You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

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

4.14 AVERAGE

ulrikedg's review

1.0
Left me utterly convinced that he is woefully under-qualified to be president. He's also really boring, which is why I DNFed halfway through. Raised by two college professors, no siblings. He went to school, then he went to college, then he got a job, more college, more job, ran for office lost, ran for office won. There's no HERE here. He literally tells you what he has for breakfast after a run. There's no challenge to overcome. He got a street renamed! Woohoo! Why is this a book?

The author is the narrator for the audio version, and he does fine.

chelsealeem's review

4.0
Torn on this one. There are lots of things I like about Pete but the book does feel somewhat manipulative at points as now we know he had presidential aspirations. I loved his stories about Chasten and what it was like to come out so late in life.

little_red_dragon's review

3.0
RTC

devoftheshire's review

4.0
There was a weird spot where it didn't flow 💯 - but overall it was a really good read.

aprilmay11's review

5.0
I’m from the Midwest and I love him! When he talks about being in college for twin towers that’s when I was in college! He can order a sandwich in 7 languages! He took a dying town I know about and turned it around. He will get in and get to work as president too!

zac_johannes's review

4.0
Well written memoir about a person I figured I should learn more about. Surprisingly entertaining and informational.

kerrym33's review

4.0
My husband has been raving about Mayor Pete for a while, and in an effort to learn more about the Democratic presidential candidates, I gave this book a try. It was excellent, certainly much better than the average political memoir. I enjoyed learning about Buttigieg's life, his work in South Bend, and his experience coming out while in office as a mayor in the Midwest. Overall, I thought he came across as highly intelligent, sincere, and likeable, and from a policy perspective, progressive, creative, and practical. The book was well done in audio.

zeezeemama11's review

5.0
Only book on my book reads I haven't actually read yet
But my husband loved and won't stop talking about it. Audibooking this up in the near future. Just want to improve ratings for now

alyceno's review

4.75
hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

rmwh's review

5.0
Pete Buttigieg is truly the dictionary definition of thoughtful. He speaks on every topic with great care, grace, and sincerity. He discusses his strengths and triumphs as well as his shortcomings and failures. His stark, honest descriptions of his time in Afghanistan gave me an unfamiliar sense of pride for a pacifist. His vulnerability in discussing a lack of love, a decision to pursue it, and ultimately find it, was something I was not prepared to read. I saw myself in him. I saw the way my life mirrored his. It is remarkable to me that someone seeking to be arguably the most famous person in the world would lay bare his most intimate struggles and joys in love in a way that I, a person who wants to write novels for a living, would be hesitant to do. There is more than enough policy talk, but that's understandable considering the fact that writing a book is now a standard practice for candidates. It's more than that, though. This book is about a person who wants to do things because they're the moral, selfless thing to do. The mix of humility and confidence with which Pete writes (and views himself) is refreshing in a way that I have run out of words to describe.