How I Found Myself in the Midwest: A Memoir of Reinvention

Just after turning forty, Steve Grove left his life in Silicon Valley working as a Google executive to move back to his home state of Minnesota with his wife and fellow tech exec, Mary Grove, and their one-year-old twins. Gone from the Midwest for two decades, Grove returned home with fresh eyes. Yearning to put down new roots, he traded his job at Google for a position as the lead economic development official under Governor Tim Walz. Far from working at a fast-paced tech company, Grove's shift to leading a large government bureaucracy brought a sequence of struggles and triumphs vividly portrayed with both humor and affection.

But this story of reinvention takes on new urgency when crisis strikes, as the coronavirus pandemic and the tragic murder of George Floyd unfold just miles from his newfound home, thrusting Grove into an unexpected spotlight. Tasked with distributing billions in aid, rolling out pandemic restrictions, addressing systemic racism, revamping unemployment insurance, and redeveloping neighborhoods, Grove's new life brings new insights about himself and his new community. His experiences of the political, geographic, and racial divisions in his home state yield surprising discoveries about what also binds us together.

From making new friends and building a family to reconciling with his past and exploring his faith, Grove's deeply personal story provides a roadmap for anyone looking to discover what gives meaning to their life. Along the way, Grove shares insights about a part of the country that many people ignore at their peril, and why he is optimistic about America's future.

How I Found Myself in the Midwest is at once a riveting narrative and encouraging guide for anyone looking to build community at a time of dizzying change. It will inspire you to find purpose, no matter where you choose to call home.