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Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future
A mayor’s inspirational story of a Midwest city that has become nothing less than a blueprint for the future of American renewal.
Once described by the Washington Post as “the most interesting mayor you’ve never heard of,” Pete Buttigieg, the thirty-six-year-old Democratic mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has improbably emerged as one of the nation’s most visionary politicians. First elected in 2011, Buttigieg left a successful business career to move back to his hometown, previously tagged by Newsweek as a “dying city,” because the industrial Midwest beckoned as a challenge to the McKinsey-trained Harvard graduate. Whether meeting with city residents on middle-school basketball courts, reclaiming abandoned houses, confronting gun violence, or attracting high-tech industry, Buttigieg has transformed South Bend into a shining model of urban reinvention.
While Washington reels with scandal, Shortest Way Home interweaves two once-unthinkable success stories: that of an Afghanistan veteran who came out and found love and acceptance, all while in office, and that of a Rust Belt city so thoroughly transformed that it shatters the way we view America’s so-called flyover country.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 12, 2019
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13812 people want to read
About the author
Pete Buttigieg
2 books673 followersPete Buttigieg, born in Indiana in 1982, is an American politician and former military officer who is currently serving as the United States secretary of transportation (2020- ). He was the 32nd mayor of South Bend, Indiana from 2012 to 2020, which earned him the nickname "Mayor Pete."
A dynamic national lecturer and TEDx speaker, as well as a Rhodes Scholar and Navy veteran, Buttigieg was educated at Harvard and Oxford. He and his husband, Chasten Glezman Buttigieg, live in Washington, D.C. and South Bend, Indiana.
A dynamic national lecturer and TEDx speaker, as well as a Rhodes Scholar and Navy veteran, Buttigieg was educated at Harvard and Oxford. He and his husband, Chasten Glezman Buttigieg, live in Washington, D.C. and South Bend, Indiana.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,208 reviews
February 7, 2020
2/7/2020 update: congratulations Mayor Pete! Take this all the way to the end!
God, yes! A presidential candidate who went to Harvard for LITERATURE. There's even a chapter where he discusses the beauty of "linguistic rhythm."
*SWOON*
Oh yeah, he did some other things too, like fight for our country and turn a dying city around. But that's not nearly as important.
Being honest, after 2016 I mostly keep my head in the sand. I wander around, blissfully pretending that I don't live in a United States where a large enough population rejected the most qualified candidate in favor of the least qualified. My plan on 2020 has been to vote for a female candidate, whoever that happens to be.
But Buttigieg has me woke. I still want a female president more than anything, but Pete is who I need right now, in this particular election. He makes a great point that generational change is something to benefit the country rather than hurt it. He's ridiculously mature, level-headed, willing to own up to his mistakes and LEARN from them, and shows unseen adeptness at working with the other side. He stands firm on values, but understands that we can't keep going with this Civil War mindset. Eventually we have to unite - and he has plans on how to do it.
From a purely book review perspective, I think it's fair to say there are a few dull moments. Overall, though, this is a moving memoir from a fascinating public figure who, even if he isn't the Democrat nominee, will be a powerful Kennedy-esque presence on the national stage.
God, yes! A presidential candidate who went to Harvard for LITERATURE. There's even a chapter where he discusses the beauty of "linguistic rhythm."
*SWOON*
Oh yeah, he did some other things too, like fight for our country and turn a dying city around. But that's not nearly as important.
Being honest, after 2016 I mostly keep my head in the sand. I wander around, blissfully pretending that I don't live in a United States where a large enough population rejected the most qualified candidate in favor of the least qualified. My plan on 2020 has been to vote for a female candidate, whoever that happens to be.
But Buttigieg has me woke. I still want a female president more than anything, but Pete is who I need right now, in this particular election. He makes a great point that generational change is something to benefit the country rather than hurt it. He's ridiculously mature, level-headed, willing to own up to his mistakes and LEARN from them, and shows unseen adeptness at working with the other side. He stands firm on values, but understands that we can't keep going with this Civil War mindset. Eventually we have to unite - and he has plans on how to do it.
From a purely book review perspective, I think it's fair to say there are a few dull moments. Overall, though, this is a moving memoir from a fascinating public figure who, even if he isn't the Democrat nominee, will be a powerful Kennedy-esque presence on the national stage.
April 20, 2019
Where my reading is concerned, I mainly subsist on a diet of fiction (both mainstream and YA), thrillers, and rom-coms, with the occasional dash of sci-fi/fantasy. But every now and again I choose to sample a little nonfiction, usually in the form of memoirs, when someone that interests or fascinates me writes one.
I first heard of Pete Buttigieg when he ran for chair of the Democratic National Committee. I didn't know much about him other than that he had made real progress as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and he was openly gay. But the more I paid attention to him, the more impressed I became, and I definitely stood up and took notice when he announced the formation of an exploratory committee to run for President in 2020.
Shortest Way Home is more about Buttigieg's journey, both political and personal, than it is a roadmap for his presidential ambitions. He talks a lot about the progress he has helped bring to South Bend, a town once labeled one of America's dying cities. Elected mayor at the age of 29, he brought audacious plans, unbridled energy and enthusiasm, and a passion for service, but he learned a lot from South Bend's citizens as well.
"Good policy, like good literature, takes personal lived experience as its starting point. At its best, the practice of politics is about taking steps that support people in daily life—or tearing down obstacles that get in their way. Much of the confusion and complication of ideological battles might be washed away if we held our focus on the lives that will be made better, or worse, by political decisions, rather than on the theoretical elegance of the policies or the character of the politicians themselves."
Buttigieg doesn't try to take credit for all of South Bend's success, nor does he claim to have cured all of the city's ills. He juxtaposes his work in the city with the major decisions he has made in his life—leaving his home to attend Harvard University, pursue a career as a management consultant, join the Navy, run for political office (his first attempt, a run for state treasurer, was unsuccessful but it taught him a lot), and come to terms with his sexuality—and how each has enhanced him and, in turn, enhanced his ability to lead.
One of the reasons Buttigieg appeals to me is because he doesn't stoop to the negativity that has infected all of us so much today. He has criticisms about the way the country is being run, the hypocritical way some of our leaders try to inflict their own personal views in their governing, and the inaccurate thought that greatness can be achieved only by hearkening back to an earlier time.
"There is nothing necessarily wrong with greatness, as an aspiration, a theme, or even as the basis of a political program. The problem, politically, is that we keep looking for greatness in all the wrong places. We think we can find it in the past, dredged up for some impossible 'again,' when in reality it is available only to those who fix their vision on the future. Or we think it is to be found in some grand national or international adventure, when the most meaningful expressions of American greatness are found in the richness of everyday life."
Shortest Way Home , like Buttigieg himself, gives me hope. His story, and the sequel to South Bend's story that he has been such a vital part of, are fascinating. While there is a long time until November 2020, if you had told 16-year-old me that in my lifetime not only would there be an openly gay, viable candidate for president, but that he would announce his candidacy with his husband at his side, it would have given me hope during a time where I wondered if I would ever fit in.
This is not a preachy book, nor is it filled with political jargon or swipes at the current administration. It's a positive book, by and large, and it's well-written, too. It certainly proves this is a man who can do anything he sets his mind to, and hopefully becoming president is next on his list of achievements!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
I first heard of Pete Buttigieg when he ran for chair of the Democratic National Committee. I didn't know much about him other than that he had made real progress as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and he was openly gay. But the more I paid attention to him, the more impressed I became, and I definitely stood up and took notice when he announced the formation of an exploratory committee to run for President in 2020.
Shortest Way Home is more about Buttigieg's journey, both political and personal, than it is a roadmap for his presidential ambitions. He talks a lot about the progress he has helped bring to South Bend, a town once labeled one of America's dying cities. Elected mayor at the age of 29, he brought audacious plans, unbridled energy and enthusiasm, and a passion for service, but he learned a lot from South Bend's citizens as well.
"Good policy, like good literature, takes personal lived experience as its starting point. At its best, the practice of politics is about taking steps that support people in daily life—or tearing down obstacles that get in their way. Much of the confusion and complication of ideological battles might be washed away if we held our focus on the lives that will be made better, or worse, by political decisions, rather than on the theoretical elegance of the policies or the character of the politicians themselves."
Buttigieg doesn't try to take credit for all of South Bend's success, nor does he claim to have cured all of the city's ills. He juxtaposes his work in the city with the major decisions he has made in his life—leaving his home to attend Harvard University, pursue a career as a management consultant, join the Navy, run for political office (his first attempt, a run for state treasurer, was unsuccessful but it taught him a lot), and come to terms with his sexuality—and how each has enhanced him and, in turn, enhanced his ability to lead.
One of the reasons Buttigieg appeals to me is because he doesn't stoop to the negativity that has infected all of us so much today. He has criticisms about the way the country is being run, the hypocritical way some of our leaders try to inflict their own personal views in their governing, and the inaccurate thought that greatness can be achieved only by hearkening back to an earlier time.
"There is nothing necessarily wrong with greatness, as an aspiration, a theme, or even as the basis of a political program. The problem, politically, is that we keep looking for greatness in all the wrong places. We think we can find it in the past, dredged up for some impossible 'again,' when in reality it is available only to those who fix their vision on the future. Or we think it is to be found in some grand national or international adventure, when the most meaningful expressions of American greatness are found in the richness of everyday life."
Shortest Way Home , like Buttigieg himself, gives me hope. His story, and the sequel to South Bend's story that he has been such a vital part of, are fascinating. While there is a long time until November 2020, if you had told 16-year-old me that in my lifetime not only would there be an openly gay, viable candidate for president, but that he would announce his candidacy with his husband at his side, it would have given me hope during a time where I wondered if I would ever fit in.
This is not a preachy book, nor is it filled with political jargon or swipes at the current administration. It's a positive book, by and large, and it's well-written, too. It certainly proves this is a man who can do anything he sets his mind to, and hopefully becoming president is next on his list of achievements!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
February 17, 2019
This man makes me proud to have chosen to live (although begrudgingly at first) in the Midwest. This is not flyover country. It’s easy to be a Democrat and super liberal on a coast, it’s another thing to live your values in a place where not everyone feels the same way you do...and find you actually love when you can find something you agree on! Read. This. Book. This man should be president.
March 22, 2019
I have all the thoughts and none of the words... I really enjoyed this book and truly admire this man. I'm honestly frightened by how inspired I am by him and how hopeful he makes me feel because I'm terrified to back someone who, for obvious reasons, might not be able to win the biggest race in our lifetimes... but, FUCK IT! I'm voting Mayor Pete and I hope you will too. End of totally unacceptable politically motivated review.
June 16, 2019
I am attempting to read books by the various presidential candidates for the 2020 election. The list is long and Buttigieg is one of them. Buttigieg tells the story of his life to date. He appears to be a very smart young man. He graduated from Harvard and was a Rhodes Scholar to Oxford. He is a Navy veteran. He is the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana. He studied government in school and he did a summer internship with Senator Teddy Kennedy. These two things do allow him some knowledge about the workings of government. I am sure that being gay in Indiana has not been easy. He speaks eight languages they are English, Norwegian, French, Spanish, Italian, Maltese, Arabic and Dari. He learned Dari while in the Navy stationed in Afghanistan. It is a Persian dialect. He learned Maltese and Italian from his father who was born in Malta. He was encouraged to learn languages from his mother, Anne Montgomery, who is a linguist and a retired professor from Notre Dame University.
The book is well written and I must say I was impressed with his background, education, language skills and government knowledge. To top it off he also plays piano and guitar. He states one of his goal is to attempt to reunite the country. That is badly needed, but I am not sure it is achievable. I was impressed that he stated the mistakes he has made as mayor and what he did or will do to correct the problems. I will continue my study of the candidates and do not have enough information about all of them to even begin to choose one.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours and fifty-seven minutes. Pete Buttigieg narrated the book himself. It was great to listen to him speak.
The book is well written and I must say I was impressed with his background, education, language skills and government knowledge. To top it off he also plays piano and guitar. He states one of his goal is to attempt to reunite the country. That is badly needed, but I am not sure it is achievable. I was impressed that he stated the mistakes he has made as mayor and what he did or will do to correct the problems. I will continue my study of the candidates and do not have enough information about all of them to even begin to choose one.
I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is nine hours and fifty-seven minutes. Pete Buttigieg narrated the book himself. It was great to listen to him speak.
May 7, 2019
Audiobook read by Pete Buttigieg
It rattles my brain realizing that Pete Buttigieg, 36 years of age, is a year ‘younger’ than our oldest daughter.
MAYOR PETE has a vision for America —and I like his vision!!!!
Pete wants to ensure that America’s future is better than its past.
That every American has the freedom to live a life of their own choosing.
Where racial justice is a reality and not a dream.
Where we put an end to endless war.
Where we’ve summoned the national will to meet the challenge of climate change. Where everyone has health care that they need.
Listening to Pete read his own book in his calm, humble voice - lifted my spirits.
Can you be a more genuine human being....let alone a politician?
The South Bend, Indiana community can be proud.....
Pete’s story is nothing less than refreshing, heartening, encouraging, and energizing.
Pete’s resume more than qualifies him for President!
This book allowed me to know Pete as a person.....from the little kid - a professors kid- who would listen to his parents conversations at night with their friends....
to his early interest in human relations as a young boy...to eating pizza and playing Star War games with his neighborhood buddy...to his amazing Academic achievement, ( Harvard, and Oxford - top in his class as as Rhodes scholar, fluent in Arabic, classically trained pianist), his military service, his finding love, an open member of the LGBT community, and his dedication to hard work.
Pete has passion - integrity- purpose - and excellent qualifications to meet the needs as the leader of our country.
A breath of fresh air. I’m left hopeful!!!!!
It rattles my brain realizing that Pete Buttigieg, 36 years of age, is a year ‘younger’ than our oldest daughter.
MAYOR PETE has a vision for America —and I like his vision!!!!
Pete wants to ensure that America’s future is better than its past.
That every American has the freedom to live a life of their own choosing.
Where racial justice is a reality and not a dream.
Where we put an end to endless war.
Where we’ve summoned the national will to meet the challenge of climate change. Where everyone has health care that they need.
Listening to Pete read his own book in his calm, humble voice - lifted my spirits.
Can you be a more genuine human being....let alone a politician?
The South Bend, Indiana community can be proud.....
Pete’s story is nothing less than refreshing, heartening, encouraging, and energizing.
Pete’s resume more than qualifies him for President!
This book allowed me to know Pete as a person.....from the little kid - a professors kid- who would listen to his parents conversations at night with their friends....
to his early interest in human relations as a young boy...to eating pizza and playing Star War games with his neighborhood buddy...to his amazing Academic achievement, ( Harvard, and Oxford - top in his class as as Rhodes scholar, fluent in Arabic, classically trained pianist), his military service, his finding love, an open member of the LGBT community, and his dedication to hard work.
Pete has passion - integrity- purpose - and excellent qualifications to meet the needs as the leader of our country.
A breath of fresh air. I’m left hopeful!!!!!
July 11, 2019
I initially contributed (a very small amount) to Buttigieg's political campaign, but unfortunately this book solidifies for me that he is not actually ready to be President. I haven't decided who I am voting for in the democratic primary, but it more than likely won't be him. Why? Many reasons, but here's the run down from what I discovered in this book:
- I'll start off with the stupidest reason first: he spends a whole chapter explaining how he goes on regular runs with two other guys and then describes in excruciating detail a pretend run through the city of South Bend. Did you know they have a geese problem in one area? I can tell you all about it, but I'll save you from the tedious boredom of it. This was obvious book filler and it really shows that he didn't have enough details/plans for the content that the book title suggests.
- He clearly suffers from White Man Overconfidence Syndrome. Take a look at his history of running for political offices in order of how they happened: Indiana State Treasurer (lost), South Bend Mayor (won twice), DNC Chair (lost), and now he is running for President of the United States. Because if a man who can't win a state-wide election or the election of his own political party structure shouldn't be President, who should? Um, pretty much anyone else who actually HAS won, that's who. Beto O'Rourke is another example of this attempt to 'lose forward'.
- His service seems more like a political calculation, not based out of a real desire to serve. I am not putting down his service, as his service is more than I have done (which is zero). I am just saying that the service he signed up for seemed specifically designed to be not long and yet at a high profile location. He signed up for the Navy Reserve and then specifically states that he ASKED to go to Afghanistan, where he served for seven months. Coming from a Harvard/Rhodes scholar who majored in politics and then went into politics, it makes me wonder about his motivations.
- He fixates on Mike Pence in this book, who coincidentally was also the recipient of his first (and only) major attack so far while running for the Democratic Presidential Nomination. On it's own, that's not surprising considering they are both from Indiana, except for one small thing: he's quick to bring up that there's a photo of him looking chummy with Pence and then proceeds to deliver a backstory about how he supposedly was actually trying to get him out of a rowdy bar area and into a likely less confrontational eating hall next door. To me, the inclusion of this description of this seemingly random moment and photo, that absolutely no one at the time it happened cared about, screams "I did opposition research on myself and I am trying to get ahead of this bad-looking photo because I plan to go after Pence during my Presidential run". Here's the photo (not included in the book, but I looked it up)
- He spends a lot of time talking about the same things he does on the the campaign trail now, so I won't repeat them. But what is perhaps more interesting is what he doesn't talk about. He doesn't talk about how his support from the African American community dropped in the election for his second term for mayor. He doesn't talk about how his firing of the first AA police chief might have lead to that. He doesn't talk about any actions he did specifically for the AA community except for his '1000 houses in 1000 days' campaign (to tear down or help owners repair derelict or abandoned houses throughout South Bend). Abandoned houses only suppresses the value of all the other homes nearby, a true problem, but random empty lots in established neighborhoods also don't help increase home values either. Where was the plan to help build or develop in these now blank spaces? Where was the outreach to that community beyond the code enforcement increases?
- I reject his whole premise that South Bend can be considered a microcosm of cities across the United States and his successes there can be used as a template to improve things across America. In flyover country where the mass exodus of manufacturing jobs have left towns decimated, sure! But living in a 'coastal elite' state (Florida - ha!), his city's issues are nothing like mine. We have no need for 'smart streets' (aka a way to purposely slow down car traffic in areas so that foot traffic businesses can flourish better; we have tons of tourism here), or 'smart sewers' (this is something about controlling water runoff for melting snow, which we don't have in Florida obviously) or have abandoned housing issues (we have lack of available low-income housing but tons of 400k+ housing being built and sold out all the time) or have unemployment issues (instead we have issues with people having more than one low-paying job in order to afford the aforementioned not-affordable-housing). There is no one-size-fits-all approach that can be used as a 'model' for America. He seems to have a solid grip on some of the issues in his area, but how can that apply as a model to areas quite different to his own? He doesn't really say.
If Buttigieg somehow wins the Democratic nomination, I would not hesitate to vote for him in the November 2020 election. He's intelligent, I think he's coming from a genuine place of wanting to improve things, and I think he's willing and able to learn in the areas he is weak on. But is he my first or even third choice? No. There's too many better qualified candidates in the race and this book did not sway me into viewing him as a stronger contender for the office. It actually did the opposite.
- I'll start off with the stupidest reason first: he spends a whole chapter explaining how he goes on regular runs with two other guys and then describes in excruciating detail a pretend run through the city of South Bend. Did you know they have a geese problem in one area? I can tell you all about it, but I'll save you from the tedious boredom of it. This was obvious book filler and it really shows that he didn't have enough details/plans for the content that the book title suggests.
- He clearly suffers from White Man Overconfidence Syndrome. Take a look at his history of running for political offices in order of how they happened: Indiana State Treasurer (lost), South Bend Mayor (won twice), DNC Chair (lost), and now he is running for President of the United States. Because if a man who can't win a state-wide election or the election of his own political party structure shouldn't be President, who should? Um, pretty much anyone else who actually HAS won, that's who. Beto O'Rourke is another example of this attempt to 'lose forward'.
- His service seems more like a political calculation, not based out of a real desire to serve. I am not putting down his service, as his service is more than I have done (which is zero). I am just saying that the service he signed up for seemed specifically designed to be not long and yet at a high profile location. He signed up for the Navy Reserve and then specifically states that he ASKED to go to Afghanistan, where he served for seven months. Coming from a Harvard/Rhodes scholar who majored in politics and then went into politics, it makes me wonder about his motivations.
- He fixates on Mike Pence in this book, who coincidentally was also the recipient of his first (and only) major attack so far while running for the Democratic Presidential Nomination. On it's own, that's not surprising considering they are both from Indiana, except for one small thing: he's quick to bring up that there's a photo of him looking chummy with Pence and then proceeds to deliver a backstory about how he supposedly was actually trying to get him out of a rowdy bar area and into a likely less confrontational eating hall next door. To me, the inclusion of this description of this seemingly random moment and photo, that absolutely no one at the time it happened cared about, screams "I did opposition research on myself and I am trying to get ahead of this bad-looking photo because I plan to go after Pence during my Presidential run". Here's the photo (not included in the book, but I looked it up)
- He spends a lot of time talking about the same things he does on the the campaign trail now, so I won't repeat them. But what is perhaps more interesting is what he doesn't talk about. He doesn't talk about how his support from the African American community dropped in the election for his second term for mayor. He doesn't talk about how his firing of the first AA police chief might have lead to that. He doesn't talk about any actions he did specifically for the AA community except for his '1000 houses in 1000 days' campaign (to tear down or help owners repair derelict or abandoned houses throughout South Bend). Abandoned houses only suppresses the value of all the other homes nearby, a true problem, but random empty lots in established neighborhoods also don't help increase home values either. Where was the plan to help build or develop in these now blank spaces? Where was the outreach to that community beyond the code enforcement increases?
- I reject his whole premise that South Bend can be considered a microcosm of cities across the United States and his successes there can be used as a template to improve things across America. In flyover country where the mass exodus of manufacturing jobs have left towns decimated, sure! But living in a 'coastal elite' state (Florida - ha!), his city's issues are nothing like mine. We have no need for 'smart streets' (aka a way to purposely slow down car traffic in areas so that foot traffic businesses can flourish better; we have tons of tourism here), or 'smart sewers' (this is something about controlling water runoff for melting snow, which we don't have in Florida obviously) or have abandoned housing issues (we have lack of available low-income housing but tons of 400k+ housing being built and sold out all the time) or have unemployment issues (instead we have issues with people having more than one low-paying job in order to afford the aforementioned not-affordable-housing). There is no one-size-fits-all approach that can be used as a 'model' for America. He seems to have a solid grip on some of the issues in his area, but how can that apply as a model to areas quite different to his own? He doesn't really say.
If Buttigieg somehow wins the Democratic nomination, I would not hesitate to vote for him in the November 2020 election. He's intelligent, I think he's coming from a genuine place of wanting to improve things, and I think he's willing and able to learn in the areas he is weak on. But is he my first or even third choice? No. There's too many better qualified candidates in the race and this book did not sway me into viewing him as a stronger contender for the office. It actually did the opposite.
February 25, 2019
If anyone has any doubts of what kind of man and leader Mayor Buttigieg is, I think this book would quickly put those fears to rest. If he chooses to run, he will have my vote in the Kasas Democratic caucus.
July 25, 2024
Re-posting this as my endorsement for Secretary Pete to join the brat campaign ticket! :-)
Yes, this is now published in German, because people over here are digging this mayor of a town they've never heard of - the headlines he makes remind me of the enthusiasm for a certain senator from Illinois. Mayor Pete - multilingual Harvard and Oxford grad, former business consultant and piano-playing Afghanistan vet - is undoubtedly highly qualified for a career in politics, but the positive reactions he evokes are rooted in his ability to represent what America could be if it tried to live up to its promise. While Trump maintains that us Europeans - formerly the States' closest allies - want to see his country fail, the fact that people in Germany are paying close attention to a 37-year-old local politician from industrial Indiana because he inspires hope that transatlantic relations will go back to normal should make it clear that the orange menace is lying (again).
In his memoir, Buttigieg (who is half-Maltese) talks about his family, his studies, his time as a McKinsey consultant, his military service as well as his career politics, and of course he also addresses his coming-out and how he met his husband Chasten (who, hello, German readers!, was an exchange student in Germany). The language is very accessible, but not simplistic - the book nevertheless lives from Buttigieg's interesting life story, not from the text's poetic value. While the author addresses some of his failures and shortcomings, it also shows that this memoir was composed with the intention to win over possible voters, but I can't blame Buttigieg: He is telling people who he is and framing the whole story under the aspect of electability, but without appearing slimy or offering arbitrary positions.
As the publisher obviously wanted to meet the public's growing interest in Mayor Pete, four different translators have worked on the text - unfortunately, it shows: There are some shaky phrases and even the author's name gets accidentally butchered (no, it's not pronounced "Baddidschidsch"). Still, this is an interesting book for people in Europe as well, and I hope it will gain further relevance if Mayor Pete makes even more waves in the Presidential race.
Yes, this is now published in German, because people over here are digging this mayor of a town they've never heard of - the headlines he makes remind me of the enthusiasm for a certain senator from Illinois. Mayor Pete - multilingual Harvard and Oxford grad, former business consultant and piano-playing Afghanistan vet - is undoubtedly highly qualified for a career in politics, but the positive reactions he evokes are rooted in his ability to represent what America could be if it tried to live up to its promise. While Trump maintains that us Europeans - formerly the States' closest allies - want to see his country fail, the fact that people in Germany are paying close attention to a 37-year-old local politician from industrial Indiana because he inspires hope that transatlantic relations will go back to normal should make it clear that the orange menace is lying (again).
In his memoir, Buttigieg (who is half-Maltese) talks about his family, his studies, his time as a McKinsey consultant, his military service as well as his career politics, and of course he also addresses his coming-out and how he met his husband Chasten (who, hello, German readers!, was an exchange student in Germany). The language is very accessible, but not simplistic - the book nevertheless lives from Buttigieg's interesting life story, not from the text's poetic value. While the author addresses some of his failures and shortcomings, it also shows that this memoir was composed with the intention to win over possible voters, but I can't blame Buttigieg: He is telling people who he is and framing the whole story under the aspect of electability, but without appearing slimy or offering arbitrary positions.
As the publisher obviously wanted to meet the public's growing interest in Mayor Pete, four different translators have worked on the text - unfortunately, it shows: There are some shaky phrases and even the author's name gets accidentally butchered (no, it's not pronounced "Baddidschidsch"). Still, this is an interesting book for people in Europe as well, and I hope it will gain further relevance if Mayor Pete makes even more waves in the Presidential race.
December 28, 2018
I received an Advanced Reading Copy from the publisher through a Goodreads Giveaway. I enjoyed Shortest Way Home quite a bit. I live in South Bend and I have voted for Mayor Pete. He has been an outstanding mayor. It was interesting reading his take on events that I remember, and his explanations for decisions he made which varied in popularity locally. His memoir is intended to introduce him to a wider audience than just those of us who live in city. I hope it finds the wide audience it deserves and helps catapult him into higher office. I fully expect Mayor Pete to run for president, and while I don't think he can win, I think he can affect the discourse and the debate for good.
May 5, 2019
Since beginning Buttigieg's book, I have travelled across the country and spoken with lots of folks outside of my usual cabal. Nearly everyone I spoke with had heard of Buttigieg, current Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, running for President as a Democratic candidate. Only one of the people I spoke with mentioned his homosexuality as a reason for his possible failure to connect, and the same person was also skeptical about his age.
Buttigieg himself would remind voters that his age has been the thing that conversely has energized people, particularly older voters, who recognize that their generation left his generation with a big problem when it comes to climate change. Older people who have no stake in what will come are unlikely to move the needle as far and as fast as it needs to move. Time to step aside and hope for fresh ideas. At least that is what Buttigieg is peddling.
When I listen to him talk, I agree. I just want all the old men and women who have left both parties in a shambles with attempts to hold onto power (What power do they exhibit, may I ask? It’s positively derisive.) to leave the stage asap.
This book is easy enough to read, though not ranking with Barack Obama’s Dreams from My Father which broke the mold on literary presidential memoirs. Truthfully, I picked up the book in the midst of an infatuation with Buttigieg’s calm sense and blunt assessments, and before I finished, I felt the bloom had left the rose. I still admire him and definitely consider him a frontrunner but I am not infatuated anymore. This is a good thing. I am clear-eyed in my support of his candidacy.
Buttigieg is genuinely talented in languages, and it makes one wish we learned what he did from his linguist mother. One of my favorite of his stories is when he told Navy recruiters that he’d studied Arabic in hopes of landing an intelligence job at a desk somewhere and they wrote down that he’d studied “aerobics.” That is just classic.
Buttigieg describes the feeling at rallies for presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. The two rallies had the ambiance of a party, but while Bernie’s parties seem joyous and goofy—Bernie with the finch, Bernie riding a unicorn, buttons featuring glasses and hair—Donald Trump’s parties have a edge, like a party where “you’re not sure if a fight will break out.” This is good storytelling. We know exactly what he is saying and can feel the roil.
What kills me about Buttigieg is that he is so quiet about some of his biggest accomplishments, e.g., he applied for a Rhodes scholarship and got it, he decided to run for president and he is a frontrunner. He doesn't thrash about explaining his calculations: a nobody mayor of a small city calmly and quietly declares an exploratory committee and begins criss-crossing the country before anyone else has even thought to get into the race and captures a lot of press because of his youth and his self-possession.
He could see the Democratic party had lost its way, punctuated by the loss in 2016, to say nothing of the turmoil in what used to be a Republican party. He could see that sitting back and watching ‘the clash of the white hairs’ was not going to advance us because these folks appear bewildered by where we have landed. He thought he could be useful, pointing out the obvious and taking steps to address some of our most urgent issues. Gosh darn it if he isn’t.
One of the more startling and interesting things Buttigieg said about government is that
Way back in the 1970’s and 80’s Lee Atwater, a Republican strategist, figured this out and moved to capturing the heartland. That strategy has brought us gerrymandering and court-packing and other state-level indications of one-party dominance. But local governments are finding that counties walking in lock-step to the state does not always work for their particular conditions. There is great inequality as a result of GOP leadership at the state level. What is government about anyway?
A Koch Brothers-funded think tank called the American Legislative Exchange Council is pointed to as generating model legislation for adoption in state legislatures and finds sympathetic state actors to carry the bills.
Buttigieg makes the point that many folks got involved in local and county government as a matter of course in their lives, as one aspect of community participation, and they chose the most organized party to help them on their way. That would be the Republican party. They are pretty inculcated with the party line after a few years, but they may not agree with everything the party posts. That is why Indianans could vote for both Mike Pence and Pete Buttigieg. Voters really can read, think, make up their own minds.
We have to be in it to win it. I am more and more reluctant to declare myself Democrat after seeing some of the shenanigans local, state, and national leaders get up to. But I’ll be damned if I’ll sit by and watch the plotters and weavers poison the well. If ever there was a time to stand up and participate with your voices, now is that time. Pick your area of engagement, decide your level of involvement, look where you might possibly have some influence, and get engaged. No more cheering from the sidelines.
Buttigieg himself would remind voters that his age has been the thing that conversely has energized people, particularly older voters, who recognize that their generation left his generation with a big problem when it comes to climate change. Older people who have no stake in what will come are unlikely to move the needle as far and as fast as it needs to move. Time to step aside and hope for fresh ideas. At least that is what Buttigieg is peddling.
When I listen to him talk, I agree. I just want all the old men and women who have left both parties in a shambles with attempts to hold onto power (What power do they exhibit, may I ask? It’s positively derisive.) to leave the stage asap.
This book is easy enough to read, though not ranking with Barack Obama’s Dreams from My Father which broke the mold on literary presidential memoirs. Truthfully, I picked up the book in the midst of an infatuation with Buttigieg’s calm sense and blunt assessments, and before I finished, I felt the bloom had left the rose. I still admire him and definitely consider him a frontrunner but I am not infatuated anymore. This is a good thing. I am clear-eyed in my support of his candidacy.
Buttigieg is genuinely talented in languages, and it makes one wish we learned what he did from his linguist mother. One of my favorite of his stories is when he told Navy recruiters that he’d studied Arabic in hopes of landing an intelligence job at a desk somewhere and they wrote down that he’d studied “aerobics.” That is just classic.
Buttigieg describes the feeling at rallies for presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. The two rallies had the ambiance of a party, but while Bernie’s parties seem joyous and goofy—Bernie with the finch, Bernie riding a unicorn, buttons featuring glasses and hair—Donald Trump’s parties have a edge, like a party where “you’re not sure if a fight will break out.” This is good storytelling. We know exactly what he is saying and can feel the roil.
What kills me about Buttigieg is that he is so quiet about some of his biggest accomplishments, e.g., he applied for a Rhodes scholarship and got it, he decided to run for president and he is a frontrunner. He doesn't thrash about explaining his calculations: a nobody mayor of a small city calmly and quietly declares an exploratory committee and begins criss-crossing the country before anyone else has even thought to get into the race and captures a lot of press because of his youth and his self-possession.
He could see the Democratic party had lost its way, punctuated by the loss in 2016, to say nothing of the turmoil in what used to be a Republican party. He could see that sitting back and watching ‘the clash of the white hairs’ was not going to advance us because these folks appear bewildered by where we have landed. He thought he could be useful, pointing out the obvious and taking steps to address some of our most urgent issues. Gosh darn it if he isn’t.
One of the more startling and interesting things Buttigieg said about government is that
“some of the most important policy dynamics of our time have to do with the relationships, and the tension, between state and local government.”I pulled that quote out for you to see because I think this is something national pundits and talking heads miss completely.
Way back in the 1970’s and 80’s Lee Atwater, a Republican strategist, figured this out and moved to capturing the heartland. That strategy has brought us gerrymandering and court-packing and other state-level indications of one-party dominance. But local governments are finding that counties walking in lock-step to the state does not always work for their particular conditions. There is great inequality as a result of GOP leadership at the state level. What is government about anyway?
A Koch Brothers-funded think tank called the American Legislative Exchange Council is pointed to as generating model legislation for adoption in state legislatures and finds sympathetic state actors to carry the bills.
“Legislation is often nearly identical from state to state—so much so that journalists sometimes find copy-paste errors where the wrong state is mentioned in the text of a bill. Tellingly, by 2014, ALEC had decided to expand its model beyond the state level—not by going federal, but instead targeting local policy through a new offshoot called the American City County Exchange.”Democrats must be willing to compete in red zones—many times it is only because they are not competing that they have less support.
Buttigieg makes the point that many folks got involved in local and county government as a matter of course in their lives, as one aspect of community participation, and they chose the most organized party to help them on their way. That would be the Republican party. They are pretty inculcated with the party line after a few years, but they may not agree with everything the party posts. That is why Indianans could vote for both Mike Pence and Pete Buttigieg. Voters really can read, think, make up their own minds.
We have to be in it to win it. I am more and more reluctant to declare myself Democrat after seeing some of the shenanigans local, state, and national leaders get up to. But I’ll be damned if I’ll sit by and watch the plotters and weavers poison the well. If ever there was a time to stand up and participate with your voices, now is that time. Pick your area of engagement, decide your level of involvement, look where you might possibly have some influence, and get engaged. No more cheering from the sidelines.
April 29, 2019
Pete Buttigieg, who at the age of 37 is finishing up his second term as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, is one of a huge number of Democrats running for president in 2020. Shortest Way Home is the book he wrote to introduce himself to America (a recent poll ranked him third after Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders). Well, what can I say? I like Pete. He’s smart, sane, steady, thoughtful, down to earth, and starting to catch on with American voters. What else can I say? He has chutzpah. Imagine running for president as a 37 year-old gay (and married man) whose only political office has been mayor of South Bend, Indiana. And now he’s running for president! What a way to introduce yourself to the world.
Pete grew up in South Bend, the only child of two Notre Dame professors. He was an undergrad at Harvard and studied at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. Good things came his way by dint of his own hard work, sprinkled with a fair amount of luck. As a high school senior he entered an essay contest run by the John F. Kennedy Presidential library. Contestants were asked to write a modern profile in courage. His first choice was Carolyn McCarthy, the Connecticut woman whose husband was murdered on a commuter train in 1993, and who later became politically active in the gun control movement. She eventually ran for Congress, where she served for twenty-eight years. As it turned out, when Pete was nearly finished with his essay, he discovered the winner of the essay contest the previous year had written about McCarthy. He tore up his draft and changed his topic, choosing to write about Bernie Sanders, for being an independent who worked across the aisle to serve the needs of ordinary people. Yes, he won this contest in 1996 by writing about Bernie—you can’t make this stuff up. One lucky outcome of his victory is that he met several members of the Kennedy family at the ceremony at the Library in Boston. Senator Ted Kennedy, impressed by the young man, offered him an internship for the following year. Another good thing that came Pete’s way was his landing in a freshman seminar run by Professor Sacvan Bercovich, an esteemed English professor whose seminal book The American Jeremiad is familiar to most English Grad students. Bercovich took a liking to his young and eager student and hired him as one of his research assistants working on The Cambridge History of American Literature.
Pete was always interested in politics and hung around the Institute of Politics, where he got involved working for several campaigns. He majored in Harvard's History and Literature program. (This interest shows up in the epigraphs for each of the seven sections of his book. He uses quotations from Michael Collins, John Maynard Keynes, Hilary Mantel, Abraham Lincoln, and three quotations from James Joyce. One of those is the source of the title of this book.) In 1996 he worked on Gore’s campaign. He worked on the Kerry campaign after college and before his time at Oxford. After Oxford he took a job as a data consultant for McKinsey. He took time to work on Obama’s campaign. He ran for office twice more, losing elections for state treasurer (in 2010) and chair of the DNC (in 2017). He joined the naval reserve in 2009, serving on active duty in Afghanistan for seven months in 2014. He served in the Naval Reserve for eight years, leaving in 2017. He was first elected to mayor in 2011 at the age of 29; for a few years he was the youngest mayor in America.
And all of this is the barest outline of this very young man’s life and story. There is also plenty to read here about South Bend, about the ethos of the Midwest, and about the call to look to the future instead of trying to drag the country into the past, an effort Pete says is doomed to fail. These presidential campaign books (books written for those already in or trying out for one's "political choir") are hardly my favorite genre, but I just had to look at this one. If you want to meet an earnest young man who is creating a lot of buzz, take a look.
Pete grew up in South Bend, the only child of two Notre Dame professors. He was an undergrad at Harvard and studied at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. Good things came his way by dint of his own hard work, sprinkled with a fair amount of luck. As a high school senior he entered an essay contest run by the John F. Kennedy Presidential library. Contestants were asked to write a modern profile in courage. His first choice was Carolyn McCarthy, the Connecticut woman whose husband was murdered on a commuter train in 1993, and who later became politically active in the gun control movement. She eventually ran for Congress, where she served for twenty-eight years. As it turned out, when Pete was nearly finished with his essay, he discovered the winner of the essay contest the previous year had written about McCarthy. He tore up his draft and changed his topic, choosing to write about Bernie Sanders, for being an independent who worked across the aisle to serve the needs of ordinary people. Yes, he won this contest in 1996 by writing about Bernie—you can’t make this stuff up. One lucky outcome of his victory is that he met several members of the Kennedy family at the ceremony at the Library in Boston. Senator Ted Kennedy, impressed by the young man, offered him an internship for the following year. Another good thing that came Pete’s way was his landing in a freshman seminar run by Professor Sacvan Bercovich, an esteemed English professor whose seminal book The American Jeremiad is familiar to most English Grad students. Bercovich took a liking to his young and eager student and hired him as one of his research assistants working on The Cambridge History of American Literature.
Pete was always interested in politics and hung around the Institute of Politics, where he got involved working for several campaigns. He majored in Harvard's History and Literature program. (This interest shows up in the epigraphs for each of the seven sections of his book. He uses quotations from Michael Collins, John Maynard Keynes, Hilary Mantel, Abraham Lincoln, and three quotations from James Joyce. One of those is the source of the title of this book.) In 1996 he worked on Gore’s campaign. He worked on the Kerry campaign after college and before his time at Oxford. After Oxford he took a job as a data consultant for McKinsey. He took time to work on Obama’s campaign. He ran for office twice more, losing elections for state treasurer (in 2010) and chair of the DNC (in 2017). He joined the naval reserve in 2009, serving on active duty in Afghanistan for seven months in 2014. He served in the Naval Reserve for eight years, leaving in 2017. He was first elected to mayor in 2011 at the age of 29; for a few years he was the youngest mayor in America.
And all of this is the barest outline of this very young man’s life and story. There is also plenty to read here about South Bend, about the ethos of the Midwest, and about the call to look to the future instead of trying to drag the country into the past, an effort Pete says is doomed to fail. These presidential campaign books (books written for those already in or trying out for one's "political choir") are hardly my favorite genre, but I just had to look at this one. If you want to meet an earnest young man who is creating a lot of buzz, take a look.
August 29, 2024
This review was originally written in 2019 on my Facebook page.
This book was popular at a time when he was running for President. And now that he is in the current administration, it will still be interesting to follow him. I am now bringing this review to Goodreads.
When Pete Buttigieg first came onto the political stage I was interested in learning more about him. Having followed him the past couple of months, I have found myself impressed not only by his Midwestern background and elite credentials (he’s a graduate of Harvard and Oxford), but also his soft-spoken, knowledgeable and articulate way of talking about policy.
In my opinion, he is a top-tier candidate, but is he electable?
There is so much about him that is likeable and needed. He is mature, level-headed, willing to own up to his mistakes and LEARN from them, and he shows unseen adeptness at working with everyone.
He stands firm on values, but understands that we have to unite - and he has plans on how to do it. He wants to ensure that America’s future is better than its past. That every American has the freedom to live a life of their own choosing. Where racial justice is a reality and not a dream. Where we put an end to endless war. Where we’ve summoned the national will to meet the challenge of climate change. Where everyone has health care that they need.
From a book review perspective, this is a moving memoir from a fascinating public figure, who even if he isn’t running for President, he has a powerful Kennedy-esque presence on the national stage.
His story is nothing less than refreshing, heartening, encouraging, and energizing.
This book was popular at a time when he was running for President. And now that he is in the current administration, it will still be interesting to follow him. I am now bringing this review to Goodreads.
When Pete Buttigieg first came onto the political stage I was interested in learning more about him. Having followed him the past couple of months, I have found myself impressed not only by his Midwestern background and elite credentials (he’s a graduate of Harvard and Oxford), but also his soft-spoken, knowledgeable and articulate way of talking about policy.
In my opinion, he is a top-tier candidate, but is he electable?
There is so much about him that is likeable and needed. He is mature, level-headed, willing to own up to his mistakes and LEARN from them, and he shows unseen adeptness at working with everyone.
He stands firm on values, but understands that we have to unite - and he has plans on how to do it. He wants to ensure that America’s future is better than its past. That every American has the freedom to live a life of their own choosing. Where racial justice is a reality and not a dream. Where we put an end to endless war. Where we’ve summoned the national will to meet the challenge of climate change. Where everyone has health care that they need.
From a book review perspective, this is a moving memoir from a fascinating public figure, who even if he isn’t running for President, he has a powerful Kennedy-esque presence on the national stage.
His story is nothing less than refreshing, heartening, encouraging, and energizing.
June 2, 2019
Pearl Ruled (p157)
Buttigieg had a dull, ordinary childhood in a dull, dying flyover-country town that nobody much has heard of. His fancy-pants parents, liberal college professors at Notre Dame, gave him all the love and attention any kid could ask for; his friends and he did the usual kid things; he was a high flyer from teenage on in everyone's eyes. He's succeeded at being the kind of politician that should be the norm not the exception: Focused on results, compromising what he can to get what we all need.
If Mayor Pete can get elected Governor of Indiana and do a creditable job there for a while, I'd vote for him in 2028. Until then, his earnest, dull, somewhat stodgy little self can stop sucking up oxygen from candidates better prepared to be President than he is just now. Go campaign for the ones ready for the job, Mayor Pete.
The book is like the man: Worthy, stodgy, informative and neatly dressed. In a very heteronormative way. That's not my jam, and I am about ready to scream from the boring, so I'm out...but don't let my Eastern-Elite snobbery turn you off. Unless, of course, you share it; in which case don't put yourself through it.
UPDATE 2 JUNE 2019
This Los Angeles Review of Books piece by Harrison Hill (an MFA graduate of Columbia University with literary publishing credits) takes a much, much more positive view of this book, and of Mayor Pete's political chances, than I do. The core of the author's argument seems to me to be in this paragraph:
Yeah, well, he needs a fatter electoral resume to get my primary support, although as a human being and a politician I am all for his continued pursuit of elective office. Just not the presidency of the US.
Then there's the lesbian perspective LARB must offer offered by Peggy O'Donnell, since goodness knows we mustn't let the QUILTBAGgers speak with one voice, perish forbid, They might develop a sense of their power as a unified voting and social bloc!, and then where would straight people be poor lambs having to live in a world defined by Other Than Us. (My empathy is not engaged, if you're feeling a bit slow today.) Her more practical take is more in line with my own view:
Basically one is on death watch for the Boomers (me among them) before change can happen. Yeah. And sadly we're going to clutter the planet up in unprecedented numbers for far longer than earlier generations. Why is Biden even *mentioned* as a viable candidate? He FAILED to get the Democratic Party's nomination to run for the presidency the previous two times (1988, 2008) he tried. Well, of course he is: There are many Boomers looking at his wrinkly white male puss and thinking, "yeah, I could do that job so he can too."
***SPOILER***
No, you can NOT do that job and he can't either. O'Donnell points out in her review of this book that she, like most millennials (adults not yet 40), has experiences like Mayor Pete's of building logical instead of merely biological families and calling Home a moving target...Mayor Pete's Navy career after Harvard, then coming home after 10 years away...that is not shared by the majority of Boomers. In fact, Boomers simply can't relate to millennials for some fundamental reasons:
And that's the world that needs governing. I think Senator Elizabeth Warren needs to be given the chance to do so, since she has a plan for the concerns millennials face first: Student loan debt. It's Mayor Pete's failing that there aren't plans attached to his vision, and O'Donnell identifies why that matters so much.
Buttigieg had a dull, ordinary childhood in a dull, dying flyover-country town that nobody much has heard of. His fancy-pants parents, liberal college professors at Notre Dame, gave him all the love and attention any kid could ask for; his friends and he did the usual kid things; he was a high flyer from teenage on in everyone's eyes. He's succeeded at being the kind of politician that should be the norm not the exception: Focused on results, compromising what he can to get what we all need.
If Mayor Pete can get elected Governor of Indiana and do a creditable job there for a while, I'd vote for him in 2028. Until then, his earnest, dull, somewhat stodgy little self can stop sucking up oxygen from candidates better prepared to be President than he is just now. Go campaign for the ones ready for the job, Mayor Pete.
The book is like the man: Worthy, stodgy, informative and neatly dressed. In a very heteronormative way. That's not my jam, and I am about ready to scream from the boring, so I'm out...but don't let my Eastern-Elite snobbery turn you off. Unless, of course, you share it; in which case don't put yourself through it.
UPDATE 2 JUNE 2019
This Los Angeles Review of Books piece by Harrison Hill (an MFA graduate of Columbia University with literary publishing credits) takes a much, much more positive view of this book, and of Mayor Pete's political chances, than I do. The core of the author's argument seems to me to be in this paragraph:
Of course, this shouldn’t have to be the case: Buttigieg, or any other candidate, should be “allowed” to be as stereotypically gay as they like. But we’re kidding ourselves if we see Buttigieg’s capacity for heterosexual identification as anything but politically useful. Though it may be painful to acknowledge that Buttigieg’s capacity to “read” as straight serves him electorally, well, it does; and if Barack Obama was the right person to make portions of white America comfortable voting for a black man, perhaps Pete Buttigieg is equally well positioned to pull a similar feat with the country’s straight electorate. He’s the transitional figure we need.
Yeah, well, he needs a fatter electoral resume to get my primary support, although as a human being and a politician I am all for his continued pursuit of elective office. Just not the presidency of the US.
Then there's the lesbian perspective LARB must offer offered by Peggy O'Donnell, since goodness knows we mustn't let the QUILTBAGgers speak with one voice, perish forbid, They might develop a sense of their power as a unified voting and social bloc!, and then where would straight people be poor lambs having to live in a world defined by Other Than Us. (My empathy is not engaged, if you're feeling a bit slow today.) Her more practical take is more in line with my own view:
Readers looking for radical politics or concrete solutions in the pages of Shortest Way Home may be disappointed. Buttigieg’s insistence on patience as our neighbors become accustomed to ideas like gay marriage may leave many cold, reasonably chafing at being told to wait until older conservatives come around to recognizing their full humanity. But the state of politics in 2019 might be such that simply framing inequality or discrimination as problems is enough of a relief that one need not have a solution in hand.
Basically one is on death watch for the Boomers (me among them) before change can happen. Yeah. And sadly we're going to clutter the planet up in unprecedented numbers for far longer than earlier generations. Why is Biden even *mentioned* as a viable candidate? He FAILED to get the Democratic Party's nomination to run for the presidency the previous two times (1988, 2008) he tried. Well, of course he is: There are many Boomers looking at his wrinkly white male puss and thinking, "yeah, I could do that job so he can too."
***SPOILER***
No, you can NOT do that job and he can't either. O'Donnell points out in her review of this book that she, like most millennials (adults not yet 40), has experiences like Mayor Pete's of building logical instead of merely biological families and calling Home a moving target...Mayor Pete's Navy career after Harvard, then coming home after 10 years away...that is not shared by the majority of Boomers. In fact, Boomers simply can't relate to millennials for some fundamental reasons:
The economic crisis that coincided with millennials’ early adulthood shattered a foundational tenet of the American dream: that each of us controlled our own destiny. For the United States’s young adults, the path home that Buttigieg lays out — returning to a hometown and finding professional opportunity and social acceptance, or simply feeling enough stability and certainty to put down roots somewhere, anywhere — may well read like a path to the future.
And that's the world that needs governing. I think Senator Elizabeth Warren needs to be given the chance to do so, since she has a plan for the concerns millennials face first: Student loan debt. It's Mayor Pete's failing that there aren't plans attached to his vision, and O'Donnell identifies why that matters so much.
April 8, 2019
Buttigieg is really impressive. He's super sharp, has great politics, and seems like a great leader. Do I want him to be the next president? No. Not because he's too young. I don't care about that. It's because he reminds me of the smart Obama guys who were really great speechwriters, great with stats, and with crazy impressive resume, but who relate more to the elite in the corridors of power than anyone else. Buttigieg is a midwesterner and does seem to get some of the complexity of former manufacturing towns, but he's Harvard and Mckinzey, and college town liberal. He does have the military background, which makes him different from the candidates, but he literally says nothing about his thoughts on war and empire or foreign policy at all. Come to think of it, he didn't say much about policy at all in here. He's incredibly ambitious and will have a great political career, but I hope he can do it in state politics for now. I mean, don't get me wrong, it is amazing to imagine a president who actually reads literature and is really smart, but there's so much to be done across the country that not everyone needs to run for president.
September 1, 2022
Picked this up on a whim at the library, and I'm glad I did. I already liked Pete Buttigieg and thought he came across as thoughtful and intelligent during his presidential campaign, even if I felt he was too young for the role at the time. Having read this book, I can imagine him having a truly promising and impactful career in politics and am curious to see what his next step will be. He comes across as earnest, reflective and open-minded, yet also realistic and pragmatic in many ways. I liked the way he outlines his professional career and explains what drives him, as well as the more intimate look into his life with his husband. An engaging read and one I would recommend to fans of political memoirs!
Find my book reviews and more at https://maliayz.wixsite.com/princessa...
Find my book reviews and more at https://maliayz.wixsite.com/princessa...
August 5, 2019
The 2020 US presidential election might just be our most important one ever and I want to be as informed as possible about all of the candidates before casting my vote next May. My choice thus far is Bernie, but I plan to vote for whomever I think has the best chance of defeating trump. Some of the candidates I didn't previously know much about, and Pete Buttigieg is one of them.
First things first: How the hell do you pronounce his surname??! If you aren't sure either (I read my news, not watch it), click here to see a short video of some people attempting to say it, followed by Mayor Pete himself pronouncing it correctly.
It's much easier to just say Mayor Pete, but if by some chance he becomes the next president, I don't think we'll be able to get by calling him President Pete.
I enjoyed reading this book and learning about him, but unfortunately I didn't get much of a sense of where he stands on big issues. The book felt more like a memoir, though if his purpose was to let people get to know him personally (as much as you can through a book), then it was successful. It reads like a memoir and is mostly enjoyable though at times felt a bit tedious. He begins briefly telling of his childhood and teen years, then college and his career life. Because I want to know what to expect of him if he won the presidency, I appreciated learning how he dealt with various issues he encountered in his position of mayor of South Bend, IN. However, there simply was not enough about where he stands on the biggest issues and challenges facing America today, and there are many. I thought he could have left out the bit about meeting people at county fairs, and the types of food he ate at them, and talked more about policy. What are his plans for America? Where does he stand on climate change issues, immigration (he did slightly talk about this, but only let us know he doesn't like tearing families apart, not what he would do as far as the Dreamers, immigration law, etc), income inequality, systemic racism, the economy, healthcare, etc. etc. etc.
Maybe some people will appreciate reading his coming out story and how he met Mr. Right, but really, that is not what is important. Maybe most people care more about the personal lives of candidates than they do about their plans because most of the presidential hopeful's books I've read have an over-abundance of their personal lives. Sure, it's nice to know he's an affable man, someone who loves his parents and husband and who has rescued an abused dog. That's all well and good and I want a president who is a good person. However, I'm just not interested in the personal details of politician's lives
That said, it might have been important and a good move for Pete Buttigieg to include so much of his personal life in his book. As a gay man, he needs to help others see that he's just like everyone else. Thankfully we've come a long way in how people view gay people in this country, but there is still a lot of prejudice and evangelicals especially have a big problem with those of us in the LGQBT+ community. No doubt there are those who would never vote for a gay man and so it is crucial to let those people know that we gay people aren't freaks of nature.
I'll give this 4 stars even though I'm disappointed I didn't learn as much as I wanted from this book. It is written very well and openly, and I do feel like I have a better understanding of who Pete Buttigieg is, even if I don't know enough about his platform. He comes across as an intelligent, honest, diplomatic, and compassionate individual, someone I could see being the next president of the US.
First things first: How the hell do you pronounce his surname??! If you aren't sure either (I read my news, not watch it), click here to see a short video of some people attempting to say it, followed by Mayor Pete himself pronouncing it correctly.
It's much easier to just say Mayor Pete, but if by some chance he becomes the next president, I don't think we'll be able to get by calling him President Pete.
I enjoyed reading this book and learning about him, but unfortunately I didn't get much of a sense of where he stands on big issues. The book felt more like a memoir, though if his purpose was to let people get to know him personally (as much as you can through a book), then it was successful. It reads like a memoir and is mostly enjoyable though at times felt a bit tedious. He begins briefly telling of his childhood and teen years, then college and his career life. Because I want to know what to expect of him if he won the presidency, I appreciated learning how he dealt with various issues he encountered in his position of mayor of South Bend, IN. However, there simply was not enough about where he stands on the biggest issues and challenges facing America today, and there are many. I thought he could have left out the bit about meeting people at county fairs, and the types of food he ate at them, and talked more about policy. What are his plans for America? Where does he stand on climate change issues, immigration (he did slightly talk about this, but only let us know he doesn't like tearing families apart, not what he would do as far as the Dreamers, immigration law, etc), income inequality, systemic racism, the economy, healthcare, etc. etc. etc.
Maybe some people will appreciate reading his coming out story and how he met Mr. Right, but really, that is not what is important. Maybe most people care more about the personal lives of candidates than they do about their plans because most of the presidential hopeful's books I've read have an over-abundance of their personal lives. Sure, it's nice to know he's an affable man, someone who loves his parents and husband and who has rescued an abused dog. That's all well and good and I want a president who is a good person. However, I'm just not interested in the personal details of politician's lives
That said, it might have been important and a good move for Pete Buttigieg to include so much of his personal life in his book. As a gay man, he needs to help others see that he's just like everyone else. Thankfully we've come a long way in how people view gay people in this country, but there is still a lot of prejudice and evangelicals especially have a big problem with those of us in the LGQBT+ community. No doubt there are those who would never vote for a gay man and so it is crucial to let those people know that we gay people aren't freaks of nature.
I'll give this 4 stars even though I'm disappointed I didn't learn as much as I wanted from this book. It is written very well and openly, and I do feel like I have a better understanding of who Pete Buttigieg is, even if I don't know enough about his platform. He comes across as an intelligent, honest, diplomatic, and compassionate individual, someone I could see being the next president of the US.
July 2, 2019
Pete Buttigieg has an impressive background--Harvard, a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, and a management consultant at McKinsey. He's fluent in several languages including Arabic. With many avenues open to him, he chose a career in public service. At age 29, he was elected mayor of his hometown of South Bend, Indiana. He also served as a Navy lieutenant in intelligence in Afghanistan. Buttigieg came out as gay in the middle of a campaign for his second term as mayor, and won the election in a conservative state.
South Bend was a Rust Belt city with many shuttered old manufacturing buildings in the American Midwest. Buttigieg realizes that progress cannot be made by trying to replicate the past, but by working with the forces of the future like globalization, computer production methods, and automation. South Bend is turning around, bringing in industry, revitalizing the downtown area, and reclaiming abandoned houses. In addition to his business and political expertise, Buttigieg seems like an intelligent and caring person who is genuinely concerned about the issues of inequality and prejudice. He is now one of the contenders for the Democratic nomination for President. It's remarkable how much Buttigieg has accomplished at age 37! I enjoyed reading "Shortest Way Home", and found it to be engaging and well-written.
South Bend was a Rust Belt city with many shuttered old manufacturing buildings in the American Midwest. Buttigieg realizes that progress cannot be made by trying to replicate the past, but by working with the forces of the future like globalization, computer production methods, and automation. South Bend is turning around, bringing in industry, revitalizing the downtown area, and reclaiming abandoned houses. In addition to his business and political expertise, Buttigieg seems like an intelligent and caring person who is genuinely concerned about the issues of inequality and prejudice. He is now one of the contenders for the Democratic nomination for President. It's remarkable how much Buttigieg has accomplished at age 37! I enjoyed reading "Shortest Way Home", and found it to be engaging and well-written.
January 18, 2020
Everyone that I talk to about this candidate asks the same question: is America ready? But that’s not the right question. The right question is, “What can each of us do between now and November 2020 to open people’s minds so that America is ready?”
First, the book. I wish I could say to read this book to see why America needs Mayor Pete to be President Pete, but you don’t need to – just listen to him talk for five minutes in any of his recent speeches or town halls. I wish also that I could say to read this book for a complete understanding, but that’s not really true either. The book left me wanting to know more. This book will give you a deeper understanding for sure, but on every topic, from his service in Afghanistan, to his Rhodes Scholar studies, to his time as mayor, I felt like I was only hearing the first chapter of a great story. At age 37, this candidate has done and experienced so many things in his life, that I get the sense he could fill ten books, and they would all be interesting.
He speaks in a way that can bring people from different backgrounds and political mindsets together. He gives real, non-“politiciany” answers to hard questions. He is humble, likeable, and really really smart. He also lives many of the challenges we are all facing. He doesn’t just have opinions and positions: he has college debt, he will be around to see the full effects of climate change, and he has overcome adversity. If not for that one question about whether America is ready for a gay president, I think Pete would be the front runner in this race by a mile already. But I remember a similar question being asked early on about a certain, other energizing new candidate who then went on to became a historic “first” in 2008.
Who can win in 2020 America is not some immutable law. We are America. We decide who can win. If we brush this candidate aside with a, “yeah, he’s great, but he can’t win,” then he won’t. But if we get involved and show up at events, knock on doors, and talk to our friends and family, then he can. He won reelection in South Bend, Indiana with 80% of the vote after coming out, based on the sheer power of his ideas and problem-solving, and with the right support from all of us, he can win the presidency and much more: not just another election where the pendulum swings left, only to return hard-right two to four years later, but in his words “an era.”
Read the book. It’s well written, it’s filled with wisdom, and you will get a deeper understanding of this candidate. But don’t stop there when there is so much more to be done. As Pete learned in Afghanistan:
“A river is made drop by drop.” - Afghan Proverb
First, the book. I wish I could say to read this book to see why America needs Mayor Pete to be President Pete, but you don’t need to – just listen to him talk for five minutes in any of his recent speeches or town halls. I wish also that I could say to read this book for a complete understanding, but that’s not really true either. The book left me wanting to know more. This book will give you a deeper understanding for sure, but on every topic, from his service in Afghanistan, to his Rhodes Scholar studies, to his time as mayor, I felt like I was only hearing the first chapter of a great story. At age 37, this candidate has done and experienced so many things in his life, that I get the sense he could fill ten books, and they would all be interesting.
He speaks in a way that can bring people from different backgrounds and political mindsets together. He gives real, non-“politiciany” answers to hard questions. He is humble, likeable, and really really smart. He also lives many of the challenges we are all facing. He doesn’t just have opinions and positions: he has college debt, he will be around to see the full effects of climate change, and he has overcome adversity. If not for that one question about whether America is ready for a gay president, I think Pete would be the front runner in this race by a mile already. But I remember a similar question being asked early on about a certain, other energizing new candidate who then went on to became a historic “first” in 2008.
Who can win in 2020 America is not some immutable law. We are America. We decide who can win. If we brush this candidate aside with a, “yeah, he’s great, but he can’t win,” then he won’t. But if we get involved and show up at events, knock on doors, and talk to our friends and family, then he can. He won reelection in South Bend, Indiana with 80% of the vote after coming out, based on the sheer power of his ideas and problem-solving, and with the right support from all of us, he can win the presidency and much more: not just another election where the pendulum swings left, only to return hard-right two to four years later, but in his words “an era.”
Read the book. It’s well written, it’s filled with wisdom, and you will get a deeper understanding of this candidate. But don’t stop there when there is so much more to be done. As Pete learned in Afghanistan:
“A river is made drop by drop.” - Afghan Proverb
December 29, 2018
Best, most thoughtful political memoir/biography (?) I have read yet. There’s a sense of authenticity, dorkiness and optimism one would hope to see in a mayor. And the part about his husband is so sweet at the end, felt like a bonus!
July 25, 2019
I am ALL IN for Mayor Pete. In the last several weeks he has surged to the top of my candidate list in the 2020 primary. Sure, that could change between now and the election, but right now I am so impressed with everything I am hearing from and about him. And this book only served to reinforce the positive impression I have of him so far.
This memoir tells us a bit about Mayor Pete's life before politics, but it's mostly about his time as mayor--which includes his service in Afghanistan, coming out, falling in love and getting married, as well as the political stuff. The thing that constantly impresses me about him is that he is just SO smart, but unlike some, he uses his smarts to also be incredibly thoughtful and reflective about life and about his role in the world. I was also struck by the understanding he shows for his fellow Indianans who voted Trump or who have had a hard time coping with social changes, even as he is firm about standing up for what he believes is right. It really convinces me that he's the type of candidate who can connect with those voters that Democrats lost in 2016.
All I can do right now is gush about this man, so I'm going to end this review before it becomes incoherent and just say that this is a great book to read if you're at all interested in local politics, or if you want to get to know this rising Democratic star better.
*Used for PopSugar 2019 Reading Challenge prompt "A book with "pop," "sugar," or "challenge" in the title."
This memoir tells us a bit about Mayor Pete's life before politics, but it's mostly about his time as mayor--which includes his service in Afghanistan, coming out, falling in love and getting married, as well as the political stuff. The thing that constantly impresses me about him is that he is just SO smart, but unlike some, he uses his smarts to also be incredibly thoughtful and reflective about life and about his role in the world. I was also struck by the understanding he shows for his fellow Indianans who voted Trump or who have had a hard time coping with social changes, even as he is firm about standing up for what he believes is right. It really convinces me that he's the type of candidate who can connect with those voters that Democrats lost in 2016.
All I can do right now is gush about this man, so I'm going to end this review before it becomes incoherent and just say that this is a great book to read if you're at all interested in local politics, or if you want to get to know this rising Democratic star better.
*Used for PopSugar 2019 Reading Challenge prompt "A book with "pop," "sugar," or "challenge" in the title."
March 26, 2019
I first REALLY heard of Mayor Pete when he joined President Obama at Concord High School in Elkhart, Indiana in 2016. My wife and I went to hear the President speak about the economic gains that happened during his time in office - specifically the gains in our area. Elkhart (which has a primary industry focus of RVs) was hit hard during the recession, and he stopped here when first elected to let us know we weren't simply "flyover country" and that he would be working for us as well. He came back in 2016 to point out and remind us that he had kept his word.
Before Obama came out, though, other area Democratic leaders were introduced, including Indiana's beloved Evan Bayh - who many had hoped would run for president, Joe Donnelly our Senator who pulled off an unlikely upset and was voted the most bi-partisan member of Congress, Goshen's Mayor, Jeremy Stutsman, and somebody... who... "Why is everybody cheering so much? Who is that guy?" I asked the people around me.
"Him? Oh, he's the Mayor of South Bend. Everybody loves him. Democrats. Republicans. Everybody."
Seriously. In 2016, his cheers came the closest to matching President Obama's.
I recognize that there's a LOT of time between now and the primaries. As someone who read Al Franken's book right before he stepped down, I understand that things can change, and things can change quickly.
But Pete Buttigieg: man. It's difficult not to be impressed. And the more he speaks, the more impressed I am. The more I read in his book, the more impressed I became. That doesn't always happen in reading political memoirs.
Let's clear this up quickly: nobody cares that he's gay except for Republicans who want to use it as evidence of the Left's "identity politics." My take is many, many more people will claim to care, than actually care - if that makes sense. The Left will have groups that include it in every social media post - and there's something to be said for representation. And the Right will have those that use it as a cudgel, and use it to motivate the more... traditionally-minded in their base. Still, in 2019, I can't imagine that many people care any more than how many candidates have come out as straight.
But I don't want to spend my time there. I want to focus on a couple things I picked up from the book - notably economics, data, the military, education and Bernie Sanders.
First off, Buttigieg is a Maltese surname. Pete's father was born in Malta (please, no birther movements) and Pete speaks Maltese. And Arabic. And Norwegian. And hes got a pretty good handle on English.
I know we can't judge intelligence by how many languages you know. I had a handle on 4, but these days I'm happy with one and three halves. (Okay, quarters.) (Okay... my Creole now consists of being able to count to 10 and ask you how you are.)
But we can probably bet that he didn't get into Harvard by having his parents pay however much money Aunt Becky paid to get her kids a spot in USC.
And time out... Can I just say how crazy it is that the rooms at Harvard had little placards on the pillow with other famous people who had had those rooms? "A letter on your pillow had a list of everyone who had ever lived in your room, which in my case included Ulysses Grant Jr., Cornel West, and Horatio Alger." We didn't get that treatment at Baptist Bible College, though maybe it's a tradition they could start. *Insert laughy-teary-eyed emoji here.*
Among other things, Buttigieg entered (and won) a Profiles in Courage essay contest to get a scholarship. And here's the kicker: it was on Bernie Sanders.
I'm the exact same age as Buttigieg. He was born on the coldest day of January, 1982. I was born on the coldest day of January, 1982. It was so cold, the elevator at Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg, PA froze up, and my mom had to walk up the stairs.
We had similar childhoods. We've traveled a lot.
But in 2000, I had no idea who Bernie Sanders was. And I certainly didn't know enough to write an essay about him.
That's crazy to me.
Crazier still is the recent unlikely path Bernie's career has taken him. And how that really helps Buttigieg because of that silly essay from two decades ago.
Buttigieg is a moderate - from all I can gather. But he's a moderate who listens and learns. And he's a moderate who appreciates Senator Sanders. In a way, that essay makes Buttigieg forward-thinking, even if he wasn't. Maybe he just won the essay lottery. But boy, did he win big.
So, I'm saying he's got a real shot at pulling in the Moderates - because he was able to work so well in our state with Mitch Daniels and Eric Holcomb our very Republican Governors. (To a lesser extent, Mike Pence. But if you want the details on that, read the book.) And because of his Red-State 80% take of the vote. Because of his Economics degree. Because he worked for an Economics (Management and Consulting) Firm, McKinsey - which is apparently a big deal, but whatever.
And he could pull in the Progressives (maybe soley) because of his Sanders essay. (But also, to a lesser degree, because a lot of Sanders people like Sanders because of his demeanor, because he listened, because he wasn't a big-shot Liberal Insider - all of these things apply to Mayor Pete as well.) Being homosexual perhaps checks a box here, too.
A bigger (and odder) way that Pete may check both Moderate and Progressive (and Republican) boxes is his military service. In general, the Right dominates talk of the military - but here Pete brings up - through his service - something that Progressives have long been bringing up: that military service hits the poor disproportionately. He brought up a book, AWOL: The Unexcused Absence of America's Upper Classes from Military Service - and How It Hurts Our Country and mentioned that the Ivy League College with the most 2004 graduates going to the military was Princeton - and they had... wait for it... nine students serve. Nine. That's bananas. That's something Bernie Sanders has been harping on for a long time. And Michael Moore.
So, even though I'm a pacifist - or something very close to one - Buttigieg's service appeals to me in that he's stepping up. And he saw active duty outside the wire. So this wasn't like GWB's National Guard service, let alone, bone spurs.
That the mayor of a moderately-sized city could be so accomplished is crazy. That he could (and has) made this big of a splash for president is crazier still. But what does he have to lose? What's the worst that could happen? He wins the nomination? He may have trouble - even as accomplished as he is - winning a seat in the Senate here. But why not skip all that? Expectations for a moderately-sized city mayor HAVE to be small. Who cares (besides him) if he doesn't do well. He's already exceeded expectations. And if he doesn't get the nomination, but the Democrats do win, he's guaranteed a spot in the administration - or he should be, at least.
So, go for it.
I didn't choose to read this book. It was Kyle's choice for the Jordabecker Book Club. But it was a good choice. It was a good political memoir, but memoir evokes looking back. This wasn't just a good political memoir. It was a good memoir that looks toward the future.
One last, slightly embarrassing picture:
April 3, 2019
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (pronounced “boot-edge-edge”) is just five days younger than our youngest son. If that doesn’t make me feel old, I don’t know what would. But I think he makes up for lack of years in genuine smarts and concrete executive experience. (Mayors and Presidents are both considered executives in their separate domains.) His memoir is engaging and kept me interested every moment.
Buttigieg (I *will* learn to spell this) obviously puts his best foot forward with his stories of life in South Bend and beyond. He covers some childhood and teenage stories, including “townies” versus university kids, since South Bend is also home of the University of Notre Dame. But he moves quickly on to his time at Harvard and as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. Seriously, this man is no slouch in the brains department.
After a few years researching grocery prices (snooze!) for McKinsey and Company, he left management consulting for politics. Moving back to Indiana, he ran unsuccessfully for State Treasurer.
In between all of these different endeavors, Buttigieg worked as a volunteer for various campaigns near and far from home. His story is a unique blend of politics, service, and capitalism. After being elected Mayor of South Bend at age 29, he enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 2009. In 2014 he was deployed to Afghanistan, taking an unpaid leave during his first term as Mayor.
My conclusions
Buttigieg has a unique style. He narrates his own audiobook, mostly successfully. Like all of these candidate books, I like hearing his story in his voice. Between the stories, he throws in plenty of policy positions. What I gained the most was a sense of who he is, as a foundation for what he would do as President.
One of the key things I noticed about Buttigieg is his understanding of “otherness.” He was a townie in a university town. At Harvard, he wasn’t one of the rich kids. In the Navy, he was a politician. Plus, he’s a married, gay man who goes to church regularly. In my eyes, there’s something to be said for a Presidential candidate understanding what it feels like to be an outsider, even though he’s still a white guy.
When I first heard about him, I though Buttigieg was probably a flash-in-the-pan candidate. One of those people who runs with no real intention of winning. In fact, I now believe he’s the exact opposite. Mayor Pete wants to bring his brand of Midwestern common sense to the Democratic Party, DC, and the country. He cares about the issues, and is definitely knowledgeable.
He’s all over the news, from The Washington Post to New York Magazine to Trevor Noah’s “getting to know him” segment. All you have to do is Google him, and ten hours later you’ll come up for air. If you’re curious about this millennial candidate, I’d recommend giving Buttigieg’s book a read or listen.
For more reviews of my politically-oriented reads, please visit my book blog, TheBibliophage.com.
Buttigieg (I *will* learn to spell this) obviously puts his best foot forward with his stories of life in South Bend and beyond. He covers some childhood and teenage stories, including “townies” versus university kids, since South Bend is also home of the University of Notre Dame. But he moves quickly on to his time at Harvard and as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. Seriously, this man is no slouch in the brains department.
After a few years researching grocery prices (snooze!) for McKinsey and Company, he left management consulting for politics. Moving back to Indiana, he ran unsuccessfully for State Treasurer.
In between all of these different endeavors, Buttigieg worked as a volunteer for various campaigns near and far from home. His story is a unique blend of politics, service, and capitalism. After being elected Mayor of South Bend at age 29, he enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 2009. In 2014 he was deployed to Afghanistan, taking an unpaid leave during his first term as Mayor.
My conclusions
Buttigieg has a unique style. He narrates his own audiobook, mostly successfully. Like all of these candidate books, I like hearing his story in his voice. Between the stories, he throws in plenty of policy positions. What I gained the most was a sense of who he is, as a foundation for what he would do as President.
One of the key things I noticed about Buttigieg is his understanding of “otherness.” He was a townie in a university town. At Harvard, he wasn’t one of the rich kids. In the Navy, he was a politician. Plus, he’s a married, gay man who goes to church regularly. In my eyes, there’s something to be said for a Presidential candidate understanding what it feels like to be an outsider, even though he’s still a white guy.
When I first heard about him, I though Buttigieg was probably a flash-in-the-pan candidate. One of those people who runs with no real intention of winning. In fact, I now believe he’s the exact opposite. Mayor Pete wants to bring his brand of Midwestern common sense to the Democratic Party, DC, and the country. He cares about the issues, and is definitely knowledgeable.
He’s all over the news, from The Washington Post to New York Magazine to Trevor Noah’s “getting to know him” segment. All you have to do is Google him, and ten hours later you’ll come up for air. If you’re curious about this millennial candidate, I’d recommend giving Buttigieg’s book a read or listen.
For more reviews of my politically-oriented reads, please visit my book blog, TheBibliophage.com.
May 9, 2019
Pete Buttigieg (BOOT-edge-edge) has quickly become my favorite candidate in the 2020 U.S. presidential race: he's composed, positive, practical, honest, compassionate, and whip-smart. He raises the level of any conversation he's involved in. Having subsisted for days on a steady diet of various interview clips online, I figured I ought to read his book. Political memoir is not my category, but Shortest Way Home didn't disappoint. I feel I now know (and like) Buttigieg even better. Seeing that he narrated his own audio book, I decided to go that route.
"Mayor Pete" is just half a year older than I am, but he has used his 37 years on the planet as efficiently as anyone conceivably might. He tells his story in loosely chronological order: growing up in South Bend, Indiana, studying at Harvard, making top marks as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford (philosophy, politics and economics), working as a consultant (grocery pricing), volunteering for various political campaigns, becoming the mayor of his home town South Bend (at 29), serving as a Lieutenant in the Navy in Afghanistan, coming out as gay, finding the love of his life, getting re-elected as mayor, and turning one of America's declining cities into a success story. He manages to relay these impressive feats without any of it feeling like a humble brag (he talks about performing as a concert pianist, but glosses over playing guitar and all the languages he's learned). He seems equally committed to discussing his failures, such as backing various campaigns that didn't pan out, running for state treasurer, a late-in-the-game 2017 bid for Democratic National Committee chairmanship, and various contentious issues during his time in office.
As he tells these stories, Buttigieg details lessons he's learned, problems he's found efficient solutions for, thoughts on America's past and future, ways to communicate across aisles and ideologies, ideas on how political decisions affect everyone's lives, and ways those decisions could be made better. He knows he doesn't have all the answers (no one does), but he cares about listening to everyone around him, communicating honestly, governing with compassion, making decisions informed by data, and aligning incentives to make the world a better place. It's all conveyed in a low-key delivery interspersed with bits of dry humor, geekiness, and the kind of vulnerable honesty that comes from someone who's committed to doing the best he can. I hope Buttigieg continues to make traction in his current bid for President, and I'll be rooting for him in any role. His is a great story.
"Mayor Pete" is just half a year older than I am, but he has used his 37 years on the planet as efficiently as anyone conceivably might. He tells his story in loosely chronological order: growing up in South Bend, Indiana, studying at Harvard, making top marks as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford (philosophy, politics and economics), working as a consultant (grocery pricing), volunteering for various political campaigns, becoming the mayor of his home town South Bend (at 29), serving as a Lieutenant in the Navy in Afghanistan, coming out as gay, finding the love of his life, getting re-elected as mayor, and turning one of America's declining cities into a success story. He manages to relay these impressive feats without any of it feeling like a humble brag (he talks about performing as a concert pianist, but glosses over playing guitar and all the languages he's learned). He seems equally committed to discussing his failures, such as backing various campaigns that didn't pan out, running for state treasurer, a late-in-the-game 2017 bid for Democratic National Committee chairmanship, and various contentious issues during his time in office.
As he tells these stories, Buttigieg details lessons he's learned, problems he's found efficient solutions for, thoughts on America's past and future, ways to communicate across aisles and ideologies, ideas on how political decisions affect everyone's lives, and ways those decisions could be made better. He knows he doesn't have all the answers (no one does), but he cares about listening to everyone around him, communicating honestly, governing with compassion, making decisions informed by data, and aligning incentives to make the world a better place. It's all conveyed in a low-key delivery interspersed with bits of dry humor, geekiness, and the kind of vulnerable honesty that comes from someone who's committed to doing the best he can. I hope Buttigieg continues to make traction in his current bid for President, and I'll be rooting for him in any role. His is a great story.
February 28, 2019
Being a transplant to Indiana after my first 22 years of life in Ohio, a lover of South Bend from my multiple trips there, a political junkie, and a Progressive Democrat, I had to read Mayor Pete Buttigieg's book: "Shortest Way Home." This book matters because the Midwest matters ("I wish it had not required a victory by Donald Trump for the political class to renew its interest in the industrial Midwest). This book matters because the story of South Bend needs to be heard and the progress that has happened because of Pete Buttigieg needs to be heard. This book matters because attention to state and local races matters from school boards to the state senates across this nation. This book matters because it shows that a city like South Bend may have lost much from the past, but forming a strong relationship with Notre Dame, focusing on data, and taking certain steps, a new South Bend is emerging. This book matters because it showcases how bipartisanship can still happen in a state like Indiana.
This book highlights the importance of paying attention to small details because that helps in the long run: "I've learned that great families, great cities, and even great nations are built through attention to the every day." This book focuses on greatness in small ways that make greater greatness: "A marriage can be great. So can a meal, a recovery from illness, or a song. We are shown greatness on the news, but it is also found in everyday lives, and then in the neighborhoods and communities that take on the character of those lives added up."
I am in love with Pete's personal story and can relate wholeheartedly to the part of his story surrounding his coming out and finding love at a later age than most people. Two quotes I love from this section of the book are "It is easier to be cruel, or unfair, to people in groups and in the abstract; harder to do so toward a specific person in your midst, especially if you know them already" and "In the struggle for equality, we do well to remember that all people want to be known as decent, respectful, and kind."
This book highlights the importance of paying attention to small details because that helps in the long run: "I've learned that great families, great cities, and even great nations are built through attention to the every day." This book focuses on greatness in small ways that make greater greatness: "A marriage can be great. So can a meal, a recovery from illness, or a song. We are shown greatness on the news, but it is also found in everyday lives, and then in the neighborhoods and communities that take on the character of those lives added up."
I am in love with Pete's personal story and can relate wholeheartedly to the part of his story surrounding his coming out and finding love at a later age than most people. Two quotes I love from this section of the book are "It is easier to be cruel, or unfair, to people in groups and in the abstract; harder to do so toward a specific person in your midst, especially if you know them already" and "In the struggle for equality, we do well to remember that all people want to be known as decent, respectful, and kind."
April 6, 2019
It would be wonderful to live in a country where Mayor Pete (of South Bend, Indiana) could be elected President. He is smart, sincere, dedicated, diligent, caring, and truly interested in making things better for all his constituents. Growing up in an academic Midwest family, he graduated from Harvard, became a Rhodes Scholar (with a prestigious First from Oxford), worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Co. before moving into politics: first, in a unsuccessful bid for Indiana State Treasurer, then a successful bid for mayor of a failing city. Pete rolled up his sleeves and began to address issues like high unemployment, abandoned houses, sewer improvement, and many other issues. And, along the way, he joined the Naval Reserve, working in Intelligence in Afghanistan for seven months. His book is filled with funny stories and his decision to speak openly about his sexuality, culminating in finding his soulmate, Chasten. I hope his triumph following failure pattern continues, after his failed bid to become chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Recommended.
P.S. There is supposed to be an important announcement on April 14th.
P.S. There is supposed to be an important announcement on April 14th.
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August 30, 2020“There is nothing necessarily wrong with greatness, as an aspiration, a theme, or even as the basis of a political program. The problem, politically, is that we keep looking for greatness in all the wrong places. We think we can find it in the past, dredged up for some impossible “again,” when in reality is is available only to those who fix their vision on the future. Or we think it is to be found in some grand national or international adventure, when the most meaningful expressions of American greatness are found in the richness of everyday life.
A marriage can be great. So can a meal, a recovery from illness, or a song. We are shown greatness on the news, but it is found in everyday lives, and then in the neighborhoods and communities that take on the character of those lives added up.”
A marriage can be great. So can a meal, a recovery from illness, or a song. We are shown greatness on the news, but it is found in everyday lives, and then in the neighborhoods and communities that take on the character of those lives added up.”
January 1, 2021
i can see why a lot of people disliked buttigieg as a candidate for the 2020 elections. since the moment he was considered by some
"the embodiment of white privilege"
something told me he wasn't really going to have much opportunity against his rivals. predictably, he dropped out of the presidential race, therefore, he did not have the chance to show us what he could have done for america.
as i said, i understand people's complaints but that doesn't mean i necessarily agree with them. yes, he might have had less experience in the political field compared to some of his opponents but i guess we won't know how much he could have done as a president. also, the fact that he grew up as a privileged person doesn't interfere with my opinion of him. i don't think he should be entirely judged by that.
i thought i wasn't going to like this memoir. however, i ended up enjoying it lot, more than what i was expecting. due to the fact that he's an english graduate from harvard, his writing style was very well done, you can see that he put effort in the words he wrote. the stories he told were interesting enough that i feel like many would appreciate them.
as i said, i understand people's complaints but that doesn't mean i necessarily agree with them. yes, he might have had less experience in the political field compared to some of his opponents but i guess we won't know how much he could have done as a president. also, the fact that he grew up as a privileged person doesn't interfere with my opinion of him. i don't think he should be entirely judged by that.
i thought i wasn't going to like this memoir. however, i ended up enjoying it lot, more than what i was expecting. due to the fact that he's an english graduate from harvard, his writing style was very well done, you can see that he put effort in the words he wrote. the stories he told were interesting enough that i feel like many would appreciate them.
May 27, 2019
My unapologetically enthusiastic and politically biased opinion
Oh, Mayor Pete--you're totally my current political crush in the 2020 primary!
So, yeah, Shortest Way Home is no Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, but it's damn close! And I had the same reaction to that book that I did to this one--"This dude's gonna be POTUS someday!"
It might not be this time around (I sure as hell hope it is!), but Mayor Pete's turn is coming. Since he's only in his 30s, there's plenty of time :)
Imagine returning to a time when POTUS is the smartest guy in the room--and when facts (yes facts!) and science actually play a role in governing again (*swoon*).
I tried to highlight a few favorite sections--and the last two chapters turned into one huge sea of yellow! In no uncertain terms, he asserts that all the #MAGA nonsense is an illusion:
His antidote to the MAGA nonsense is summed up simply--"The less we concentrate on emulating our forebears, the more we begin to resemble them at their best."
I'll stop myself before I write a novel and just say that in my highly biased opinion, all the stars go to Mayor Pete and his book!
Oh, Mayor Pete--you're totally my current political crush in the 2020 primary!
So, yeah, Shortest Way Home is no Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, but it's damn close! And I had the same reaction to that book that I did to this one--"This dude's gonna be POTUS someday!"
It might not be this time around (I sure as hell hope it is!), but Mayor Pete's turn is coming. Since he's only in his 30s, there's plenty of time :)
Imagine returning to a time when POTUS is the smartest guy in the room--and when facts (yes facts!) and science actually play a role in governing again (*swoon*).
I tried to highlight a few favorite sections--and the last two chapters turned into one huge sea of yellow! In no uncertain terms, he asserts that all the #MAGA nonsense is an illusion:
"There is no going back. South Bend cannot and should not rewind to the Studebaker heyday of the 1950s, just as America cannot restore the old order in which families obeyed a single, male head of household, each race had its so-called place, average weather was the same from one decade to the next, and a job was for life."
His antidote to the MAGA nonsense is summed up simply--"The less we concentrate on emulating our forebears, the more we begin to resemble them at their best."
I'll stop myself before I write a novel and just say that in my highly biased opinion, all the stars go to Mayor Pete and his book!
April 8, 2019
Buttigieg first came on my radar a few months ago when my very-politically engaged teen breathlessly told me that he had picked PB as his 2020 candidate. I dismissed the possibility and wrote it off to youthful ignorance (midsized-city gay mayor who no one had heard of??), but after watching his Town Hall, I bought the hardcover for my son and downloaded the audible version for myself. I thought, at the very least, it would be great insight into how PB's brain worked, as well as hearing some of his life story.
Since then, his candidacy has taken off, and after reading/listening to the book, it's easy to see why. I was unsure if I'd enjoy it in the initial few pages or first chapter or so, which read a little dry and discuss the ins and outs of his Mayoral day to day, but then the book takes off. PB details his childhood, his drive, his education and also, importantly, gives the reader a general sense of his view of the world - his data-driven brain combined with his compassionate humanity. I learned about his devotion to the midwest, his stand-out turn at Oxford, and why he made the decisions, big and small, as Mayor. Additionally, he articulated very well and clearly why he governs from a place of welcoming and openness - to others across the aisle, to those who disagree with him, of which there were many in his home state.
The book really soared as he got into his decision to enlist in the Navy, and then later, in Afghanistan. His perspective on war was particularly insightful and moving, and then, in the final chapters, his decision to come out which led him to his husband. I found myself choked up for the duration of those chapters.
All of this is to say that if you want to learn more about one of the 2020 candidates, one who seems to be on a meteoric rise right now, I really recommend the read. Maybe my teen was actually on to something all those months ago! :)
Since then, his candidacy has taken off, and after reading/listening to the book, it's easy to see why. I was unsure if I'd enjoy it in the initial few pages or first chapter or so, which read a little dry and discuss the ins and outs of his Mayoral day to day, but then the book takes off. PB details his childhood, his drive, his education and also, importantly, gives the reader a general sense of his view of the world - his data-driven brain combined with his compassionate humanity. I learned about his devotion to the midwest, his stand-out turn at Oxford, and why he made the decisions, big and small, as Mayor. Additionally, he articulated very well and clearly why he governs from a place of welcoming and openness - to others across the aisle, to those who disagree with him, of which there were many in his home state.
The book really soared as he got into his decision to enlist in the Navy, and then later, in Afghanistan. His perspective on war was particularly insightful and moving, and then, in the final chapters, his decision to come out which led him to his husband. I found myself choked up for the duration of those chapters.
All of this is to say that if you want to learn more about one of the 2020 candidates, one who seems to be on a meteoric rise right now, I really recommend the read. Maybe my teen was actually on to something all those months ago! :)
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