Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder

The 91-year-old Hollywood legend returns with more diverting anecdotes and musings about his earthly life and beyond. In an assemblage of essays covering everything from his historic spaceflight in 2021 to his deep reverence for the natural world, Shatner’s curiosity shines through as he leavens the seriousness of his lifelong quest for meaning with his signature self-effacing humor (“Some say I have... my own... style... of pausing”). He opens with a literal dive into the deep end, sharing his decision, at 90 years old, to go swimming with sharks in the Bahamas for Shark Week. He attributes his longevity and prosperity to activities such as this, noting that, at a minimum, allowing oneself to be open to being “awed by life” can facilitate finding happiness. There are ample confidences that will delight Trekkies—while on set with the late Leonard Nimoy, Shatner writes in “Pieces of Humanity,” “a constant refrain was ‘Spock wouldn’t do that,’ sometimes with a wink, sometimes not”—in addition to embarrassing moments, as when Shatner read poetry to a crowd of dismayed bikers at a performance that was mistakenly advertised as a heavy metal concert. The result is a refreshingly self-aware portrait of a man determined to live every moment to the fullest. (Oct.)