Angelina Jolie praises Billy Bob Thornton

By Ann Oldenburg, USA TODAY

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Billy Bob Thornton poses backstage at the BAFTA Film Awards 2012, at The Royal Opera House in London in February. (Credit: By Joel Ryan, AP)

Angelina Jolie still has kind words for her ex, Billy Bob Thornton, 56.

And she's sharing them with us all in the foreword to his new book, The Billy Bob Tapes: A Cave Full of Ghosts.

She says her former husband "has a big beautiful heart," and "He has an unmatchable wit and can make you laugh until your face hurts," Angie writes. "To be with him is like being with a mad mathematician. He is constantly counting and repeating."

Brad Pitt's fiancee says the world would not be the same without Thornton.

"Some people walk through life able to quiet the voices in their heads. He can't. And I, and everyone else who knows him well, we love him for it," she says, ending with, "I know one thing: The world would certainly be a hell of a lot more dull if that man weren't in it."

Aw. Thornton told Nightline this week that he was to blame for their relationship not working out.

"I blew it because I didn't think I was good enough for her," he said. "She has one way she wanted to live her life and I had another way to live mine, and I was just too insecure." He added, "People have actually said that I didn't deserve to be with her."

Thornton told Nightline they are still "good friends."