California Governor Gavin Newsom took to X to promote his upcoming memoir, "Young Man in a Hurry," set for release in early 2026. The book’s launch was previously delayed as wildfires swept through Los Angeles.
"A lot of people look at me with my stark white shirt, blue suit, and yeah, the gelled hair, and they think, 'I know this guy, oh I know him better than I'd ever want to know him,' and I get it," Newsom said. "I hope, whatever your opinions on me are, the openness and honesty I felt writing this and living it will resonate."
He added that the memoir “is a truly vulnerable book.”
This might not be the book people expected me to write.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) December 9, 2025
It's about something universal — the messiness of becoming who we are.
Young Man in a Hurry is out February 2026.
Pre-order it here: https://t.co/WMGKrREIre pic.twitter.com/OtB0MlcFSf
The memoir goes through Newsom’s upbringing in San Francisco, where he grew up as the son of prominent attorney and judge William Newsom, who first introduced him to the Getty family, a powerful oil family that would later help fund his political ascent. Because Newsom’s parents divorced when he was young, Gordon and Ann Getty, well known for dominating San Francisco, took him in and even paid for extravagant experiences, including an African safari, according to reports.
Newsom then hinted at some personal regrets, including a falling out with Billy Getty, the son of Gordon Getty.
Some experts say that this is, yet again, nothing more than Newsom setting the stage for 2028.
“It’s all part of the ‘exploring the presidency’ formula: book tour, couple sexy anecdotes that get picked up in major news outlets … you get everybody talking about you,” Christina Bellantoni, a USC professorsaid. “We know what he’s positioning himself for and in the end, it’s not about selling books — it’s about getting your name out there and talked about.”
As San Francisco mayor, Newsom was plagued by personal scandals following his messy divorce from Kimberly Guilfoyle. In 2007, he admitted to an affair with his campaign manager’s wife, Ruby Rippey Tourk, and pledged to seek treatment for alcohol abuse. He later made headlines for a brief relationship with a 19-year-old before eventually marrying actress Jennifer Siebel.
Gavin Newsom’s memoir already looks less like a standalone literary project and more like a calculated step in a familiar political direction. Presented as an act of “vulnerability,” its rollout, from the polished announcement to the carefully personal tone, feels fake and is designed to reset his public image ahead of 2028.
No matter what Newsom writes, he cannot escape his scandals, his past, and most importantly, the disastrous way he has run California.