HOW TO GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY

Hollywood star surmounts a rocky childhood to redirect his own fate.

Gibson was raised in South Central Los Angeles by an alcoholic mother and a line of her abusive boyfriends, but he learned early on that if he was going to amount to anything, he needed to be proactive. So he hustled; he begged for money; he looted during the Rodney King riots. As a teenager, his high-school music teacher drove him to a shot-in-the-dark audition that landed Gibson a spot in a 1995 Coca-Cola commercial. Fast forward 15 years, and now the actor, songwriter and Grammy Award–winning singer challenges readers to get off their “pity potty” and rise above their surroundings, too. Using a mix of self evaluation, deep faith in God, focus and determination, Gibson sets forth the path he believes saved his career and his life. While he credits many factors and individuals (including Will Smith) with his transformation, the author was obviously born with wisdom many others aren't fortunate enough to possess—the knowledge to recognize that he could and wanted to be more, and the inner strength to make it happen. Gibson also offers more than 50 pages of relationship advice (including sex, parenting and infidelity), which he claims may set female readers’ teeth on edge—a likely outcome.

Part memoir, part life manual, an uplifting and inspirational guide to regaining control of your life.