Star Trek Spaceflight Chronology

Rating:
Summary: The Original Canon
Review: This book is the original canon upon which the classical series was based as well as good part of the Next Generation series. After that the series no longer followed the book but it continued to be used as reference.
The First Contact film is an example. It contained all the basic ideas of the book, like the contact with vulcans and the first tentative warp drive, but they've changed the fact that Cochrane was an alien to make him human, so it would appeal to human pride and therefore to public interest.
The contemporary series Enterprise also contains elements of the book, albeit with some changes. I'm not going to put spoilers here, but as an incentive it describes how the Federation was founded and the Romulan wars, which are a few years ahead of the timing in which the series is passed.
I stronlgly recommend this book, I owed this book for many years until I gave it to a Trekkie fan which is a friend of mine.

Rating:
Summary: An overlooked gem of a book
Review: This is probably the most imaginative "Star Trek" book I've ever read. Published to coincide with the release of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," this book covers the history of Earth spaceflight from Sputnik to the uprated U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701. Along the way, the reader is treated to an incredibly diverse array of fictional events that fill the gaps between our real-life today and the imaginary time of Kirk, Spock, and the rest. The book concludes with a look at possibilities for Starfleet's future, such as intergalactic travel, shape-changing starships, and routine time travel. Because it is not limited by the technology of film or television, this book is able to roam the cosmos in a way that is actually far more satisfying than the small- or big-screen adventures. A must for anyone interested in "Star Trek" or prospects for the human future.