Book Review: Boldly Go

Long before Gene Roddenberry put him on a starship to explore the galaxy, long before he actually did venture to space, William Shatner was gripped by his own quest for knowledge and meaning. Though his eventful life has been nothing short of extraordinary, Shatner is still never so thrilled as when he experiences something that inspires him to simply say, “Wow.”

Within these affecting, entertaining, and informative essays, he demonstrates that astonishing possibilities and true wonder are all around us. By revealing stories of his life—some delightful, others tragic—Shatner reflects on what he has learned along the way to his ninth decade and how important it is to apply the joy of exploration to our own lives. Insightful, irreverent, and with his signature wit and dramatic flair, Boldly Go is an unputdownable celebration of all that our miraculous universe holds for us.

Boldly Go: Reflections On a Life of Awe and Wonder will be released on October 4, 2022; Atria Books provided me an early galley to review.

Shatner, at age 91, is a sage elder - beloved and revered - especially for someone who grew up in the nerd sphere like myself. This book is very much in kind like that of sitting down with a grandparent and just listening to them impart wisdom on a variety of topics. Sure, Shatner goes on, veering off onto tangents and then returning back to main point, but he does it in his own unique style - of wit and drama and wonder. I suspect the audiobook version will be an even more delightful experience.

What I was very much looking forward to reading was Shatner's personal account of going into space last year. This chapter alone was worth checking the book out alone. It did not disappoint.

Given the past two years of our worlds being rocked by a pandemic, Boldly Go is perfectly timed. Shatner has used it to reflect on his life, and he shares those stories with readers in hopes that they too can reflect upon their own and recognize the blessings and gifts that have come to them that might have been forgotten over time.