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We know him as Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise, but William Shatner has been so many more things. Even before he was cast as the lead in the original Star Trek series, Shatner appeared in movies and TV shows, including one of his most memorable performances in the 1963 Twilight Zone episode “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet.”
A reliable actor, Shatner already had dozens of credits when he was cast as Captain Kirk, yet Star Trek was only the beginning of his career. After the TV series ended, Shatner continued to play Kirk in movies and went on to do countless other projects. He played the lead role in the TV series T. J. Hooker, won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his work as Denny Crane in Boston Legal, was the host of several shows including Rescue 9-1-1, and starred in many more movies, ranging from Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) to Miss Congeniality (2000).
Shatner was also more than an actor. He dabbled in directing but found perhaps his greatest passion in producing spoken-word albums in which he recited parts of plays, popular song lyrics, and his own compositions. His recording career includes collaborations with esteemed artists such as Ben Folds, Brad Paisley, Peter Frampton, Brian May of Queen, Bootsy Collins, Rick Wakeman, Vince Gill, Edgar Winter, Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins, and many others.
He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is a world champion horse breeder, was awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, and, in 2021, he became the oldest person to go into space when he joined the Blue Origin’s second sub-orbital spaceflight.
These are just a few of the many accolades and experiences that make up William Shatner’s long and varied life and career, which he has spent boldly going where no one else has gone before…
Shatner the Author
Beyond that, Shatner is also a New York Times-bestselling writer. From Star Trek novels to his own controversial TekWar series, Shatner has written science fiction, memoirs, verse, and more.
Shatner’s best-known writing is probably the TekWar series, which began as notes that Shatner was working on during the filming of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Shatner co-wrote the TekWar series with Ron Goulart, spanning nine books between 1989 and 1997. The series also spawned various spin-offs, including a comic book series, trading cards, a 1995 computer game, four TV movies, and a television series which aired from 1994 through 1997.
William Shatner directed and appeared in several of the TekWar movies and episodes. Fans of The Simpsons will also recognize TekWar from a classic gag in the season 6 episode “The PTA Disbands.” When Mrs. Crabapple tells Principal Skinner that the only books they have are ones other schools banned, the shelf she points to includes a copy of TekWar, alongside titles like 40 Years of Playboy, Hop on Pop, and the “Junior Illustrated Edition” of The Satanic Verses.
“Well, the kids have to learn about TekWar sooner or later,” Skinner replies.
Wisdom & Worries
In his latest memoir, William Shatner looks back on “Life, Death, and Everything in Between” in a way only he could. Written in poems and lyrics, Wisdom & Worries chronicles everything from Shatner’s youth in Montreal to his time on the stage, his work on screens both big and small, what playing Captain Kirk meant for the rest of his life and career, the breakup of his first marriage, his children and grandchildren, and so much more.
For this unforgettable book, Shatner partners with the award-winning author and television producer Robert Sharenow, whose books have been selected by the American Library Association and won the Sydney Taylor Book Award, while his work as a TV executive has found him overseeing shows that won Emmy and Peabody Awards, as well as an Oscar.
The Guardian has called Shatner’s spoken-word albums “unexpectedly poignant,” while The Washington Post hails his lyrics and verse as having “a surprising depth of feeling.” Wisdom & Worries features some of his most celebrated poems and lyrics, including “So Far from the Moon,” written about one of Shatner’s lowest moments, and “So Fragile, So Blue,” a lyrical response to his flight aboard the Blue Origin spacecraft.
Across nearly two hundred pages, Shatner shares his thoughts, reflections, and poetry with readers, whether you know him best as Captain Kirk, T. J. Hooker, Denny Crane, or from his many spoken-word albums. Even if you somehow don’t know William Shatner at all, there’s bound to be something for almost any reader in this unique memoir.
Available for Pre-Order Now
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Wisdom & Worries
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