The World of Star Trek

The World of Star Trek, "the Show the Network Could Not Kill!" is a reference book written by David Gerrold and published by Ballantine Books in 1973. The book explores the creation of Star Trek: The Original Series, and provides an in-depth analysis of the writing of the series. It was re-printed in 1984, and included information up to and including Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

Summary

From the book jacket

Here are the worlds of Star Trek

GENE RODDENBERRY'S brilliant conception – the first viable science fiction world designed for a TV series

THE SHOW ITSELF, and the people who created it – the writers, the stars, the technicians

THE FANS – the world the show created – and how they kept Star Trek alive in the face of network opposition

With sixty-four pages of pictures from the episodes themselves, and with original photos by Stan Burns...

Excerpts of copyrighted sources are included for review purposes only, without any intention of infringement.

The longest section, accounting for half of the book's material, includes interview excerpts from William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols and Majel Barrett, and two-time guest star William Campbell. Also included are two multiple page black and white photograph and film still compilations and a brief episode guide to all three seasons.

PART THREE: The Star Trek Phenomenon

This section examines the impact of the program, its fans and the conventions.

PART FOUR: Star Trek Analyzed--The Unfulfilled Potential

Gerrold offers his insights and opinions on what the program did right, and criticizes its perceived failings.

The book ends with The Return of Star Trek...? which details the then attempts to interest Paramount in bringing the program back to weekly television, or possibly as a feature film.