• To The Stars

  • The Autobiography of Star Trek's Mr. Sulu
  • By: George Takei
  • Narrated by: George Takei
  • Length: 3 hrs
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (276 ratings)

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To The Stars  By  cover art

To The Stars

By: George Takei
Narrated by: George Takei
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Publisher's summary

Best known as Mr. Sulu, helmsman of the Starship Enterprise and Captain of the Starship Excelsior, George Takei is beloved by millions as part of the command team that has taken audiences to new vistas of adventure in Star Trek, the unprecedented television and feature film phenomenon.

From the program's birth in the changing world of the 1960s and death at the hands of the network, to its rebirth in the hearts and minds of loyal fans, the Star Trek story has blazed its own path into our recent cultural history, leading to a series of blockbuster feature films and three new versions of Star Trek for television.

The Star Trek story is one of boundless hope and crushing disappointment, wrenching rivalries and incredible achievements. It is also the story of how, after nearly 30 years, the cast of characters from a unique but poorly rated television show have come to be known to millions of Americans and people around the world as family.

For George Takei, the Star Trek adventure is intertwined with his personal odyssey through adversity in which four-year-old George and his family were forced by the United States government into internment camps during World War II.

Star Trek means much more to George Takei than an extraordinary career that has spanned 30 years. For an American whose ideals faced such a severe test, Star Trek represents a shining embodiment of the American Dream, the promise of an optimistic future in which people from all over the world contribute to a common destiny.

©1994 George Takei (P)2004 Simon & Schuster Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"This lively memoir reveals the author's upbeat but pragmatic nature." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about To The Stars

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Easy Listen

This was certainly a good listen. The story was very well written and the narration by Takei was excellent. However I felt that the abridging process made the flow of the book less enjoyable and you get the feeling that there is so much left out from the full version. It keeps you wondering what you have missed. I generally make it a point not to buy abridged books but in this case I had no choice.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Too short

Really interesting, and not just for fans of Star Trek. Mr. Takei has a great voice, and a really good attitude. The only downfall is that it is abridged.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

To the Stars by a Star

This book is so well written and well narrated. Mr. Takei has the knack to write as if he is talking with you. You feel every bit of emotion that he went through. I definitely recommend it to all.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Would have liked to hear more

I would have preferred to hear the unabridged book which had more details about interactions between the actors outside of the film's and shows.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

short but interesting

was glad to hear it read from the author as he has a great voice and added all the appropriate emphasis and mannerisms, but it just seemed short

I don't have the paper book for comparison but it seems like the audio should have been at least twice as long since he had such a diverse & interesting past

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I wasn't ready for the story to end.

Very interesting, informative and entertaining. Loved the first hand account of his childhood at the Japanese internment camps. George is a very intelligent and diverse and talented man. And of course the Star
Trek saga at its beginning. Only wish the story was longer, I wasn't ready for it to end.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A delightful snack but I want more

Apparently you can only get the 3 hour abridgement in audio book format. It's a deep pleasure to hear Mr Takei narrate his own book but it's a breezy, rapid overview of his life and career with obvious emphasis on his Star Trek experiences. I wish i could hear the unabridged story and more about his diverse productions and more behind the scenes.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I just wish it wasn't abridged.

George Takei does a masterful job narrating. But it would be a lot better if the audiobook wasn't abridged.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Only Wish It Was Not Abridged

I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Takei's story (even learned how to properly pronounce his name). I may at some point buy the written book for the full story. I have read the written books "I am Spock" by Leonard Nimoy, "Beyond Uhura" by Nichelle Nichols, and now have listened to this autobiography by George Takei. What I found interesting across the books is that Nimoy, Nichols, and Takei all have similar recollections (not so positive) about how William Shatner treated his fellow co-workers and how he always had to be number one in everything, even to the point of stealing lines or scenes from them.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Hikaru Sulu

I adore George Takei. My wife took me to see him speak at the Mondavi Center a couple of years ago. He is just wonderful. If they would put James Doohan’s autobiography on Audible, I could listen to all of them.

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