It Takes Chutzpah - by Ron Wyden (Hardcover)

Book 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.

Review Quotes

"Chutzpah rules! -- both as Sen. Wyden's eight norms of effective leadership and advocacy, and as a leitmotif for what America's extraordinary challenges calls for from people of conscience of all religions and none. By transforming into universal tools of social transformation the age old Jewish cultural and ethical values of chutzpah and tikkun olam, values that inspired and guided him through his fascinating journey to become one of the U.S Senate's most effective and influential figures, he has crafted a memoir and the call to action that America needs."--Rabbi David Sapperstein, Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

"During his time in Washington, Sen. Ron Wyden has picked fights with Big Oil, insurance giants, greedy billionaires, and the surveillance state, while finding ways to make real change for working Americans in a deeply divided Senate. That is only possible with wisdom, patience, and a whole lot of coraje."--Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

"For decades, my friend Ron Wyden has been a relentless force for finding creative solutions to break the gridlock in Washington debates, from health care to climate to civil rights to taxes and safeguarding our democracy. He starts with how best to improve the lives of people, and works backwards from there. He's a fellow wonk who gets things done, and this book is a great guide to that work."--Hillary Rodham Clinton, 67th U.S. Secretary of State

"I have known Ron Wyden for more than 40 years, dating back to when he was a member of the House and I was a very junior congressional staff member. He has never lost his passion for helping people or his willingness to stand up for what he believes. His book shares important lessons on how to lead effectively, including the timeless principles he learned from his high school basketball coach and the values he learned from sports along the way."--Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner

"I have known Ron Wyden for over 40 years. We are members of opposing political parties, but we share one very important trait in common: our love for the state of Oregon. It has allowed us to overcome differences and fight for common causes. In IT TAKES CHUTZPAH, Ron shares many of his innermost thoughts; it's an excellent book on leadership, which will be of great benefit and reading enjoyment for any person in a managerial position or looking to affect change."--Phil Knight, cofounder and Chairman Emeritus, Nike Inc.

"Ron Wyden's IT TAKES CHUTZPAH is a beautifully written and thought-provoking memoir by the most accomplished U.S. Senator in Oregon's illustrious history. In riveting fashion, Wyden recounts his Jewish parents' escape from Nazi Germany to America and his own brave activism as a Gray Panther in the 1970's. It reminds readers that this even-keeled and indefatigable Oregonian shines as the North Star of what a conviction-driven public servant in the 21st century should look like."--Douglas Brinkley, Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History, Rice University, and bestselling author of Silent Spring Revolution: John F. Kennedy, Rachel Carson, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, and the Great Environmental Awakening

"Senator Wyden's IT TAKES CHUTZPAH is a powerful guide for creating real change. His bold action and ability to unite people across divides is something I deeply admire. Having partnered with him to reform the Troubled Teen Industry, I believe anyone committed to making the world a better place can learn a lot from the Senator!"--Paris Hilton

"The grandson of immigrants who fled Nazi Europe, Ron weaves an interesting and instructive tale of his ability to influence public policy through the lense of his inheritance from his family: "Chutzpah"--determination and self-confidence--and the desire to do "Tikun Olam"--Repair the World. His Jewish values are American values, and his call to others to follow his lead is particularly timely."--U.S. Representative Kathy Manning, 6th District, North Carolina

About the Author

Ron Wyden, a Democratic Senator from Oregon, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 until his 1995 election to the U.S. Senate. Oregonians--and all attentive Americans--know Wyden as a senator who listens and innovates. The son of two refugees from Nazi Germany, he was born in Wichita and lived in Chicago, St. Louis, and Washington D.C., as his father Peter Wyden, a journeyman journalist and later a best-selling author, pursued his career and curiosity.