Nasa/Trek: Popular Science and Sex in America

Rating:
Summary: For anyone interested in how popular culture affects society
Review: This book is an excellent critical look at the intersections between popular science, sexuality, and Star Trek. The first section looks at the dialogic interaction between the fiction of Star Trek and the reality of NASA. It is fascinating both for those interested in the history of women in the US space program and for Trekkers, giving little known facts about NASA and providing insightful, well-written analysis. The second half of the book analyzes slash fan fiction, using actual stories and images to explore how and why women express their own utopian longings through the sexual relationship of Kirk and Spock. Penley's book is thouroughly researched, clearly presented, and well-written throughout.