Author: Tom Selleck
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Nonfiction, Biography
Pages: 352
Publisher: Dey Street Books
Year Published: 2024
Format: Audiobook
"There are many miles from the business school and basketball court at the University of Southern California to 50 million viewers for the final episode of a TV show called Magnum P.I. Tom Selleck has lived every one of those miles in his own iconoclastic and joyful way. Frank, funny, and open-hearted, You Never Know is an intimate memoir from one of the most beloved actors of our time, the highly personal story of a remarkable life and thoroughly accidental career. In his own voice and uniquely unpretentious style, the famed actor brings readers on his uncharted but serendipitous journey to the top in Hollywood, his temptations and distactions, his misfires and mistakes and, over time, his well-earned success. Along the way, he clears up an armload of misconceptions and shares dozens of never-told stories from all corners of his personal and professional life. His rambunctious California childhood. HIs clueless arrival as a good-looking college jock in Hollywood (from the Dating Game to the Fox New Talent Program to co-starring with Mae West and escorting her to black-tie social functions). What it was like to emerge as a mega-star in his mid-thirties and remain so for decades to come, an actor whose authenticity and ease in front of the camera connected with audiences worldwide while embodying and also redefining the cliches of onscreen manhood. In You Never Know, Selleck recounts his personal friendships with a vivid army of A-listers, everyone from Frank Sinatra to Carol Burnett to Sam Elliot, paying special tribute to his mentor James Garner of The Rockford Files, who believed, like Selleck, that TV protagonists are far more interesting when they have rough edges. He also more than tips his hat to the American western and the scuffy band of actors, directors and other ruffians who helped define that classic genre, where Selleck has repeatedly found a happy home. Magnum fans will be fascinated to learn how Selleck put his career on the line to make Thomas Magnum a more imperfect hero and explains why he walked away from a show that could easily have gone on for years longer. Hollywood is never easy, even for stars who make it look that way. In You Never Know, Selleck explains how he's struggled to balance his personal and professional lives, frequently adjusting his career to protect his family's privacy and normalcy. His journey offers a truly fresh perspective on a changing industry and a changing world. Beneath all the charm and talent and self-deprecating humor, Selleck's memoir reveals an American icon who has reached remarkable heights by always insisting on being himself."
My Rating: 3.5/5
Growing up, my mom would often put on reruns from her childhood, or my grandma would be excited to show us what shows they had enjoyed. Magnum was a frequently played show in our house, but it wasn't ever in order, so it was interesting to hear about the ideas behind the show. Also, Tom Selleck is, with all due respect to him and his intelligence, a heartthrob. Even though he is a handsome man. Reading this book really showed the underside of acting, the times, etc. I think it would be great for anyone in the industry. As someone who is just a fan, I was surprised that this was so much about the work and little about the personal life. That being said, I can't imagine the constant scrutiny that the famous are under. It makes me think about how much entitlement fans seem to feel over artists, musicians, actors, etc., as though they are not people themselves.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
