Eric Dane’s Memoir to Be Released Following Actor’s Death

A memoir completed by Eric Dane shortly before his death will be published later this year. The book, titled My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments, is scheduled for release on Nov. 3 and was finished during the final months of the actor’s life as he battled Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Dane died on Feb. 19 at age 53 after approximately ten months living with ALS, a progressive neurological condition that gradually destroys motor neurons and leads to the loss of muscle function. The actor’s death was attributed to respiratory failure related to the disease.

According to the publisher, the memoir offers a series of reflections on Dane’s life, including his career, family, sobriety, and experience confronting terminal illness. The book is structured around personal memories rather than a traditional chronological narrative, focusing on moments that shaped his life and perspective.

Dane began writing the memoir after receiving his diagnosis in April. In a statement released by the publisher, he described the project as a way to document the experiences that mattered most to him and to leave something meaningful for his daughters.

“I wake up every morning, and I’m immediately reminded that this is real, this illness, this challenge,” Dane wrote in a passage shared by the publisher. “I want to capture the moments that shaped me, the beautiful days, the hard ones, the ones I never took for granted.”

The book is being published by Open Field, a publishing venture founded by journalist and author Maria Shriver. Shriver said Dane approached the project with the intention of creating a personal record for his family. In a statement, she said the actor wanted to leave behind a story that reflected both his life and the values he hoped to pass on.

Dane’s acting career spanned more than three decades, beginning with television roles in the 1990s on series such as Roseanne and Married... with Children. He later appeared in the supernatural drama Charmed before gaining widespread recognition for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey's Anatomy. The character became one of the show’s most popular figures and earned Dane the nickname “McSteamy” among viewers.

In later years, Dane returned to television with a prominent role on the HBO series Euphoria, where he portrayed Cal Jacobs, a character whose storyline explored themes of secrecy, family conflict, and identity. The role introduced Dane to a new generation of viewers and marked one of his most significant performances in recent years.

After his ALS diagnosis became public, Dane also used his platform to raise awareness about the disease. His family said in a statement following his death that he was committed to supporting research efforts and advocating for those facing similar diagnoses.

“Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research,” the family said. They added that he hoped his public discussion of the disease might help others confronting the same condition.

My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments will be released roughly nine months after Dane’s death. The memoir represents the actor’s final personal project and offers readers a reflection on his life during a period defined by illness, family, and the effort to preserve memories for the people closest to him.