AUTHOR does of telling the story they decided to tell – even though it’s theirs.
Which is where that B rating comes in. It did take me awhile to get into this book, and there were times when it felt like he was kind of whiney in a way that came out in the audio as well. The story is way more about the author’s recovery from addiction than it is about anything else in a way that’s good and important and feels real in its length and its details but also felt a bit long and repetitive as he had to repeat some of the steps – as one so frequently does. It also reads as a kind of ‘slice of life’ story that mostly hits the highlights – and lowlights – but doesn’t dwell on the everyday too much, but a little went a long way when it came to dealing with the family dysfunction – of which there was plenty.
Coming into this expecting one thing and getting another may throw off more than a few readers – although if they stick with it they’ll find a whole lot more than they originally expected. Anyone looking for a story that personalizes the ‘Twelve Steps of Recovery’ will likely find this fascinating, inspiring and helpful as he pulls it down to earth and makes it very real even as he’s invoking a ‘Higher Power’. And in the end, the audio works better than the text because the audio helps to make the story feel authentic. It’s him, and he’s telling his story – warts and all.
Originally published at Reading Reality
But Spock was a fictional character, played by a very human man, filled with all of the virtues and flaws that are part and parcel of that human condition. This is a bit of the story of that humanity, as seen through the eyes of someone who was up close and personal with the virtues, and caught – or at least held onto – the brunt of entirely too many of the flaws.
And in this introduction, I’m doing exactly what the author has done – used the memory of his famous father to get at the story of his son. A role reversal of something that Leonard Nimoy once alluded to, that someone – actually someone looking for money in particular – would use his son to get at him.
So this isn’t a Star Trek story. And it explicitly isn’t a biography of Leonard Nimoy. Rather, it tells the story of the family that lived in, as the author referred to it, ‘the house that Star Trek bought’ in LA’s Westwood Village in 1968, how they got there, where they came from, and especially what happened after to the boy pictured on the book’s cover, Leonard Nimoy’s son Adam.
This is Adam’s journey, not Leonard’s. But, as with all families, the lives of the parents – who they were, where they came from, their reactions to the ways that their own parents raised them, and how they internalized that upbringing – reflect on their children, for better and for worse.
This is THAT story.
Reality Rating B: If you come to this book expecting a ‘Making of Star Trek’ story, you’re going to be disappointed. If you’re expecting a ‘warts and all’ biography, you’re not actually going to get that either. Not that both the father and the son didn’t have plenty of those.
This is, admittedly, a story about a man who was a hero and/or a touchstone for more than one generation of fans that shows that he had feet of clay up to the knees – but then so do most humans, which is kind of the point.
Circling back around again – because it is irresistible to talk about the father when this is a book by and about the son – it’s about a dad’s impact, both good and bad, on the life of one man who just so happens to be the son of someone famous.
Once one throws out the preconceived notions about what one expected in this autobiography, it’s something entirely different. At first, I had a bit of a difficult time connecting to the story and the author, but then it started to feel a whole lot more familiar than I expected.
His story resonated with me because our fathers were both products of the same Eastern European, Jewish immigrant, Depression-era generation. Both were workaholics who financially supported their families but weren’t physically around, were often in their own heads when they were, and as a result had strained relationships with their children. Adam Nimoy is my age, so we were viewing the world of the 1970s and 1980s from similar ages and from familiar backgrounds and expectations.
There are times when I wonder if ‘daddy issues’ are what makes the world go around, but I digress, just a bit.
I’m saying that once I found a way into his perspective a little, it made the whole thing work better for me. I listened to the audio, and even his speech cadences felt familiar – not because he sounds like his famous father – he doesn’t – but because those cadences arise from a similar time and place and culture. It was kind of like listening to a cousin.
His story is very much, at points, a walk through dark places, of taking heavy blows from sometimes self-inflicted wounds, and then walking a hard and frequently lonely path through recovery. It becomes a story about what happens after a person stops medicating their emotional pain away and starts feeling their feelings.
Which was something that resonated a hell of a lot more than I expected – as did the parts about how easy it is to hold onto old hurts and older grudges and how difficult it is to let them go.
Rating an autobiography feels different from rating a work of fiction, because even though I’m rating the story as it’s told, that can’t help but feel a bit like rating the life of the person telling it – no matter how much I try not to. And rating someone else’s life is just wrong. It was what it was and it is what it is and what needs to matter here is how good a job the author AS AN AUTHOR does of telling the story they decided to tell – even though it’s theirs.
Which is where that B rating comes in. It did take me awhile to get into this book, and there were times when it felt like he was kind of whiney in a way that came out in the audio as well. The story is way more about the author’s recovery from addiction than it is about anything else in a way that’s good and important and feels real in its length and its details but also felt a bit long and repetitive as he had to repeat some of the steps – as one so frequently does. It also reads as a kind of ‘slice of life’ story that mostly hits the highlights – and lowlights – but doesn’t dwell on the everyday too much, but a little went a long way when it came to dealing with the family dysfunction – of which there was plenty.
Coming into this expecting one thing and getting another may throw off more than a few readers – although if they stick with it they’ll find a whole lot more than they originally expected. Anyone looking for a story that personalizes the ‘Twelve Steps of Recovery’ will likely find this fascinating, inspiring and helpful as he pulls it down to earth and makes it very real even as he’s invoking a ‘Higher Power’. And in the end, the audio works better than the text because the audio helps to make the story feel authentic. It’s him, and he’s telling his story – warts and all.
Originally published at Reading Reality
June 26, 2024
I mean yeah, I definitely hit "hold" as soon as I saw this book because yes, the name, Star Trek, etc. In fairness, though, I do not love Spock or The Original Series characters the way others do, do not know much of Nimoy's father, Leonard beyond the role of Spock, his work on Mission Impossible, etc., did not have much expectations. And by that I mean I assumed this would be a memoir, but I do not know much about Adam Nimoy other than his family, some of involvement with Star Trek (personal and professional), etc.
Nimoy relates his story. And it is not so heavily on being the son of an actor who portrayed someone who is famous (one of the, if not THE most famous) characters across science fiction. But rather it is his own personal life and struggles, including his struggles with addiction, family relationships, etc. And in fairness, Adam Nimoy owns up to the fact that he was not perfect, made mistakes, etc.
Honestly, this book was awful. I was not a fan of the drama and laundry airing, and sometimes it became a little uncomfortable to read. I do think it was important for Adam to share his story and that it was all the more difficult because of his father's fame and career (and it has to be said that while the son owns up to it, it is not surprising to find that Leonard is also not blameless, etc.). And overall it was really dull, it's not that I minded reading the actual experiences of addiction, recovery, watching friends and acquaintances also struggle (and sometimes not for the better), etc.
It just overall felt like a jumble of thoughts, stuff that was better suited to therapy or a journey than a formal memoir. Don't get me wrong: this is important as a view for why Hollywood, fame, etc. can have negative impacts. And that is not to say Star Trek or Leonard Nimoy's career is solely to blame (would guess if Star Trek flopped or whatever the family would still experience some version of what Adam writes here), but it did have negative impacts (also see Patrick Stewart's memoir and how it cost him at least one marriage and his relationship with his children).
Also was not a fan for finding out AA uses or at least used to use a derogatory term for the Inuit people. Just throwing that out there, although of course you have other issues such as addiction, divorce, etc. so in many ways this was not an easy read otherwise.
If you're a Star Trek fan and/or are looking for ST-specific material here, this book really is not about that and I would skip it. If you are looking for a memoir of someone who happens to be the son of a family actor who gave the world a fantastic character and legacy of work and has had to deal with the fallout, this might be not a bad book to read. Overall, I personally would have skipped this one but there is an audience out there for it.
Nimoy relates his story. And it is not so heavily on being the son of an actor who portrayed someone who is famous (one of the, if not THE most famous) characters across science fiction. But rather it is his own personal life and struggles, including his struggles with addiction, family relationships, etc. And in fairness, Adam Nimoy owns up to the fact that he was not perfect, made mistakes, etc.
Honestly, this book was awful. I was not a fan of the drama and laundry airing, and sometimes it became a little uncomfortable to read. I do think it was important for Adam to share his story and that it was all the more difficult because of his father's fame and career (and it has to be said that while the son owns up to it, it is not surprising to find that Leonard is also not blameless, etc.). And overall it was really dull, it's not that I minded reading the actual experiences of addiction, recovery, watching friends and acquaintances also struggle (and sometimes not for the better), etc.
It just overall felt like a jumble of thoughts, stuff that was better suited to therapy or a journey than a formal memoir. Don't get me wrong: this is important as a view for why Hollywood, fame, etc. can have negative impacts. And that is not to say Star Trek or Leonard Nimoy's career is solely to blame (would guess if Star Trek flopped or whatever the family would still experience some version of what Adam writes here), but it did have negative impacts (also see Patrick Stewart's memoir and how it cost him at least one marriage and his relationship with his children).
Also was not a fan for finding out AA uses or at least used to use a derogatory term for the Inuit people. Just throwing that out there, although of course you have other issues such as addiction, divorce, etc. so in many ways this was not an easy read otherwise.
If you're a Star Trek fan and/or are looking for ST-specific material here, this book really is not about that and I would skip it. If you are looking for a memoir of someone who happens to be the son of a family actor who gave the world a fantastic character and legacy of work and has had to deal with the fallout, this might be not a bad book to read. Overall, I personally would have skipped this one but there is an audience out there for it.
June 17, 2024
I ordered this after reading a short feature about it in my weekly mag (aptly titled The Week), intrigued by what this could be as I had read Adam Nimoy had already written his memoir and he’s the young sprightly age of where I’m at (late 50s/early 60s). I agree with others that this is not a memoir or much more than one. Having been in a 12 step program myself (one of the three steppers but always going to meetings including many AA meetings), I felt a kismet from that angle as well as knowing of the Nimoys’ strong and sinewy spiritual connection to Judaism, which I also have.
Needless to say, I found this book to be one of those books you pick up and know you were destined to read it at that exact moment in time. Adam’s lifelong struggle with his workaholic Jewish father, distant but loving in his way- so emblematic of my relationship with my father, and the intergenerational addictive personalities. Adam’s mother gleefully looking for a tangible illness to pin her unhappy existence- that mother is also a reflection of my own. But also a loving mother- he has loving parents who were limited in how they moved through life in their family dynamic. Something so many of us can relate to. Adam’s rich and life affirming personality — mixed in with his struggles and incredible journey of recovery, while raising his own kids, and then his later in life relationships- all told with such honesty and humor.
I so truly and deeply enjoyed this book. Only didn’t mark it 5 stars because I reserve that for literary masterpieces like Anna Karenina. This story get five stars because it was an fast read but a deep one; it coursed through me very personally. It gets a solid four stars in the context of all the books I’ve read.
Thank you Adam Nimoy for sharing this story of family and personal growth- how you are a crazy love hungry kid and a loving but flawed parent, a kid brother and a dedicated but difficult first husband and caring, present second husband, an addict and a grieving widower and a son of Spock with all that carries in our popular culture and your private world, a son of a mother of broken spirit but with huge heart and soul. And you shared it so exquisitely. The storytelling touched my soul.
Needless to say, I found this book to be one of those books you pick up and know you were destined to read it at that exact moment in time. Adam’s lifelong struggle with his workaholic Jewish father, distant but loving in his way- so emblematic of my relationship with my father, and the intergenerational addictive personalities. Adam’s mother gleefully looking for a tangible illness to pin her unhappy existence- that mother is also a reflection of my own. But also a loving mother- he has loving parents who were limited in how they moved through life in their family dynamic. Something so many of us can relate to. Adam’s rich and life affirming personality — mixed in with his struggles and incredible journey of recovery, while raising his own kids, and then his later in life relationships- all told with such honesty and humor.
I so truly and deeply enjoyed this book. Only didn’t mark it 5 stars because I reserve that for literary masterpieces like Anna Karenina. This story get five stars because it was an fast read but a deep one; it coursed through me very personally. It gets a solid four stars in the context of all the books I’ve read.
Thank you Adam Nimoy for sharing this story of family and personal growth- how you are a crazy love hungry kid and a loving but flawed parent, a kid brother and a dedicated but difficult first husband and caring, present second husband, an addict and a grieving widower and a son of Spock with all that carries in our popular culture and your private world, a son of a mother of broken spirit but with huge heart and soul. And you shared it so exquisitely. The storytelling touched my soul.
June 3, 2024
This new memoir by Adam Nimoy was impactful and gave great insight. Going through his life, you’re able to see his relationship with his parents, his relationship with his kids, his struggles, and how he was able to turn his life around.
The overarching theme of Adam’s relationship with his father, Leonard Nimoy (known for playing Spock on Star Treck), really shined through. In all parts of his life, really. From childhood through his adult life, you could see how their relationship impacted him, stayed with him, and even affected his relationship with his own kids to an extent. You saw him work to raise his children differently, and could see his decisions to be a present figure in his kids’ lives, even through difficult times.
This was also a tribute to choosing to change the path of your life. You were able to see the beginnings of his struggle with addiction, how it affected his life and relationships, and the path he took for recovery. You see the relationships made through his recovery and his active participation through the 12 steps. It was a shining theme.
I really appreciated the opportunity to read his memoir. I didn’t know what to expect, but gave me a lot to ponder while reading. I appreciated how he was able to connect all of the themes. It was also moving to see his relationship with his father grow, as well as how he worked through the 12 step program. It’s a book that’ll stay with me for a while.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, received from Kaye Publicity, Adam Nimoy, and Chicago Review Press. However, all thoughts and views reflected are strictly my own opinions.
The overarching theme of Adam’s relationship with his father, Leonard Nimoy (known for playing Spock on Star Treck), really shined through. In all parts of his life, really. From childhood through his adult life, you could see how their relationship impacted him, stayed with him, and even affected his relationship with his own kids to an extent. You saw him work to raise his children differently, and could see his decisions to be a present figure in his kids’ lives, even through difficult times.
This was also a tribute to choosing to change the path of your life. You were able to see the beginnings of his struggle with addiction, how it affected his life and relationships, and the path he took for recovery. You see the relationships made through his recovery and his active participation through the 12 steps. It was a shining theme.
I really appreciated the opportunity to read his memoir. I didn’t know what to expect, but gave me a lot to ponder while reading. I appreciated how he was able to connect all of the themes. It was also moving to see his relationship with his father grow, as well as how he worked through the 12 step program. It’s a book that’ll stay with me for a while.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, received from Kaye Publicity, Adam Nimoy, and Chicago Review Press. However, all thoughts and views reflected are strictly my own opinions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2024
Context for my review: Lifelong Trek fan, since TOS was originally airing. I’ve read many memoirs of Trek cast members, including both of Leonard’s, and I’ve seen Adam’s documentaries about his father. But I’ve never read Adam’s 2008 memoir, mostly because it’s never been released in audio format.
Many of the stories recounted here were painful to hear. Every family has conflicts, no matter how perfectly their social media is curated. I wasn’t prepared for the extent of the dysfunction in the Nimoy household.
He says very little about his sister, although it sounds like their relationship was never adversarial.
I’m glad he and his dad finally cleared the air and were able to have a mutually satisfying relationship for a few decades before Leonard’s death. It seems fitting that Adam’s daughter Maddie is a vice-president at Paramount. I think I’m most happy that his son Jonah, who seemed to be floundering after his parents divorced, found his groove.
Adam made Los Angeles sound like a small town, reminiscing about various houses, a bookstore, restaurants, and even going to grade school on the campus of UCLA, which sort of blew my rural Midwestern mind. I also found both Adam and Leonard’s relationship with their Judaism fascinating, both seeming at once devoted to the faith but never bogged down in the performative details.
Even if you’re only interested in the details relating to Star Trek, the book is well worth reading. Conversely, if you have no interest in Trek, but want to watch someone successfully rebuild a life in recovery from addiction, you’ll find plenty of interest here.
June 2, 2024
Many thanks to NetGalley, Chicago Review Press, and Dreamscape Media for gifting me an audio ARC of this memoir written and narrated by Adam Nimoy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!
This is the story of the relationship between Adam and his father, Leonard Nimoy, better known as Spock of Star Trek fame. The two didn't have a great relationship, probably more typical of that generation, with dad going off to work and being hands off at home. While Adam wanted to be a different kind of father, he shared the same addiction genes of his dad.
Star Trek was basically a religion in our house while my kids were growing up. My husband had grown up watching the original series and we faithfully watched those as well as the many movies and spin offs for years. So of course this was a must read for me. But it is much more than a celebrity tell all; it's the story of being the bigger person and trying to heal wounds. Adam really lived his 12 steps and I learned much from his taking the high road in all of his relationships. Plus, he was brutally honest with sharing his own flaws, and letting the reader learn from them. I always appreciate listening to the author read their memoirs as well.
This is the story of the relationship between Adam and his father, Leonard Nimoy, better known as Spock of Star Trek fame. The two didn't have a great relationship, probably more typical of that generation, with dad going off to work and being hands off at home. While Adam wanted to be a different kind of father, he shared the same addiction genes of his dad.
Star Trek was basically a religion in our house while my kids were growing up. My husband had grown up watching the original series and we faithfully watched those as well as the many movies and spin offs for years. So of course this was a must read for me. But it is much more than a celebrity tell all; it's the story of being the bigger person and trying to heal wounds. Adam really lived his 12 steps and I learned much from his taking the high road in all of his relationships. Plus, he was brutally honest with sharing his own flaws, and letting the reader learn from them. I always appreciate listening to the author read their memoirs as well.
July 1, 2024
4.5 stars
STRONG recommend
With my memoirs, I prefer to read the books as audiobooks. This was another memoir that was great as an audiobook!
This is ADAM Nimoy's memoir, not Leonard Nimoy's. If you are looking for a book about Leonard Nimoy, you need to keep looking. This is Adam's story - recovery, reconciliation, and life journey. Yes, his famous dad plays a part as does his mother!!
I enjoyed this memoir very much as I could totally relate. It seems like every one of the "Generation Jones" cohort has similar stories of their parents who are part of the "Baby Boomer" generation. We all have distant fathers and needy mothers. So Adam and I have that BIG commonality as well as being born and raised in Los Angeles (we both love our city).
The only disconnect was the focus on religion as I am not involved in any faith. But, I enjoyed learning more about Judaism.
This is a raw and real memoir of the intricacies of addiction to pot smoking and alcohol with 12-step recovery succeeding. It is a real story of a family fighting it's demons and becoming a real family!
For a more detailed review, check out my blog - booksbydorothea:
https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/...
STRONG recommend
With my memoirs, I prefer to read the books as audiobooks. This was another memoir that was great as an audiobook!
This is ADAM Nimoy's memoir, not Leonard Nimoy's. If you are looking for a book about Leonard Nimoy, you need to keep looking. This is Adam's story - recovery, reconciliation, and life journey. Yes, his famous dad plays a part as does his mother!!
I enjoyed this memoir very much as I could totally relate. It seems like every one of the "Generation Jones" cohort has similar stories of their parents who are part of the "Baby Boomer" generation. We all have distant fathers and needy mothers. So Adam and I have that BIG commonality as well as being born and raised in Los Angeles (we both love our city).
The only disconnect was the focus on religion as I am not involved in any faith. But, I enjoyed learning more about Judaism.
This is a raw and real memoir of the intricacies of addiction to pot smoking and alcohol with 12-step recovery succeeding. It is a real story of a family fighting it's demons and becoming a real family!
For a more detailed review, check out my blog - booksbydorothea:
https://booksbydorothea.blogspot.com/...
July 1, 2024
I received an audiobook ARC for free through Netgalley.
A really heartfelt and insightful memoir of Adam Nimoy that very much focused on his life, which includes the relationship with his father. Their strained relationship, similar additions and eventually reconciliation with one another does underpin lots of Adam's handling of situations in his life, but I think the pitch of the book makes it seem like it's more about Leonard Nimoy and Spock than it really is (and this is what drew me to the book).
It must have been a cathartic process to write, and it was interesting and thought provoking to read, but it wouldn't be one I recommend to Star Trek fans looking for insight into the behind the scenes lives of this star and his family (but I'm sure there's plenty of other media around that!)
It was an interesting look at life in LA through the decades, that wasn't an aspect I thought would intrigue me but it was nice to read about a family and their dynamics amongst that in a place that's so romanticised and dramatic in a lot of media.
Overall I enjoyed this read, but it's details probably won't stick with me for a long time - that's just personal preference.
A really heartfelt and insightful memoir of Adam Nimoy that very much focused on his life, which includes the relationship with his father. Their strained relationship, similar additions and eventually reconciliation with one another does underpin lots of Adam's handling of situations in his life, but I think the pitch of the book makes it seem like it's more about Leonard Nimoy and Spock than it really is (and this is what drew me to the book).
It must have been a cathartic process to write, and it was interesting and thought provoking to read, but it wouldn't be one I recommend to Star Trek fans looking for insight into the behind the scenes lives of this star and his family (but I'm sure there's plenty of other media around that!)
It was an interesting look at life in LA through the decades, that wasn't an aspect I thought would intrigue me but it was nice to read about a family and their dynamics amongst that in a place that's so romanticised and dramatic in a lot of media.
Overall I enjoyed this read, but it's details probably won't stick with me for a long time - that's just personal preference.
June 8, 2024
The Most Human - Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy written and narrated by Adam Nimoy is an emotional journey betwen father and son, each with their own demons, each forging their path in life and in doing so, driving a wedge between them. Later in life, Adam receives a letter from his estrangedfather which sets into motion a reconciliation neither saw possible
A deeply personal and emotive account, narrated by the author gives a genuine insight into the relationship between father and son. A fascinating look behind the scenes of one of the screens most enigmatic cultural stars, but moreso, Leonard Nimoy as the man, the father
Adam Nimoy narrates his memoir beautifully, and his timbre is very similar to his father's while still retaining his own individuality
A difficult journey through a life of indulgence, addiction and media scrutiny, a relationship salvaged. Highly recommend
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media and Adam Nimoy for this poignant ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
A deeply personal and emotive account, narrated by the author gives a genuine insight into the relationship between father and son. A fascinating look behind the scenes of one of the screens most enigmatic cultural stars, but moreso, Leonard Nimoy as the man, the father
Adam Nimoy narrates his memoir beautifully, and his timbre is very similar to his father's while still retaining his own individuality
A difficult journey through a life of indulgence, addiction and media scrutiny, a relationship salvaged. Highly recommend
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media and Adam Nimoy for this poignant ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
July 10, 2024
Adam Nimoy has beautifully captured the poignant journey of his life in a memoir that goes beyond mere celebrity anecdotes. Delving into his complex relationship with his iconic father, Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame, Adam's narrative offers Star Trek enthusiasts a rare glimpse into the personal struggles and triumphs of the Nimoy family. However, this isn't a typical Hollywood exposé. Instead, Adam's memoir is a profound exploration of his own battles with addiction, navigating difficult family dynamics, and finding solace and redemption through his journey with Alcoholics Anonymous and his deepening connection to his Jewish heritage. It's a story of profound healing, reconciliation, and spiritual renewal.
June 3, 2024
I wanted this story about Leonard Nimoy and his son, Adam, to be a typical, happy, father son relationship tale but as fate would have it, it went in another direction. An invisible wall stood between the two when Adam was just a kid of eight, always an arm’s length away from “Spock,” his father, whom he so wanted a hug from. This is a poignant story, told in a way that you could feel Adam’s love and admiration for his father despite the “Vulcan” in him. Adam tells us about his life trials with the people around him, his relationship with his own kids, and how he came to reconcile with his famous father. Heartwarming.
June 19, 2024
I can’t say this is 100% satisfying as a reader but I imagine the process of writing it was cathartic for Nimoy. It’s impossible for me to articulate how important Leonard Nimoy and Spock are to me. I was excited for the opportunity to learn more about Leonard through his son but there’s actually not very much here. Adam’s relationship with his father was such that he didn’t spend that much time with him and he doesn’t have too many insights to share. Or perhaps he has chosen not to share everything.
At any rate, this is a book that reinforces how Human all the central figures in Star Trek are. No one is perfect and that makes creations like Spock even more fascinating and important.
At any rate, this is a book that reinforces how Human all the central figures in Star Trek are. No one is perfect and that makes creations like Spock even more fascinating and important.
May 31, 2024
Adam Nimoy has penned an honest and heartfelt memoir recounting many of the highs and lows of his life and his relationship with his famous father. Star Trek fans will enjoy glimpses into Nimoy's life as the son of fan-favorite Leonard Nimoy aka Spock. But this is no Hollywood tell-all. The memoir is deep and reflective. Through love and loss, Nimoy recounts his struggles with addiction and challenging family relationships (both with his own parents and as a parent himself). Ultimately, his memoir is a story of healing, repair and renewal through his AA program and his evolving relationship with his Jewish faith. Nimroy narrates the audiobook and it and is very well done.
The Most Human will be out on 6/4. Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the ALC.
The Most Human will be out on 6/4. Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the ALC.
June 16, 2024
So the title makes you think he will delve more into his relationship with his father, but 90% of the book is him talking about his "weed addiction" and his issues with dating woman + his children.
It's more like "reconciling with my weed addiction, divorce and kids"
I started to go a little insane reading about him flirting with women and his daughter begging him not to.
What can I say other than you can definitely tell this is a book written by a man 😭 and it feels like he just wanted to talk about his own life and used his father's name for clout...
It's more like "reconciling with my weed addiction, divorce and kids"
I started to go a little insane reading about him flirting with women and his daughter begging him not to.
What can I say other than you can definitely tell this is a book written by a man 😭 and it feels like he just wanted to talk about his own life and used his father's name for clout...
July 20, 2024
A great audiobook, hearing the author imitate his famous father’s voice is worth a listen on its own. I do think there’s a bit of false advertising, I thought the bits about his relationship with his father only took up around 30% of the book. The rest is about his wives, kids, and mother. I did love the parts about his mother. After she dies, he quotes a voicemail from her and I immediately started crying. I think that moment, after he complained so much about her, that tenderness, was my favorite part of the whole book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2024
This is a really good book that shows how difficult it can be to be the son of a well known actor. Adam Nimoy was an Entertainment Lawyer for awhile. While they were estranged for quite a few years, fortunately they were able to reconcile before Leonard died.
Read
July 8, 2024You know what, I'm glad Adam Nimoy can forgive his father. He's better than me 💅🏼🖖🏼
July 12, 2024
Enjoyed reading about the Nimoy family. Great memoir. Received in a Goodreads giveaway.
Read
June 30, 2024DNF at 34%, I wanted so badly to enjoy this but I'm not a Star Trek/Leonard Nimoy fan so those portions totally lose me.
(Sorry NetGalley and publisher :( Still appreciate the E-ARC bunches!)
(Sorry NetGalley and publisher :( Still appreciate the E-ARC bunches!)
July 14, 2024
💫[instagram]💫[storygraph]💫[YouTube]💫[Supernova Blog]💫
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💬: "Of my friend, I can only say this...of all the souls I have encountered in my travels his was the most human."
Kirk's eulogy for Spock and "The Most Human: Reconciling with my Father's" opening quote.
📖Genres: non-fiction, memoir
📚Page Count: 272
🎧Audiobook Length: 09:18
👩🏾🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4/5
TW -
The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy by Adam Nimoy is a moving and emotional account of Adam Nimoy's experience of growing up with his famous father, Leonard Nimoy. In this memoir Adam Nimoy recounts the ups and downs that he had with his father growing as well as substance abuse issues and alcoholism that he and his father dealt with respectively. He uses the journey of writing this memoir to finally reconcile with his father and the struggle that Adam Nimoy had with a distant family member (his father) was very relatable. The audiobook was read by Adam Nimoy and his reading of his memoir was good.
I don't normally give ratings to memoirs, but I'll give this 4 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4/5
Thank you [NetGalley.com], Adam Nimoy (the author), and Dreamscape Media (the publisher) for the arc audiobook (advanced reader's copy.)
---
💬: "Of my friend, I can only say this...of all the souls I have encountered in my travels his was the most human."
Kirk's eulogy for Spock and "The Most Human: Reconciling with my Father's" opening quote.
📖Genres: non-fiction, memoir
📚Page Count: 272
🎧Audiobook Length: 09:18
👩🏾🏫My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4/5
TW -
The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy by Adam Nimoy is a moving and emotional account of Adam Nimoy's experience of growing up with his famous father, Leonard Nimoy. In this memoir Adam Nimoy recounts the ups and downs that he had with his father growing as well as substance abuse issues and alcoholism that he and his father dealt with respectively. He uses the journey of writing this memoir to finally reconcile with his father and the struggle that Adam Nimoy had with a distant family member (his father) was very relatable. The audiobook was read by Adam Nimoy and his reading of his memoir was good.
I don't normally give ratings to memoirs, but I'll give this 4 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 4/5
Thank you [NetGalley.com], Adam Nimoy (the author), and Dreamscape Media (the publisher) for the arc audiobook (advanced reader's copy.)
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