The Most Human

"Engaging and immensely relatable, while at the same time offering deeply profound insights. into Adam Nimoy's personal relationships, particularly with his famous father. " -Eugene Roddenberry Jr. , CEO Roddenberry Entertainment 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.