Star Trek IV

Go behind the scenes of one of the most beloved entries in the Star Trek saga with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – The Making of the Classic Film.

This definitive companion takes fans deep into the heart of the 1986 production that brought humor, heart, and humpback whales to the final frontier. Packed with exclusive interviews, rare photographs, and untold stories from cast and crew, this book reveals how director Leonard Nimoy and the creative team crafted a legendary time-travel adventure.

From the challenges of shooting on location in San Francisco, to groundbreaking special effects needed to create the animatronic whales, to the environmental message that still resonates today, this insider account celebrates the risks and rewards of boldly going in a new direction. Whether you're a lifelong Trek fan or a film history enthusiast, discover the artistry and camaraderie behind a film that helped redefine what a Star Trek movie could be.

About the Author

Maria Jose Tenuto and John Tenuto have been sociology professors for twenty-five years. Maria Jose was named the 2019 Illinois Outstanding Adjunct Faculty of the Year by the Illinois Community College Trustee Association. John was named the 2020 Association of Community College Trustees’ Central Regional Faculty Member Award winner, recognizing him as one of the top five community college educators in the nation.

He first saw Star Trek III: The Search for Spock at the Will Rogers Theater in Chicago on opening day and rode his bike to get his Taco Bell movie glasses. When they were married twenty-six years ago, Maria Jose and John's wedding song was the theme to Star Trek: Voyager. The couple’s research on Star Trek has been featured in Wired magazine, USA Today, Chicago Sun-Times, and on CBS, Netflix, WGN, the History Channel, and the BBC.

They are the authors of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: The Making of the Classic Film (Titan, 2023). They have been invited to speak at the Official Star Trek Convention, the St. Louis Science Center, by the future birthplace of James T. Kirk, Riverside, Iowa, and the town of Vulcan, Alberta, Canada. After moving to Altoona, Iowa, in 2024, they can each now legitimately say, "No, I'm from Iowa. I only work in outer space." Based in Altoona, Iowa.