HarperEntertainment to Publish Oscar De La Hoya Autobiography
Posted on February 12, 2008
HarperEntertainment, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced that it will be publishing the autobiography of boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya. American Son will follow De La Hoya's rags to riches story. The book will be published on May 20. 2008. The book will be published in English and Spanish.
De La Hoya says in a statement, "The time is right for me to tell my story. I've been through a lot, and have experienced some really amazing events in my life. But I try everyday to keep it all real and into perspective. I think the book will surprise many."
Rene Alegria says, "This is a success story that, in its retelling, can serve as an inspiration for millions. Timely and provocative, the book is a story of an immigrant's son, whose early life-struggles deeply forged the life he enjoys today. With sports celebrities as heavily scrutinized as they are, this book will provide readers with new insight into the private life of this very public figure."
According the HarperCollins, in the book De La Hoya talks discusses:
It sounds like he spares nothing. We think it will sell very well.His roots in Mexico. He traces the migration of the Gonzalez and De La Hoya families from Tecate and Durango to the barrio of East L.A. and fondly remembers the days he spent on periodic trips back to the old country.
Winning the Olympic gold medal for his deceased mother.
Memorable fights. He puts the reader in the ring for his famous matches, from Julio Cesar Chavez to Felix Trinidad to Floyd Mayweather, and provides behind-the-scenes anecdotes about other matches, including the girls he snuck into his room.
He shows the difficulties of being the Golden Boy, a teen-ager suddenly worth millions, trying to separate the good guys from the shysters, getting ripped off by a business advisor and finally finding financial security and establishing a business empire with the guidance of former Swiss banker Richard Schaefer.
He details his gambling habits, his interaction with celebrities like Paris Hilton and the night he broke down crying in the midst of a party.
He discusses his kids, his womanizing, his therapy sessions and the ultimate happiness he has discovered with his beloved wife Millie and their two young children.