Even though Nicholas Meyer has achieved success in the entertainment industry, most notably for directing films in the Star Trek series, he said he remembers the time he spent in Iowa City tenderly, not only as a place to learn but a place to be inspired.

“The University of Iowa means a great deal to me,” he said. “It was the first time in my life as a young man that I was really happy.”

That inspiration has certainly carried him a long way. After studying theater and filmmaking at the UI, Meyer started his career as a writer and director. He was nominated for an Academy Award for best screenplay adaptation for The Seven-Per-cent Solution, based on his novel of the same name.

He also directed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and The Day After, a highly publicized television film that received 17 Emmy nominations. After this, Meyer went on to cowrite the screenplay for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and he cowrote and directed Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

His involvement in the Star Trek series led him to write a memoir, The View From the Bridge: Memories of Star Trek and a Life in Hollywood. Meyer will read from the memoir today at 7 p.m. at Prairie Lights Books, 15 S. Dubuque St.

Meyer calls his memoir “an attempt largely centered on Star Trek to recount some of my life experiences.”

In addition to writing his memoir, Meyer has been recently involved with many other projects. He is rumored to be writing a script for Martin Scorsese and confirmed that he is also writing a film for Johnny Depp.

“I always say if you live long enough, you’ll get to see your movie made,” Meyer said.

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