In the early months of 1966, a handsome, hardworking thirty-five-year-old Canadian-born actor named William Shatner was cast as Captain Kirk in Star Trek, a science-fiction television series set to premiere that fall on NBC. Star Trek struggled for viewers and lasted only three seasons, but it found a huge, rabidly dedicated audience when it premiered in syndication following its cancellation, turning Shatner into a pop-culture icon and launching him on a career path he never could have imagined after graduating from McGill University. As he approaches his ninetieth year, Shatner takes a comprehensive look at this singular performer, taking readers through William Shatner's remarkably bumpy career and the resilience Shatner has shown, time and again, in the face of overwhelming odds.