Never Say Die

In this stunning and compulsively readable memoir, the Oscar-winning star of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, The Goonies, and Everything Everywhere All at Once, Ke Huy Quan, tells the story of his journey from Vietnamese refugee to 80s child star to the most inspiring comeback in Hollywood history. 

“A monumental work of self-discovery and the power and grace of communal survival. Quan’s voice is crystalline and luminous, and his Odyssean journey to the screen is, in itself, a triumph of storytelling.” –Ocean Vuong

Ke Huy Quan’s Hollywood adventure began when he was twelve years old, a mere five years after his family escaped Communist Northern Vietnam and settled down to a relatively peaceful life in L.A.’s Chinatown. After attending an open call audition on a whim, he was unexpectedly swept up in the wild world of filmmaking: learning to swim from Harrison Ford on the set of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, receiving trucks full of toys from Steven Spielberg and George Lucas for his birthday, meeting Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker, and making lifelong friends on the set of The Goonies.
 
A star of two of the most beloved movies of the ‘80s, there appeared to be no limit to Ke’s rise. But just a few years later, the roles had dried up and it seemed like Hollywood no longer had a place for him. He eventually left acting to work odd jobs behind the scenes for directors like Wong Kar Wai. His confidence was badly shaken, but his love of performing never abated. It wasn’t until decades later, when he was 49 years old, that he stepped back in front of the camera to star in a strange little indie film called Everything Everywhere All at Once, which surprised everyone with its incredible box-office and awards season success. To call Ke’s Oscar-winning performance a triumphant return would be an understatement.
 
In this moving, inspirational memoir, Ke paints a vivid self-portrait, telling both heart-wrenching and funny stories of his early rise, slow fall from the spotlight, the resilience that kept him going through his darkest times, and his eventual resurrection on one of the biggest stages in Hollywood. Never Say Die is the story of Ke’s extraordinary life, a love letter to the movies and people that shaped him, and a powerful testament to never giving up on your dreams.

• "In a writerly voice that’s at once charming and contemplative, Quan shares the fascinating story of his biopic-worthy life."
  BookPage
• “A touching account of a life with more than its share of ups and down.”
  Kirkus Reviews
• “Whether he's recalling the monotony of life in the Hong Kong refugee camp he lived in after fleeing Vietnam or reminiscing about Harrison Ford teaching him to swim, Quan's affable tone draws the reader in. It's a winning self-portrait.” 
  Publishers Weekly
• “A thoughtfully written, rare glimpse at being a child refugee and what it takes to make it in Hollywood.”
  Booklist
• “A monumental work of self-discovery and the power and grace of communal survival. Quan's voice is crystalline and luminous, and his Odyssean journey to the screen is, in itself, a triumph of storytelling.”
  Ocean Vuong
• “Despite a myriad of setbacks, Ke has never lost his immense curiosity and heart, and this memoir has lashings of both.”
  Cate Blanchett
• “Immensely likeable on the screen and now also on the page, Ke Huy Quan has made it, but he has also never forgotten who he is and where he came from. Starting with his origins as a refugee from Viet Nam to his unlikely childhood stardom and then to his midlife renaissance as an Oscar-winning actor, Ke Huy Quan in this memoir affirms the qualities that have enchanted so many of us who have seen him in the movies. His is a story of bad luck and good luck, but it is also an inspirational, moving tale of a boy and then a man who worked hard and never gave up. Ke Huy Quan conquered Hollywood, and now in Never Say Die, he will conquer many hearts as well.” 
  Viet Thanh Nguyen
• “Ke’s singular voice and masterful writing provide an intimate look at the unexpected turns of his life, from his harrowing immigration story to the remarkable years on and off the screen, culminating in a moment of pure triumph; a perfect encapsulation of the American dream.”
  Simu Liu