Tom Selleck Reflects on His Journey: A Deeply Personal Memoir Celebrating a Fulfilling Life

Tom Selleck Reflects on His Journey in Upcoming Memoir, “You Never Know”

Tom Selleck is set to share insights from his decades-long career in the entertainment industry in his forthcoming memoir, You Never Know.

In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Selleck candidly remarked, “[The book] is a lot about failing, endless failures. If you’re going to get into acting, you better have an appetite for it. I tried to communicate that… It’s been quite a journey.”

Despite his extensive experience in film and television, Selleck initially questioned how engaging his life story would be. “I don’t have the hooks that a lot of people do,” he noted. “I didn’t rehabilitate myself or lead a tragic life. I’ve experienced my share of ups and downs, but I’ve been very fortunate.”

Selleck revealed that his entry into acting was more accidental than planned. “I’d never taken an acting class. I had no training, no desire,” he explained. He began with commercials and a stint on The Dating Game, leading to smaller roles in The Young and the Restless and The Rockford Files, before his breakout role in Magnum P.I. transformed his career.

Reflecting on his life, he said, “I’ve had a very good life, a very lucky life. I don’t know if it’s what I expected, but I approach it with a lot of gratitude.”

Selleck has been working on You Never Know for several years. In a 2021 interview with Parade, he described the memoir as “very personal,” emphasizing, “It’s not going to be a score-settling thing. There’s a certain level of privacy, but I’m being extremely intimate about how everything has affected me.”

He added, “I want to share my 50 years in show business and what it was like to enter a field I never anticipated being in. I never wanted to be an actor and got lucky being exposed to it under contract with 20th Century Fox. The reality of that journey is different from what the audience might think.”

The description of You Never Know portrays the memoir as “frank, funny, and open-hearted,” revealing Selleck as an American icon who has achieved remarkable success by staying true to himself.

Scheduled for release on May 7, You Never Know promises to take readers on an unfiltered journey through Selleck’s career, complete with insights into his temptations, distractions, missteps, and eventual triumphs. “From the USC basketball court to a happy accident and discovering the work I love, it’s been a long, bumpy road filled with singles, home runs, and plenty of strikeouts,” he said. “I think it’s time to share the ride.”

The memoir will also clarify misconceptions and unveil untold stories from both his personal and professional life.