Gavin Newsom Parents’ Separate Lives Detailed in New Memoir Young Man in a Hurry
Feb. 26, 2026 — Sacramento, Calif. California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recently released memoir Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery provides intimate details about his gavin newsom parents, focusing on the separate lives of his father, William Newsom III, and mother, Tessa Menzies, following their 1971 divorce when Newsom was 3 years old.
The book highlights how gavin newsom parents shaped his upbringing amid family wealth tied to the Getty oil fortune. William Newsom III, a judge and administrator of the Getty family trust who died in 2018, bonded with his son over politics, while Tessa Menzies primarily raised Newsom and his sister Hilary.
Father’s Influence and Post-Divorce Life
According to Los Angeles Times coverage, Newsom’s father moved to Lake Tahoe after the divorce, maintaining an intellectual life connected to the Gettys. The Atlantic describes these dynamics under the headline “Gavin Newsom’s Father Issues,” noting the judge’s career highlights as detailed in William Newsom’s Wikipedia entry.
Newsom reflects on his father’s role in a Fox News opinion piece, portraying a shift from privilege to personal challenges. The memoir also reveals that gavin newsom parents kept his dyslexia diagnosis at age 5 from him, as noted in Gavin Newsom’s Wikipedia page.
Mother’s Role and Family Connections
Tessa Menzies raised the children post-divorce, with the family benefiting from Getty connections that aided Newsom’s early career, per a 2019 CalMatters commentary. These ties included an informal “adoption” by the Gettys and favors like inheritance of a $3.6 million home.
The governor’s official biography at the California Governors Library confirms Newsom’s 1967 birth to gavin newsom parents.
Public and Social Media Reaction
Recent X discussions question Newsom’s portrayal of a “struggle” childhood against evident wealth from gavin newsom parents. Users like @E9onthenest emphasize the father’s Getty role (post), while @POLICEINFLA shares videos challenging the narrative (post). Chatter also covers dyslexia, education, and distant Pelosi links via family marriage.
The memoir has sparked broader debate on gavin newsom parents and privilege in politics.
