I Have Something to Tell You
Biography & Autobiography
Atria Books
September 1, 2020
Hardcover/Audio
256
Purchased
Throughout the past year, teacher Chasten Glezman Buttigieg has emerged on the national stage, having left his classroom in South Bend, Indiana, to travel cross-country in support of his husband, former mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Pete’s groundbreaking presidential campaign. Through Chasten’s joyful, witty social media posts, the public gained a behind-the-scenes look at his life with Pete on the trail—moments that might have ranged from the mundane to the surprising, but that were always heartfelt.
Chasten has overcome a multitude of obstacles to get here. In this moving, uplifting memoir, he recounts his journey to finding acceptance as a gay man. He recalls his upbringing in rural Michigan, where he knew he was different, where indeed he felt different from his father and brothers. He recounts his coming out and how he’s healed from revealing his secret to his family, friends, community, and the world. And he tells the story of meeting his boyfriend, whom he would marry and who would eventually become a major Democratic leader.
With unflinching honesty, unflappable courage, and great warmth, Chasten Buttigieg relays his experience of growing up in America and embracing his true self, while inspiring others to do the same.
My review:
Pete Buttigieg was my candidate for the 2020 presidential race, and I followed his campaign pretty religiously until his last rally before dropping out of the race (which I attended in Raleigh, NC). Along the way that meant that I started paying attention to his husband Chasten. From his behind the scenes Instagram shots on the trail, to cute pictures of their dogs, and culminating in his Instagram live sessions when the pandemic struck, I gravitated toward his boyish charm and quick wit. His memoir is an excellent combination of that charm and wit, along with sincere dialog about growing up gay in the midwest. I bought the audiobook when I learned that Chasten himself would be narrating it, and let's just say that it was like listening to him telling his story at my kitchen table. His angst at knowing he was different as a teen and being afraid to come out was heartbreaking, and the main crux of this book is to help others (especially teens) know that it's okay to be different, and how to be the best presentation of your true self. Of course I loved reading about his meeting Pete, their wedding, and tales from the campaign, but this was not the main focus of this book. It was the story of Chasten's life, with not only the sexual identity parts, but also his difficulty settling into a career that he loved, his overwhelming student loan debt anxiety, as well as what it feels like to go from teacher to 24/7 campaign mode with no advance coaching! In case you were worried that this would be just another political memoir, I would unequivocally say no. There is some mention of the orange one, but mostly in reference to policies for the LGBTQ community, and at the tail end of the book. Chasten's the type of guy you would just love to have as your next door neighbor, and his memoir encompasses all the great qualities of a good human!
I loved this memoir, and I'm not big on memoirs in general (I usually find them boring). This had everything going for it. It was sad in parts, it made me mad, it made me say "awww", and it made me laugh out loud (I will never look at a Clif bar without thinking of you Chasten!). I cannot wait to see what the next chapter of his life looks like!
