It Takes Chutzpah, Ron Wyden
It Takes Chutzpah, Ron Wyden
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It Takes Chutzpah
How to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change

Author: Ron Wyden

Narrator: Ron Wyden

Unabridged: 10 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/14/2025


Synopsis

In this inspirational call to action, a senior U.S. politician reveals how to accomplish goals with a combination of strong allies, persistence, and attention—that is, chutzpah.

It Takes Chutzpah is an inspirational call to action by a senior U.S. politician, describing how Americans of all age groups, persuasions, and occupations can defy convention, chart new pathways for their communities, schools, at work and in life. US Senator Ron Wyden is widely praised for coming up with sensible-sounding ideas no one else had thought of and making the counter-intuitive political alliances that prove helpful in passing bills. In It Takes Chutzpah, he offers a progressive leader’s manifesto for being a courageous warrior during turbulent times. 

“Chutzpah” is a Yiddish word that describes a trait that many Jews consider in-born.  Ron explores chutzpah’s long history and many interpretations and reclaims the word chutzpah for a new American generation, showing how it can be used for good to reclaim idealism and enact positive change.  He shares “Ron’s 12 Rules of Chutzpah” that enable any individual or group to achieve their objectives, including:

   1. If you want to make change, you’ve got to make noise.
   2.In a world where everyone thinks and acts for the short-term, always play the long game.
   3. Leading is coaching: Whether in legislation or in life, you’ve got to bring people and ideas together around a shared goal.

 Ron identifies several key values—free speech, health care, reproductive rights, a clean environment, and reigning in Big Tech—and draws on his decades of public service to stress that preserving those values means that loud brashness and boldness will be needed now more than ever.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Rachel on March 15, 2025

I found this book to be both a good read and inspiring in increasingly hard times. Senator Wyden outlines his rules and values that have helped him play the long game in implementing really important change in both easy and divisive times. He tells authentic stories of political battles that I found......more

Goodreads review by Miguel on February 04, 2025

I've voted for Wyden for all of his senatorial runs - he represents both Oregon and the US admirably especially on topics of tech and individual liberties. However, like almost all political bios this one stays in the bounds of reading like a campaign pamphlet. Also, not being a b-ball fan is a bit......more

Goodreads review by Melissa on March 11, 2025

This book was okay, but I thought that it would be about more ways to implement change. It was mostly about the author. Some parts were interesting, but I thought some of them rather dry. I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.......more

Goodreads review by Louise on February 26, 2025

Thank you, Senator Wyden, for your decades of service and Chutzpah!! This book is essentially a political history of game changing legislation and battles to protect rights. I also learned a new Yiddish phrase that is now a bumper sticker on my car, tikkun olam. It means repairing the world.......more

Goodreads review by Peter on March 29, 2025

Ron Wyden, to use an old compliment, has forgotten more about health care policy than most senators have ever known. His memoir shows the skilled way he has pursued and won passage of significant legislation since his first Congressional term in 1981.......more