the California Kid
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Just try to put it down
From USC athlete to international drug trafficker, The California Kid reads like fiction—but every word is true.
A double life, a global empire, and a crash so brutal it made headlines around the world. This is the story only Owen could tell—because he’s the one who lived it.
Story Featured In:
-Hardcovers come signed with a personalized message from Owen!
-Paperbacks come signed by Owen himself!
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What the headlines missed
Owen Hanson's Unfiltered Account
of What Really Happened
You’ve read the shocking one-sided tale of international drug kingpin Owen Hanson in Rolling Stone, VICE, and the LA Times—but now he’s ready to tell his side of the story.
A surfer kid from Redondo Beach, California, Owen Hanson was still in his 20s when he found himself the leader of a multimillion-dollar criminal empire. What began as an attempt to fit in with the rich kids at the University of Southern California soon grew into gambling and loan sharking, which then opened the door to drug trafficking and money laundering. Hanson wasn’t just involved in this stuff—he excelled at it. Living the fast-paced lifestyle of the rich and famous, Hanson felt he was finally making his father proud, never mind the questionable ethics and obvious danger of it all. But with the cartel, a serious drug-abuse problem, and the pursuit of the FBI all threatening to overtake him, it wouldn’t be long before his glamorous lifestyle caught up with him.
The California Kid follows Owen from his roots as a USC star athlete from a broken home, where his idolization of the rich and famous began, to his descent down a dangerous path where he would stop at nothing to earn the love and acceptance of his absent mother and the respect of his father. The story that follows is almost too wild to believe—but Owen bears the 21-year sentence to prove it.
A Story and adventure like no other
Once You're in...Your're In
FBI wiretaps. Cartel deals. Private jets. Shell companies. A 21-year sentence. None of it is fiction. And once you’re in, you won’t stop turning pages—not because it’s polished, but because it’s all true.
BOOK REVIEWS
What Readers Say About The California Kid
This book is phenomenal! It's one of those books you'll have a hard time putting down because it's that good, it truly felt like I was at a coffee shop with Owen while he shared is story with me. I do hope that he writes another book about what happend to him after his time in prison as I'm sure that would be just as captivating. As a parent of middle school age children I would not recommend this book for children under 18.
WOW is all I can say! The minute I picked up this book I couldn't put it down. Talk about a thought-provoking book that makes you feel like you're watching scenes straight out of Blow and Goodfellas. Owen shares such epic stories of his rise and fall in life that is relatable to many. Just when you think you know what's going to happen next, the next story surprises you even more. Excited to what's to come for you guero. Can't wait to see all the projects that's to come.
This book is a crazy ride! The California Kid’s journey from USC football star to a drug kingpin is unbelievable but so well-told. It’s one of those stories that’s almost too wild to be true, but it keeps you hooked the whole way through. Highly recommend!
You have to get this book, this guy lived one wild life and is the best story teller of all time. This would make a great mini series.
