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Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future
Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future
Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future
Audiobook9 hours

Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future

Written by Pete Buttigieg

Narrated by Pete Buttigieg

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

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About this audiobook

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.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 12, 2019
ISBN9781684419326
Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future
Author

Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg, born in Indiana in 1982, is nominated for Secretary of Transportation by the Biden Administration.  He was the former mayor of South Bend and a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. A Rhodes Scholar and Navy veteran, Buttigieg was educated at Harvard and Oxford. He and his husband, Chasten Buttigieg, live in South Bend, Indiana.

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Reviews for Shortest Way Home

Rating: 4.379725134020618 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I listened to this before Pete put his hand up for a Presidential campaign. Don't know why...
    But it turned out to be a great story. He seems like a really civic minded individual but the real interest is in the small details: how he dealt with going to war; how he started dating in his 30s after he came out etc.
    Recommend it even if his run comes to nothing..

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Pay attention to this man he’s got something to say! President Buttigieg!

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was an amazing book. I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to know more about Pete's life and political career.

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Mayor Pete reading it to me made it seem much more realistic and i could picture everything as he read it.

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I truly enjoyed this book. I felt like I was hearing about his history and life from a friend. I gained a lot of respect and understanding for his ideology, experiences, and about who he is as a person. I felt like I could really connect to Pete and relate to his beliefs. Even when discussing things I might have disagreed with I felt like I could appreciate and consider his perspective. The way he talks about things such as understanding how people could vote for Trump really helped me to change my own opinions some. Really great book!

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    On so many levels this book is well done.

    Pete Buttigieg is a gifted storyteller. An autobiography can be a bit dry but Pete shared his story with a variety of skills that draws a reader/listener in.

    It’s a long read/listen and I found myself taking several listening sessions to get through the whole book but as I’d return I was often drawn right back in, waiting to hear the conclusion to his last thought.

    He did a wonderful job as a narrator too. As someone who has studied non-fiction audiobook narration I can say it really is a natural talent for very few and hard learned skill for many to do narration well.

    I discovered the book as Pete was in his exploratory campaign to run for President. I have gone deep into research to understand his views on key issues and will support him on his run for President in 2020 now that he has made his formal announcement.

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A surprising book that popped up under recommended audiobooks and read by the Author who is also a Mayor.

    The true story of the resurrection of an Indiana City - Southbend - that had graced the cover of Newsweek as an example of one that was dying.

    You'll enjoy the self effacing narrative of the Author and his unusual path to become a Mayor of a post industrial City and his plans that became reality to effect change in his hometown.

    Plus I learned quite a bit about South Bend when all I really thought it represented was Notre Dame.

    A real treat.



    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Go Mayor Pete! “Embracing the permanence of change is the only thing that can liberate us to move forward.”

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    interesting biograghy of a future President of the United States?

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Great book on a person who seems to actually care about moving this country forward in anyway he can. It might just be a midwest stereotype but I can’t help to see a little bit of myself in Mayor Pete and I am excited to see what else his life will provide us

    3 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is an excellent book by an outstanding person with a great heart! Thank you to Pete Buttigieg for sharing his life and stories with us!

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    the book is very well written, loved his voice, and highly recommend.

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Inspiring vision of a city in rebirth and the renaissance man who had the prescience to initiate it.

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I love Mayor Pete! I hope the country learns more about him and that he gets a real shot at the Presidency!

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is an inspirational story from a leader who will make a better America! Outstanding!

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A well written, nuanced work which shows great insight and humility.

    2 people found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    It was so refreshing to hear someone who thinks a lot like I do. The obsessions Pete has with seemingly meaningless data points and statistics, which in turn drive his governing is beyond exciting for me to listen to. Anyone looking to hear an overall amazing American story should give this book a go. Personally the audiobook for me was essential because you feel personally connected to Pete through the tone of his voice. Great read, well worth my time. Wish it was double the length!

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is an important read from those of us who find ourselves in government leadership positions. It discusses the experiences of a well intended new leader with a lot to learn, sounds like all of us! It is well written, informative and encouraging. Pete will be a leader for a long time to come so, take this opportunity and get to know him!
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Another ivy league educated elitist white male telling the middle and working class what we need after he helped gentrify his home town.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I'm not one to gobble up celebrity (political or otherwise) autobiographies, but after Jill Lepore in the New Yorker said this was one of the two best of the current bunch - and after I'd been pretty impressed with Pete Buttigieg's articulate, thoughtful presence in several interviews - I gave it a shot. And... the man can write. Maybe the opening paragraphs are a little too much "glow," "illuminated," "luminous" ambiance, but, okay, let's give it a chance. And it works. We hear the steadying voice throughout of a good-hearted, widely educated on top of natively smart, hard-working man who is eager to learn and to serve. He admits freely to what others see as his shortcomings (mostly that he was born too recently to know much), a certain naivete, and sometimes paying too much attention to the wrong things. He has an endearing self-deprecating wit, and you feel like this is a guy you would trust to listen to your troubles, to look after your dog, and be earnest and polite to your parents.

    He also has a lovely way of telling you the details about things like the difference between running for statewide office and the mayor's office: running locally, he says, means everyone knows you're in town. And if someone "invite[s] you to a chili cook-off, and you choose to go to someone else's corn and sausage roast, they will find out...and they will remember." I've never read elsewhere such a vivid, entertaining, and exhausting description of what a candidate actually *does* all day when campaigning, including endless food activities that sometimes end with "a few minutes' unscheduled pause to change clothes after a pierogi malfunction sent globs of cheese and cabbage onto the front of my blue shirt." And he cheerfully explains that a name like his is no problem in northern Indiana politics, listing local officials named Niezgodski, Wesolowski, Kostielny, and - triumphantly - Przybysz, "pronounced something like 'sheepish' and spelled without the involvement of a single vowel."

    He hits the most popular media points of his bio: his military service, his experiences as a devoted mayor laboring (largely successfully) to nurture some life and growth in a deeply damaged community, and his love story. For the most part, you will not find political / governmental policy details, but a gentle review of the life experiences that shaped his beliefs and values and a ferocious work ethic - the foundation upon which he consciously tries to build his professional decisions.

    What a nice change that would be.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Mayor Pete eloquently details his growing-up years, his years through Harvard and Oxford, and the career choices he made which ultimately lead him back to South Bend to became mayor. He describes the thought processes and the difficulties of decisions he made as mayor. I live in South Bend and found the book interesting in its familiarity and enlightening politically, as well.I listened and recommend the audible version read by Mayor Pete.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I want to find out more about the 2020 presidential candidates, and I thought this memoir by Pete Buttigieg would be a good way to know more about him. I think that were I to meet him in person, I would really like him. He seems like a genuinely nice guy, and has made great strides of mayor of South Bend, Indiana, to get that city on its feet again.As much as I appreciated learning about his political and social work, and about what goes on in a mayor's job, I enjoyed learning about his personal life. Even more Apparently, if you are mayor of a good-sized town, it can be really hard to get a date when you come out as gay.Right now, I don't know who the Democratic candidate for the 2020 election will be, but I don't think it will be Mr. Buttigieg. I think he is not well known enough, and he is too young and non-traditional for some. For me, I'd be happy to see this thoughtful and intelligent man as president of the United States. But I have a feeling that whether he becomes that or not, he is going to continue to do his best to make my country better.I read part of the book in ebook format and I listened to part of it, very well narrated by the author.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was one of the better written political memoirs I've read. It isn't all rhetoric, it's honest, and it isn't manipulative to prove points. Mayor Pete isn't just eloquent delivering speeches or debating, he's a gifted author as well. This memoir gives a great glimpse into his life and illustrates the many things that have built up his beliefs and world views. From his childhood in South Bend, his college days, his first political leanings, to his service in the navy; Mayor Pete's life is inspiring and well worth the read. I learned a lot about how he runs South Bend and I was amazed at every turn. His memoir isn't braggy, and he often shares anecdotes and gaffes that show he knows how to bounce back after mistakes. I hope to see more from this bright inspiring politician from my home state!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Enjoyed this book and love Buttigieg as a candidate for POTUS. Whenever he speaks, his intelligence, his thoughtfulness, and his humanity shine through. He has many intrinsic gifts and much to offer to our country, no matter his position. The book was lent to me by a neighbor and although the parts about South Bend were not very interesting, I liked reading about his job in the private sector, his time in Afghanistan, and especially his courtship with Chasten, now his husband.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    There's no nice way to say it. The first two-thirds of "Shortest Way Home" is only slightly less monotonous than watching paint dry on one of those 1,000 homes in South Bend that were renovated during Mayor Pete's early years in office. I almost stopped listening to this audiobook twice, thinking to myself, "If this is the shortest way home, I would hate to be with Buttigieg on a meandering autobiographical journey." But I had been immensely intrigued by his rise into the top tier of Democratic presidential contenders. While I disagree with some of his stands, I was impressed with his communication skills and demeanor. So I trudged on. I'm glad I did. When Buttigieg finally delves into issues like racial tensions in South Bend, his coming out as a gay man and his efforts build new chapters in his life, the book hits its stride. Don't get me wrong. For readers who are interested in combined sewer systems, data-driven governance and other issues that most would label as "inside baseball," it's an enlightening book. My 25+ years as a city government reporter gave me some appreciation for the sections that involved running South Bend. But as is the case with many memoirs, Mayor Pete would have been better served by a disciplined editor who stressed the "less is more" mantra.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I read this because this presidential candidate is a mayor in my state. His story is fascinating. He’s a millennial, went to Harvard, is gay, is a veteran, his father is from Malta, and much more. Somehow none of those elements define him. Each one adds to the way he sees the world which gives him a diverse outlook. The writing was crisp and kept me interested throughout. I loved reading about a politician my own age who has accomplished so much.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a fine memoir of a successful young man as far as it goes, but for the life of me I can't imagine why he is wasting his time running for POTUS. Maybe try governor or senator first?
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Pearl Ruled #6 (p157)Rating: 3* of five because it's not a *bad* book, just terminally boring to meButtigieg had a dull, ordinary childhood in a dull, dying 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 flyover country 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.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I sure like what Buttigieg says in interviews (as a FB friend said, I want him as press secretary). Buttigieg is a smart guy who’s checked a lot of neoliberal boxes—he was a McKinsey consultant! He’s clearly a hardworking mayor; one of the most interesting parts is his growing understanding of the symbolic importance of showing up and talking to his constituents. He walks a fine line discussing his coming out, when he was already mayor, without revealing intimate details beyond that he used dating apps. But judged by the book, he doesn’t show the thoughtfulness of Obama, the intellectual firepower and passion of Warren, or the moral focus of Harris, which keeps him from rising for me right now.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great story about a promising young man who is in the hunt for the Presidency. Having lived in South Bend for 4 years 50 years ago and visiting it regularly today, I can attest to his accomplishments.