Shortest Way Home

One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future

By: Pete Buttigieg

Narrated by: Pete Buttigieg

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

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 36-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.

©2019 Pete Buttigieg (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Reveals a Person Wise & Experienced & Literate

I have been reading books and papers written by current candidates running for President. I am a lifelong Democrat be side I care deeply about the U.S. Constitution and the diversity that is America. I had candidates that interested me before seeing how many candidates there are runnjng. I like Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Julian Castro.

I knew nothing about Pete Buttigieg except that he was Mayor of South Bend. When you say Indiana to me, I think of Pence and Notre Dame, neither being favorites of mine. I saw Buttigieg interviewed on CNN and other TV appearances such as Late Night with Steven Colbert. I was impressed. I wanted to know more about him. I saw he had authored a book about his life. It was on Audible and he was the narrator of his own story.

Pete Buttigieg is experienced beyond his actual years. He speaks Arabic and other languages. He is veteran being serviced in the Middle East. He is a Rhodes Scholar. He has worked analyzing data for the private sector traveling all over the world. He is Mayor of a complicated city in midwest. He is a person who truly knows words and understands their weight.

I am intrigued by Pete Buttigieg. I want everyone to read/listen to his book. Know about him before you decide. I know the majority of candidates will be on the sidelines within the year. I hope Pete Buttigieg is still a viable candidate as I feel he has an important voice in this election.

AWESOME! 5 Star book!!!

This book was way out of my usual reading zone, so I was skeptical when I got the sample. But after hearing the sample on Audible, I quickly bought it. Truthfully, it is a great book! Pete reminds me of a young JFK. I don't say that lightly. The easy way he has of communication in difficult situations and remarkable intelligence for someone so young is stunning! I mean his name, Pete Buttigieg, is one you are going to hear for many years to come in American stage of politics! I encourage you to sample this book and I am sure you will be intrigued to listen some more. It is easy to really delve into his world, and get to know this up and coming politician. 5 Star Book!

Smart & utterly sincere

This book is so simple yet rich, honest yet dazzling, tender yet grand. I don't know how he manages all these dichotomies, but for some reason I'm listening to the audio book for a third time LOL! I just find him so reassuring, something so uplifting about his values, his intelligence, his will to make the country — and each of our lives — better.

America's Brilliant, Gay Mayor

Loved this book. He is one of the many brilliant and sane alternatives to President Trump who are running for the Democratic nomination. This book does not address his current campaign, but it does discuss his (technically national vs. local Indiana or local South Bend) campaign for DNC Chair (about which I didn't know) but which provides some foreshadowing for his run at the Democratic nomination.

As a gay man who came out late in life as well, I was laughing (and crying) at his story of coming out to his parents (my mom reacted very similarly...) and was cheering (and crying a bit here, too) as he told the story of meeting the man who is now his husband. I could picture them at O'Hare.

His narration is perfect and heartfelt.

Am new to audio books and to political ones. This one is right at the top.

I’ve got a good feeling about Mayor Pete

The first time I heard Mayor Pete speak I knew there was something different about him. I had to listen to this book, and it really put his political philosophy into perspective. There are some areas I wish he’d go a bit further left, but I trust his intuition. I’ll definitely be giving him my vote in the NH primary.

Need some hope?? Read this!!

What a wonderfully uplifting book, especially to listen to with Mayor Pete narrating. Just listening to his voice and delivery is so calming and reassuring. Extremely well written, it gives insight to so many aspects of Mayor Pete's life, both public and private. i would never have thought a mid-sized city's politics would have anything of interest for me. I was wrong, at least with the way Pete tells the stories. To get an in-depth look at what has made this man who he is, read--or listen--to this book. To feel better about where we are now, read/listen to this book. To find hope in a seemingly hopeless world, read/listen to this book. You'll be so glad you did.

If you want to learn..

I purchased this book on a recommendation from a former classmate. I was already a member of #TeamPete before but now I feel like I understand him so much better as a person and candidate.

Exceptional story and perfect narration

I loved the fact that Pete narrated this himself, you really are listening to his life story in his own words and voice.

Interesting throughout

Being impressed every time Mayor Pete has been on TV during his campaign for President, I felt compelled to read his book to learn all I could about his life. I remember this same excitement when I first heard of Barack Obama.

The section of this book that deals with Pete Buttigieg's education left me in awe of his intelligence and accomplishments. I must admit that I had to back up and listen again to many sentences in that section as I would get lost for some reason. Still my interest was held and I finished the book in one weekend.

Many times as I was listening, I was thinking how wonderful it would be to have a President of Pete Buttigieg's intelligence, abilities and experience. In his short life, he has had more life experiences that would qualify him to be President than most candidates. His high education and obvious high IQ , along with his integrity, personality, spirit, energy, creativity, ideas, and ability to solve problems, are clearly revealed in his life story.

I enjoyed his narration and hope to hear much more of his voice and wisdom in the future.

Hope for the future!

Mayor Pete gives us all hope that the Democratic Party can increase its membership and gain back the Senate and the White House. This next generation of leaders will do great things!