The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his.Two kids named Wes Moore were born blocks apart within a year of each other. Both grew up fatherless in similar Baltimore neighborhoods and had difficult childhoods; both hung out on street corners with their crews; both ran into trouble with the police. How, then, did one grow up to be a … did one grow up to be a Rhodes Scholar, decorated veteran, White House Fellow, and business leader, while the other ended up a convicted murderer serving a life sentence? Wes Moore, the author of this fascinating book, sets out to answer this profound question. In alternating narratives that take readers from heart-wrenching losses to moments of surprising redemption, The Other Wes Moore tells the story of a generation of boys trying to find their way in a hostile world.
BONUS: This edition contains a new afterword and a The Other Wes Moore discussion guide.
Praise for The Other Wes Moore
“Moving and inspiring, The Other Wes Moore is a story for our times.”—Alex Kotlowitz, author of There Are No Children Here
“A tense, compelling story and an inspirational guide for all who care about helping young people.”—Juan Williams, author of Enough
“This should be required reading for anyone who is trying to understand what is happening to young men in our inner cities.”—Geoffrey Canada, author of Fist Stick Knife Gun
“The Other Wes Moore gets to the heart of the matter on faith, education, respect, the hard facts of incarceration, and the choices and challenges we all face. It’s educational and inspiring.”—Ben Carson, M.D., author of Gifted Hands
“Wes Moore is destined to become one of the most powerful and influential leaders of this century. You need only read this book to understand why.”—William S. Cohen, former U.S. senator and secretary of defense
“This intriguing narrative is enlightening, encouraging, and empowering. Read these words, absorb their meanings, and create your own plan to act and leave a legacy.”—Tavis Smiley, from the Afterword
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Excellent – thought provoking and makes you realize the importance of almost every decision made in a young person’s life.
It was particularly interesting to read this book not long after finishing J.D. Vance’s”Hillibilly Elegy.” So many people in this country are caught in a world from which it seems there is no way out. Both Wes Moore (the author) and Vance made it out, and both are clearly strong and determined (and intelligent) men; but both of them seem very aware of how lucky they are. In both cases it seems that the magic ingredient making it possible was help and support from their family.
Very well done comparison of two very different lives with the same name.
Insightful.
Anyone reading this book should realize how one or two bad decisions could drastically change the trajectory of their life. The author Wes Moore was lucky that he had a family that tried very hard to stand in his way of failure BUT he didn’t have to accept the opportunity they gave him. How did inmate Wes escalate from dealing drugs to robbing a jewelry store? We need to ask ourselves as responsible citizens how we failed inmate Wes Moore. As a recently retired attorney, I am asking myself how I can use my education, training, and God’s blessings to make a difference for someone like inmate Wes or his baby mamas. I hope this book will challenge others to ask those same questions of themselves.
This book is touching and beautiful. A true story that will make you think about what could have been – both good and bad.
Excellent read and a close look into culture and inner city perspectives.
I really, really liked this book!
It’s an interesting book. Nicely written, including the conceit of why the author is fascinated by the subject.
I downloaded a sample. The concept is intriguing: two people with the same name, raised fairlyclose to each other, took widely divergent life paths.
I did not feel compelled to pay for the full download; the concept is true of any two people, whether or not they have the same name.
I have the same birthday–day, month, year, even the hour–of someone who is very famous due to enormous inherited wealth. Our commonalities would be greater if we’d been born in similar financial circumstances.
I have the same name as someone who was inspired to create a very public personae.
But I don’t think either of stories would interest someone wise with the same name, or birth date and time, enough to want to buy a book about it.
It’s amazing, must read it!