NEW YORK, October 25 —Simon & Schuster announced today that it will publish I’M YOUR HUCKLEBERRY: A MEMOIR by Val Kilmer, on April 21, 2020. In his forthcoming book, Kilmer, star of numerous blockbuster films including Top Gun, The Doors, Heat, Batman Forever and Tombstone (from which book’s title is taken), reflects on his acclaimed career, recounts his high-profile romances, chronicles his spiritual journey and reveals details of his recent throat cancer diagnosis and recovery—about which he has disclosed little until now.

Kilmer writes, “The cancer was healed, but for the time being my speech is distorted. It’s hell to make myself understood. Talking, once my joy, has become my struggle. Over the past year, frustration has been transformed through writing. Storytelling has become my hope and salvation. Early on, I identified as a writer. My family’s history is replete with them: troubadours, historians, doctors, preachers, even a bona fide snake oil salesman. Stories can be revelations. In this book, I offer a few.”

The book will be published ahead of next summer’s highly anticipated sequel Top Gun: Maverick, in which Kilmer reprises the role of brash fighter pilot Tom “Iceman” Kazansky.

“Val is such a gifted storyteller. For decades he has done it with dynamic acting, and now he has done it with exquisite writing. He is astoundingly well-read, able to quote Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Samuel Beckett and Mark Twain at will. While containing plenty of tantalizing celebrity anecdotes, I’M YOUR HUCKLEBERRY is ultimately a deeply moving reflection on mortality and the mysteries of life,” says Sean Manning, Executive Editor at Simon & Schuster, who acquired World and audio rights from David Vigliano, President, Vigliano Associates.

Val Kilmer is an American actor known for his roles in Top Secret!, Top Gun, Real Genius, Willow, The Doors, True Romance, Tombstone, Batman Forever, Heat, The Saint, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and more. A graduate of Juilliard’s drama department, he has appeared on Broadway and London’s West End. He has published two books of poetry and received a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album. He is also an accomplished visual artist, with work exhibited in galleries worldwide.

 

 

Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation, is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Pocket Books, Adams Media, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information visit our website at www.simonandschuster.com.

 

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