Krakauer's Tillman Book Withdrawn

By Rachel Deahl -- Publishers Weekly, 6/24/2008 11:51:00 AM

Those anticipating Jon Krakauer's meditation on the nature of heroism, examined through the story of Pat Tillman, the former football star killed in Afghanistan by friendly fire, may have to wait quite a bit longer than they planned. According to Doubleday, which had The Hero scheduled for October (and planned go to press with a hefty 500,000-first-printing), Krakauer has withdrawn the title.

Krakauer is apparently unhappy with the manuscript and is holding onto it indefinitely. David Drake at Doubleday confirmed that the decision was entirely the author's and that, while the imprint is "disappointed," it supports its author. Speaking to the book's future, Drake said the situation is "a little bit wait and see" and that if the book does get rescheduled it likely wouldn't come out until at least 2009.