One night, my older brother and I were up late watching television and an old episode of Star Trek came on. I had never  heard of it, but my brother said I would probably like it. That was all it took to become a lifelong trekkie.

William Shatner, or simply The Shat, became an icon of masculinity by fighting the good fight and always getting the girl. The heroic Captain James Tiberious Kirk just turned 80 and released his new memoir, “Shatner Rules.”

It's no secret that there was a time when Shatner was not appreciative of the iconic character that made him a household name, which led to a tirade made famous by a now infamous Saturday Night Live skit. In his new book, he talks about his love and hate relationship with the good captain and love of horses. He's learned to take things lightly and not be afraid to make fun of himself.

Shatner has done far more in 80 years than simply play Kirk for a few years and in a handful of movies. Recent generations knows him as the Priceline Negotiator or Denny Crane from Boston Legal. If you've ever wanted to know what The Shat thinks about Shatner, then his memoir is an amazing read. It goes far beyond his Captain Kirk persona, and we truly find out what makes him and tick.

I can only hope when I'm 80 that I can function at one eighth the capacity of Shatner. His book is filled with the same humor and energy that we have come to expect from the once and future captain.