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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Probably closer to 3.5 stars. But a good read.
Wes Moore is from Baltimore. He grew up there, moved to the Bronx while still pretty young, went to military school, then Johns Hopkins, became a Rhodes Scholar, interned at the White House, and worked on Wall Street. Wes Moore is also from Baltimore. He moved around the Baltimore area, getting caught up in drug gangs, getting arrested, going to jail, fathering children, and then finally, killing a police officer during the commission of an armed robbery. What made the difference between the two Wes Moores?
Wes Moore the author doesn't do much to try and answer that question. He simply traces the lives of the himself and the other Wes Moore. He postulates some at the end of the book about mentors and opportunities; while speaking with the other Wes Moore, he speculates about the role of expectations in people's lives and a father's role. I don't love that he didn't analyze this; it would have certainly helped. The two boys' lives weren't actually all that similar and taking some page space to look at statistics and theories would have been nice.
This is definitely a worthwhile read for teenagers. The frustrations that others have with the book would probably be ignored in a teen who is looking to see himself in this situation.
Wes Moore is from Baltimore. He grew up there, moved to the Bronx while still pretty young, went to military school, then Johns Hopkins, became a Rhodes Scholar, interned at the White House, and worked on Wall Street. Wes Moore is also from Baltimore. He moved around the Baltimore area, getting caught up in drug gangs, getting arrested, going to jail, fathering children, and then finally, killing a police officer during the commission of an armed robbery. What made the difference between the two Wes Moores?
Wes Moore the author doesn't do much to try and answer that question. He simply traces the lives of the himself and the other Wes Moore. He postulates some at the end of the book about mentors and opportunities; while speaking with the other Wes Moore, he speculates about the role of expectations in people's lives and a father's role. I don't love that he didn't analyze this; it would have certainly helped. The two boys' lives weren't actually all that similar and taking some page space to look at statistics and theories would have been nice.
This is definitely a worthwhile read for teenagers. The frustrations that others have with the book would probably be ignored in a teen who is looking to see himself in this situation.
medium-paced
reflective
medium-paced
A really interesting take on how two similar lives can take very different paths. But I think the differences started before the tweens each had their episodes of bad decision making. Governor Wes' mom had a much stronger support system and knew when she and her kids needed to make major changes to get him help. The other Wes' mom may not have had that support system and just didn't know what to do.
It takes a little bit to get used to the changing back and forth between the two men in the audiobook. There may be a visual separation in the hard copy and ebooks but there was nothing to indicate a transition in the audiobook so it felt messy and confusing during those transitions.
And, I HATED the epilogue. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.The god part was just unnecessary and off-putting and made for a crappy way to end the book.
It takes a little bit to get used to the changing back and forth between the two men in the audiobook. There may be a visual separation in the hard copy and ebooks but there was nothing to indicate a transition in the audiobook so it felt messy and confusing during those transitions.
And, I HATED the epilogue. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Police brutality, Murder
The book has an interesting premise and well-written and gripping descriptions of scenes. Often the story seems to jump from one scene to the next without quite finishing itself: the point of having chosen these specific scenes is implied but doesn’t get fully conveyed.
In the end I was left with the impression that the main divergence of the paths of the two Wes Moores was one going to military school while the other did not.
In the end I was left with the impression that the main divergence of the paths of the two Wes Moores was one going to military school while the other did not.
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Struggled between 2 and 3 stars. Overall I agree with most reviews below that the two Wes Moore's stories aren't comparable which ultimately makes this a fundamentally flawed book.
I didn't want to read any of author Wes Moore's sections after the first half of the book because I was tired of all his bragging about how smart and accomplished he is and how he climbs mountains and is close to politicians. Bleh.
I wish there was more a focus on the other Wes Moore's story. I found his history compelling but wish I knew more. If you want to read a similar (AND INCREDIBLE) book, I highly recommend The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace. This is an in-depth and detailed look of a highly intelligent man that couldn't leave his past behind him.
I didn't want to read any of author Wes Moore's sections after the first half of the book because I was tired of all his bragging about how smart and accomplished he is and how he climbs mountains and is close to politicians. Bleh.
I wish there was more a focus on the other Wes Moore's story. I found his history compelling but wish I knew more. If you want to read a similar (AND INCREDIBLE) book, I highly recommend The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace. This is an in-depth and detailed look of a highly intelligent man that couldn't leave his past behind him.
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
I'd like to give it more like a 3.5, because I kept expecting it to go deeper than it did...
That said it raises plenty of fascinating, important questions as well as an original perspective of life in America.
I was especially intrigued by the afterword, which explains he deliberately left ambiguous why his and the other Wes Moore's fates ended up so differently.
That said it raises plenty of fascinating, important questions as well as an original perspective of life in America.
I was especially intrigued by the afterword, which explains he deliberately left ambiguous why his and the other Wes Moore's fates ended up so differently.
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
fyi this guy is now the governor of maryland. i just find that suspicious idk. wonder what the other wes moore thinks of this.