Cosmos Confidential: Bill & Neil’s Excellent Bromance

by William Shatner, Neil deGrasse Tyson (Narrator)

Experience an unscripted conversation between two icons who have indelibly shaped our culture’s view of space.

Where do you go to let your curiosity fly? The backyard, of course. The setting for this audio original program is the backyard of William Shatner’s Los Angeles home, where he and Neil deGrasse Tyson enjoy a powerful, open-hearted conversation steeped in wonder. Having become fast friends and verbal sparring partners, the two men discuss the quest for knowledge that has driven human exploration and discovery over centuries, drawing from historical and contemporary examples. They discuss their efforts to overcome societal biases, Shatner’s as a Jewish kid growing up in Montreal, Canada and Tyson’s as a Black kid from the Bronx. They also share stories of how and when their individual futures took Shatner’s path leading to Star Trek and a long career in film and television, and Tyson’s path to becoming a globally recognized astrophysicist, author, and science communicator. Of course, they also go deep on topics of great interest to them both, including black holes, the behavior of light, quantum physics, the beauty and complexity of the universe, and even spirituality.

Presented with an undercurrent of humor and a passion for learning, Cosmos Confidential is an entertaining and enlightening journey of the mind. If you’ve ever wondered what two titans of space culture talk about when nobody else is around, here’s your answer.

Audible Audio

Published February 3, 2026

About the author

William Shatner is the author of nine Star Trek novels, including the New York Times bestsellers The Ashes of Eden and The Return. He is also the author of several nonfiction books, including Get a Life! and I'm Working on That. In addition to his role as Captain James T. Kirk, he stars as Denny Crane in the hit television series from David E. Kelley, Boston Legal -- a role for which he has won two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this better than I thought I would. I do like both of these gentlemen, truly, but a little of them goes a long way. The real question is how they fit both egos on one small cover.

The topics wander all over the place, but space is the unifying theme.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! It’s more like a five hour long podcast than an audiobook. A great conversation. I laughed out loud so many times. But they touched on a lot of serious topics too. Everything from quantum physics to racism.
And how is William Shatner 94?? He’s so sharp and funny. Highly recommend.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful. I laughed and cried. And felt a lot of warm fuzzies.

[Jon Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun conversation between two greats. I loved Tyson's description of how he prepares for interviews. Really resonated with my knack to over-prepare.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was amazing to hear a long conversation between these two. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.