Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir

I found this book interesting, unique, and meaningful. After regularly watching Wil Wheaton play Wesley Crusher on Star Trek TNG for over 30 years, I can't help but feel a bit like he's an old friend. This is perhaps magnified by the fact that my son very much physically resembled Wesley Crusher as a teenager. To me, the Wil Wheaton that is revealed in this book strikes me, rightly or wrongly, as a grown up Wesley Crusher. Of course, he is far more than that! Still, my take is that Wil Wheaton tapped into his multi-faceted childhood trauma and teenage angst to create a very realistic and believable Wesley Crusher. Just for the record, I liked the character and found him to be a valuable part of the TNG narrative - and, he did save the ship and crew more than once!There's a lot in this book. Personally, I consider the many Star Trek production anecdotes and the author's discussions of mental health issues to be the most interesting sections, which is not to diminish the many other meaningful subject's discussed. This book can be challenging to read, as there is a constant stream of footnotes and annotations in very small print at the bottom of most pages. These annotations are often the most cogent writing on the page. Eventually, I learned to read the annotations first, then the substance of the page above.While this book skillfully presents subject matter of universal meaning and appeal, I suspect it might mainly appeal to so-called "trekkies", or at least those who have a strong familiarity with the Star Trek "family and philosophy". In a way that's too bad, because the author's frank, open, and empathetic discussions concerning mental health offer both comfort and hope to anyone who might be suffering from mental illness or even the regular trials and tribulations of life. Well done, Wil Wheaton.

I respected and liked Wil Wheaton before...but now? A THOUSAND-MILLION TIMES MORE. To be able to take a book you wrote in the way-way-back and honestly annotate it is pretty special and takes a lot of courage. Wil was incredibly truthful and eye-opening with his remarks: remembering funny times, being ultra-nerdy, calling himself out on his past literary faux pas, delving deep into trauma from his life that I felt honored to be given access to. And the nerdy, geeky references? GIVE THEM ALL TO MEEEEEEEEEEE. Plus, the William Shatner Story. You've gotta read it to believe it.An entertaining and powerful read that I was so glad I started. Kudos to Wil Wheaton. Sometimes the *second* time is the charm.

It has been a long, long time since I read 'Just a Geek' and I was thrilled to read this expanded update - and it delivered in every way. The stories from the past are great, the way they have been interwoven with new perspective adds context that I feel all of us gain looking back decades later.One thing I saw on social media - lots of complaints about how Wil chose to address misogyny and ableism in his earlier writing. Predictably these people use words like 'woke' or 'SJW' or 'PC', meaning they really never cared about these things in the first place. But I appreciate it - there are so many terms or self-centered thoughts that we carry as young adults that we cringe at later in life. Often (like his rampant usage of 'lame') it is something at the time we had no idea was hurtful, while other times it is youthful arrogance and when we learn, we do better and recognize our past mistakes.Wil's wwdn posts through the years have told amazing stories that I have connected with to the point that as I read his books I can't tell what I first read where - but they resonate with me. Like many of our generation I saw him first in Stand By Me (though I was in college) and then as Wesley Crusher on ST:TNG and his character resonated with me as a young technical person in a world where we still weren't listened to in a significant way.These last few years have been rough for all - and I think for so much of GenX in recent years there has been a reckoning with who we are, how we were raised, and who we've become. We have also had to think about how we treat young celebrities who never understood or sometimes even choose to get into what made them famous - the memoirs of Jeanette McCurdy and now Wil's updated book force us to look not just at their lives, but also at how we have chosen to speak about young children thrust into the limelight. And like Wil addressing some of his earlier writings, I find that we often have a lot to answer for.

Wil Wheaton is a likable guy with a good sense of humor and keen insight into the Star Trek universe and his role on STNG and Big Bang Theory. His annotations are often interesting or thought-provoking. This would be a 5-star book except for how "woke" poor Wil is desperate to show us. Enough! We get that you are embarrassed about your teen/youthful days, but the book spends SOOOOO much time discussing how sorry you are about having been that person, that it becomes distracting. The 30-minute audio disclaimer in the prologue of this book is sufficient. You really don't need to stop at EVERY line and explain how sorry you are. As readers, we get it after the first dozen apologies. You were young and stupid like most horny teens at that age. You grew out of it, it is called maturation, there is no need to keep apologizing for it.OK, once you get past that as a reader, the book itself is a fun, funny, and delightful memoir of a self-aware child actor growing into a remarkable human adult. I loved it and think you will too.But

I like the annotated version because of the insight into how much Wil has grown, seen, changed, etc. since he wrote the original book. Talented writer, seems like a good person, good book.

I've followed Will Weaton for many years on social's etc and have loved a lot of his work over the years. This was a really inciteful and well-written book giving that view from over the years. Anyone who has had issues with mental health over time should read this - it's not written from a "celebrity" point of view, just from a normal guy who has struglled to find his way in the world!

It is a very enjoyable read, to see that Wil has grown as a human and that he has become more at ease with who he is. If you read his first book, this is a good book end to those original stories.

What a great way to see the growth of Wil Wheaton - I liked him in TNG but started following him more after Tabletop ! This book helps to uncover and understand Wil as a person ! It’s a great read ! Recommend!

I don’t usually bother with revisions of autobiographies but this is worth splashing out on