An American story Everyone's invited

In this affable debut, That '70s Show actor Valderrama details his family's migration from Venezuela to the U.S. and the beginnings of his career. Born to immigrant parents in 1980 Miami--his mother was Colombian, his father Venezuelan--Valderrama decamped to Venezuela with his family when he was three. Soon after they arrived, Hugo Chavez rose to power, and the country began its economic decline: "Each night came another report about soaring inflation, about another murder in the capital, about drugs and guns and gangs and violence." After the author turned 13, his parents returned to the U.S., landing in Southern California, where Valderrama worked as a busboy while harboring dreams of stardom. As a teenager, he auditioned for films and sitcoms, and grew frustrated that his accent kept him from booking roles, most of which were "kid who spoke perfect English." That very accent, however, landed him the role of exchange student Fez on That '70s Show, which jump-started his career. In chatty prose, Valderrama recounts his family's hardships ("That old clunker of a Mazda was the only thing keeping us afloat," he laments when his father's car is stolen in California), and offers flattering sketches of costars including Ashton Kutcher and Tom Hanks. It's a winning self-portrait. Agent: Albert Lee, UTA. (Sept.)

A respected actor/social activist reflects on how being the American-born son of two South American immigrants has influenced his life and career. Born in Miami, Valderrama was 3 when his family moved to Venezuela. He spent time riding his horse, watching TV, and dreaming he was Zorro while his father worked the farm he had bought. After Hugo Chavez came to power several years later, Valderrama's family fled to Los Angeles. "You'll need to learn English," the father warns his son, who was flunking that subject in school. In LA, his parents struggled financially while the author faced the daunting task of learning a new language as he navigated school, a part-time job, and an environment that sometimes judged immigrants unfairly. Yet these difficulties only made him more determined to succeed and to assist his parents. A straight-A student by high school, Valderrama poured his energies into acting and began auditioning for commercials and television bit parts. His junior year he unexpectedly landed the part of the foreign exchange student Fez onThat 70s Show, a role that fueled his steady rise to fame and helped him support the family he loved. Yet even as Valderrama lived professional dreams of developing successful TV shows likeYo Momma andZorro and starring in successful films likeFast Food Nation andLarry Crowne, he found himself equally drawn to activism in support of causes that empowered the Latinx community and that "creat[ed] a national celebration of democracy." Recapping Valderrama's star-studded accomplishments, this book is no different from other celebrity memoirs. Its greater interest lies in his presentation of his life as a demonstration of the fact that America's greatest strength lies in its diversity and in the immigrants it at times underestimates or undervalues. Candid and outspoken. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.