Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery
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From California Governor Gavin Newsom comes an intimate and poignant account of identity, belonging, and the defining moments that inspired a life in politics
"Go slow," his political elders advised him, but Gavin Newsom has never known such a speed. For Newsom, the California Dream is what lured his father's family from County Cork, Ireland, six generations ago. His great-great-grandfather, a cop, walked a beat in San Francisco, where almost 150 years later, Newsom would be elected as mayor, running on the values instilled in him by his family history: that California's open arms must continue to extend to each new generation.
Newsom has never lived anywhere but California. Born in San Francisco, his parents divorced at a young age, and his childhood was spent being tugged between two worlds: his mother worked three jobs in order to care for her children while his father, a close friend of the Getty family, brought Newsom into San Francisco society, a world of wealth and connections. The dissonance was frustrating, and made all the more difficult because of undiagnosed dyslexia, but the vantage point was valuable: he inherited his mother's perseverance and his father's reverence of California, not only its wildness, but its opportunity.
In Young Man in a Hurry, Newsom traces the forces that have defined his ambitions as a politician and have pushed him to outpace the nation on myriad cutting-edge social issues that have since entered the mainstream. As mayor of San Francisco, he made waves when he violated state law in order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, more than ten years before the Supreme Court made such unions legal. He launched bold efforts to counter climate change, improve mental health care, and enhance gun safety, and worked to preserve the California Dream for his constituents. Elected as governor on the eve of unprecedented wildfires and entering office into immediate hyper-partisan headwinds from Washington, DC, Newsom has constantly and consistently stuck his neck out. Here for the first time, he reflects on the long personal journey that ultimately shaped him into one of the most recognizable and accomplished elected officials in America. Filled with intimate family history and written with candor and remarkable personal insight, here is a deeply resilient California story of identity, belonging, and the defining moments that inspired a life in politics.
Book Details
- ISBN
- 9781984881939
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Authors
- Gavin Newsom
- Publisher
- Penguin Press
- Published Date
- February 24, 2026
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 304
- Physical Info
- 1.12 in H x 9.59 in L x 6.41 in W (1.11 lb)
The paper is too thin! You can see the print from the next 2-3 pages through the one you're reading. I coudn't make it past the prologue with this being such a distraction for my reading. I'll check out the audiobook or a digital copy instead. My 4 star review is solely based on the production quality of the book, not the content. If this sort of thing doesn't bother you, then buy it.
love it!
GREAT READ
An insightful memoir of a good man. A man who overcame a disability he didn’t understand in his younger years but found a way to overcome and fulfill his dreams.
This book blew me away. It is SO well written (and I'm a writer). The stories about his life and family are so visual and compelling. It really gave me insight into his life and formative experiences. I liked Gavin Newsom before but now I'm a true fan! Highly recommend the audio version as he reads it and has a great voice. Enjoy!
If there ever is another election in this country I would love to see Gavin Newsom become President of the United States. We need someone of his intelligence, stamina, compassion and strong moral code to clean up and redirect the Fascist state we have become.
I bought this book before Gavin Newsom revealed his true self. Stepping on the next of the LGBTQ plus community by having Charlie Kirk and others like him on his podcast while not opening his arms up to the Democratic base and those activist and politicians who are more open minded than him is an absolute disgrace! Gavin Newsom is not the kind of man or politician that I will support unless he changes his ways!
I really enjoyed Newsom's memoir, and I'm a tough book critic who didn't expect to like the writing. His childhood and background are interesting and unusual, and his perspective and point of view helped me think about some of the larger issues of politics and the challenges of getting elected. I was more interested in his political observations and insights than in his personal life, although I appreciate knowing more about him. I'm a Californian, and I'm very happy--extremely happy--with how he has handled the state I love so dearly. Thank you, Gavin Newsom. I highly recommend your new book.
Well written and very interesting, except the chapters regarding the past 5 generations of his family. I did my best but never could keep them straight. I finally gave up and skimmed. First sentence of each paragraph. It ends in 1924, but includes a bit of his experience of the first Trump administration. Quite interesting. If an editor, I’d have recommended a photo or two of his family and possibly his political team. I’m pleased to have read it.
We enjoyed Gavin’s reading of the book. His story telling comes from a deep respect for his family and their life’s adventures. As family stories go, his is one of many great California dream successes. It was also filled with his family’s tragedies, and insights to the experiences that made him who he is today. Whether completely factual, or family lore, the stories were captivating and entertaining. I’m glad to hear Gavin’s side of his life’s story as we enter the retaking and healing of our beautiful county in the 2026 and 2028 elections! Dies adest! Cheers!
This book is very well done - sincere, authentic and great story telling. I have always respected Gavin Newsom for his grit and game changing approach and gaining insight into his childhood and his evolving career, I became a bigger fan. I admire how he owns his mistakes, regrets, etc and shares his lessons learned. He has shared that writing this book has helped him heal from his childhood and the pain he has carried during his lifetime. BTW, it was a slow start but the book became a page turner.
One of the best autobiographies I have had the pleasure of reading. A genuine reflection of the life of a future president.
Newsom’s privilege is evident in these pages. Throughout his life he has had enormous access to the best, brightest, wealthiest of San Francisco. This access is what made his business and political activities successful. It is also clear that he has good intentions and enormous energy to drive his life and ambitions.
I just received this book and am having trouble putting it down. I have seen several interviews with Gavin, so I am familiar with some of the stories. His writing style is like he is sitting there talking to you, which might be exactly what he did due to his dyslexia. As I am reading it, it's only getting better. If you aren't interested in politics, I would highly recommend this book! If you are interested in politics I would highly recommend it as well! Very informative, super easy read. Read the book for content, not just who he is.
A great story about a man who would make a wonderful president. He would bring people together!
Interesting and well written. Newscomb has a learning disability and his perceptions and sensitivity to environments is most interesting. The depth of his interest and understanding of history adds depth to the book too.Glad he is a member of the pro democracy team!
Very interesting and engaging story about Gavin Newsom's life and background. It just goes to show you, if you have Deslexia, a lot of tragedies in your family and the determination to succeed in life, you can go far. Excellent book!! It definitely isn't a boring book at all.
Great book. Interesting life. Well written. Gavin Newsom is a force. I love California, without the Cali economy the US would not be a leading economy. I never knew he had dyslexia. Unreal he had no diagnose or treatment for this condition, yet he worked hard and came so far in life. Gutsy and intelligent.
Much better than anyone might hope it might be.Fascinating and probably unforgettable. Too soon to be sure of that.
Despite three stars, this is a revealing book into the life and psyche of Gavin Newsom. If you are not familiar with Gavin, please know that he has many supporters, but also thankfully, not as many who hate his guts. Hence the three stars. Let me first admit that I love California, and especially San Francisco...having lived and worked there in the late sixties and seventies. My parents lived in a houseboat in the Marina, so I'm very familiar with the beauty and location.The surprising revelation to me was to learn of Gavin's learning disability. My sister suffers from the same one...how he manages this adversity says a great deal about his intellect and ability to recognize a potential aid when it is presented to him.Many of us don't know the struggles our parents endured that would likely explain their thoughts and actions. And, for the most part this is Gavin's experience. On the one hand his father is an amiable intellectual with tremendous charm who happens to be the best friend to (at that time) the richest man in the world...Gordon Getty. while his mother is largely left to raise two children on her own...struggling every day. As the benefits of the Getty largess flow down to Gavin and his sister in amazing vacations, experiences, and fabulous clothes, the children then must go home to their overworked and distant mother.There is a great deal here that I wasn't aware of... and I actually feel like he shared much more than most politicians. Tears swelled my eyes at various times; his life has definitely not been charmed. I'm thankful that his courage and perseverance has allowed him to share his life with us and more importantly, step into the arena of public life.
