The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates

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The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates

3.69 of 5 stars 3.69 · rating details · 6,948 ratings · 1,358 reviews

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, d...more

Paperback, 272 pages

Published January 11th 2011 by Spiegel & Grau (first published January 1st 2010)

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Apr 11, 2010 Claire rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, 2010

This review is based on a set of advance proofs which I won in a Goodreads Giveaway.

The Other Wes Moore is a fascinating look at the lives of two men, both named Wes Moore, both from low-income families, both from un-privileged urban backgrounds. One man sits in prison for life, convicted of participation in a robbery and the murder of a police officer, while the other went on to enjoy every success that a young man can enjoy.

The author, the Wes Moore who went on to become a Rhodes Scholar and...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Richard rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been revised and can now be found at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud!

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Sep 27, 2012 Chris rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I heard about this when it came out a couple years ago and was intrigued, and then the College of Education I work and go to graduate school in chose it for its "common read," so I read it. It would absolutely be a good discussion starter in undergraduate classes. (Although unfortunately for my College of Education, the "successful Wes Moore" ultimately gets on the right path when his mom enrolls him in a private military school, so it doesn't provide any intel on how public schools can engage a...more

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May 30, 2010 Newengland rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, finished-in-2010

Two Wes Moores diverged in a yellow wood (called Baltimore)
And sorry he could not travel both
And be one traveler, long Wes Moore the Rhodes Scholar stood
And looked down one as far as he could
By interviewing the other Wes Moore in Jessup Correctional Institution
Where the path disappears in the undergrowth
Of drug-dealing, robbery, and accomplice to murder.

Wes took the other, as just as fair,
Through military school, time in Afghanistan, and ultimately the business world,
And having perhaps the bette...more

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May 09, 2010 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Disclaimer: I have met the author Wes Moore. He was a student worker in the Career Center when I worked at Johns Hopkins. I didn't know him well, but did interact with him. Even then, it was apparent that he was a pretty extraordinary person. I was excited to read this book because I felt like I "knew" the characters and setting a bit.

I think my knowledge of the author colored my ability to see this book as a comparison of two boys with the "there but for the grace of God..." ideal that the desc...more Disclaimer: I have met the author Wes Moore. He was a student worker in the Career Center when I worked at Johns Hopkins. I didn't know him well, but did interact with him. Even then, it was apparent that he was a pretty extraordinary person. I was excited to read this book because I felt like I "knew" the characters and setting a bit.

I think my knowledge of the author colored my ability to see this book as a comparison of two boys with the "there but for the grace of God..." ideal that the description implies. Could the author Wes Moore have become the criminal Wes Moore? Perhaps. We all make foolish choices in life, and those choices made in the context of the environment that Wes was in, could have been tragic. But could the criminal Wes Moore have become the author? That seems to me to be more unlikely, because author Wes has a gift of charisma that draws people to him. Whether it resulted from his life experience or was a factor in his gaining that life experience is a chicken-or-egg question, but it is rare and probably not a fair comparison for another person.

Regardless of the strain of the comparison, the book definitely makes it clear that there were factors that existed in the author's life that didn't in the criminal's. One was the presence of an educated mother, and, in the author's case, one that was willing to do whatever it took to make sure her son went down the right path. The author's mother also had competent family support, something that the criminal's mother sadly lacked. Although both boys grew up fatherless, the circumstances of that fatherlessness were vastly different. It must have a different impact psychologically to know that you had a father that would have been there for you had he not tragically died, than to know that you have a living father that doesn't give a crap about you.

I guess where I'm left is wondering what to do with this information. Yes, we know that having a strong support network makes success possible for kids, regardless of the economics of their birth. I'm left wondering how we give them that network. Can someone else make up for the lack of a strong family base? If so, how?(less)

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Sep 07, 2011 Felipe Cordoba rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Initially I wasn’t too sure about reading this book because of what it seemed to be advertising. From the moment I picked it up at the library and read the summary, Wes Moore struck me as one of the folks who particularly enjoys telling others of his success and makes it a point to demonstrate how another man by the same name is a failure. Although I do respect him for his accomplishments and look up to how he escaped the Baltimore projects, it was hard to imagine an author being very philosophi...more

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Feb 05, 2011 Jason rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir, non-fiction

This thought provoking book, about two young men from similar backgrounds ultimately branching in two totally different directions, is a stark reminder that the shirking of personal accountability has historically been the downfall of many passionate men and women destined for greatness, yet shackled to self destruction. Moore writes with a delicate balance that makes the story human without distorting the facts with romanticism. By paralleling the lives of Moore, (the author), and Moore, (the p...more

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May 10, 2013 Deka rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

the story of two wes moores that ended very differently though the author doesnt pinpoint an exact reason. i dont think he should. it's impossible to say definitively what would or would not have improved one's life. but, to me this book illustrates the importance of asking for help when you need it, the importance of education and a supportive family, the weight of accountability and responsibility, the variance of human nature, and how a seemingly small decision can change your life.

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Dec 14, 2012 Cflack rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am reading this book during a very difficult time in the city where I live. This fall, and more specifically the last three weeks, there have been four shootings and three deaths of black males between the ages of 15 and 23. As someone who grew up in this community and has chosen to raise a family here, we as a community are grappling with these senseless deaths. I would not say that Wes Moore is a great writer, but he is an eloquent and impassioned writer on this subject which touches him ver...more

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May 17, 2013 Laura Bailey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First Book of the 3rd Thursdays Book Club - The Other Wes Moore. Moore tells the story of the paths and decisions that led two young men from the same neighborhood to different places. One found his forever home behind bars while the other became a Rhodes Scholar.

Wes poses the BIG life questions: Are we a product or victim of our environment? Our family and the company we keep? OR a mixture of both??

Moore created an easy read showcasing a certain point in time where one Wes went left and the o...more

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May 16, 2013 Jessica Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book made me reflect on choices I have made, mentors I had, and what others believed I could do.

"Do you think we're all just products of our environments?"
"I think so, or maybe products of our expectations."
"Others' expectations of us or our expectations for ourselves?"
"I mean others' expectations that you take on as your own."
I realized then how difficult it is to separate the two. The expectations that others place on us help us form our expectations of our selves.
"We will do what others...more

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Apr 30, 2013 Kiera Healy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a moving and thought-provoking book, in which author Wes Moore - army officer, Rhodes scholar, political activist - compares his life with that of another man by the same name. Both were born in an impoverished part of Baltimore, only two years apart, but while the author has a successful career, his counterpart is serving a life sentence for the murder of a police officer.

It's an interesting set-up: Moore compares their lives to see when, how and why they took such different paths. Obvi...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Emily rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was very excited for this book, only to be let down. Hugely.

Wes Moore (the "successful" one) spends a lot of the book describing WHAT happens, without exploring WHY things might have transpired the way that they did. The fact is, the Wes Moore in prison never, ever could have had the same story as the "successful" Wes Moore, and it is very unlikely that the "successful" Wes Moore could have ended up in prison like the "unsuccessful" Wes Moore.
Why not? The author came from a family with two suc...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Bryan Monzon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The other Wes Moore" was an incredible book that talks about two men growing up in the same lifestyle, in the same type of neighborhood, and with the same name. Both got into trouble growing up but later on their lives things got different between them. One was growing up successful in life. He grew up to be a Rhodes Scholar, decorated combat veteran, a White House Fellow and a business leader. The other Wes Moore still was the same. Hanging out with bad association which led him to murdering a...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Michael Austin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2013

I liked, but did not love, The Other Wes Moore. As a concept, it is absolutely brilliant: two young African-American males named Wes Moore grow up at the same time in the same neighborhoods in Baltimore. One becomes a Rhodes Scholar and one becomes a convicted murderer. What made the difference? Our Wes Moore (the author) chooses eight pivotal years in the lives of both Wes Moores and tells their parallel stories.

As it turns out, the most important factors in the life of "Good Wes Moore" were a...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Ellyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013

This book is about two boys, both named Wes Moore. They are just a few years apart in age, grew up in the same rough Baltimore neighborhood, were raised by single mothers, and faced numerous challenges in school and at home. One goes on to become a graduate of Johns Hopkins, a Rhodes scholar, an army veteran, and a successful businessman, and the other is serving a life sentence for murder. The author Wes Moore reads about the other Wes Moore in a newspaper article, and years later, writes to hi...more

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Apr 01, 2013 Paul Long rated it 3 of 5 stars

A fascinating idea of a book that nevertheless disappointed me.

One Wes Moore is a Rhodes scholar, White House fellow, and a decorated military officer. The other is serving life without parole in a Maryland killing for participating in a robbery that lead to the death of a police officer.

When the first Wes Moore read about the second, he was intrigued by their similarities. Both grew up poor in Baltimore during the 1980s and 1990s. Both were fatherless. Both grew about around drugs and crime, an...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Twilight rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: poverty, drugs, crime, education, society, sociology

An immensely fascinating read about two young men who share the same name and actually lived very close to one another for a short time. Both had eerily similar backgrounds, but one became a successful leader, served in the military and became a Rhodes Scholar. The other ended up in prison for murdering a police officer.

A quick, compelling read, it was interesting to see how one Wes Moore tumbles down into a spiral of drugs, broken homes and crime, while the other eventually climbs away from his...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Margaret Behr rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Moore presents readers with an array of questions through his poignant, honest writing. How much control do we have over our own destinies?

Favorite quote(s): "Early losses condition you to believe that short-term plans are always smarter."

The common bond of humanity and decency that we share is stronger than any conflict, andy adversity, any challenge.

I was taught to remember, but never question. Wes was taught to forget, and never ask why. We learned our lessons well and were showing them off...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Three stars are more for the idea than the execution. The writing was something of a distraction - and not in a good way. More like a police report than a story about the lives of two young men...I winced more than once at the choice of words. I think it helped to listen to the book because the narrator is the author, and his enthusiasm and determination are clear in his reading. Its worth a listen.

The idea was intriguing and it was an interesting "read" after reading Homicide and The Corner, an...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Shana rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Although few actually like to hear it or admit it, much of what we become in life is a matter of circumstance and not necessarily of our own inherent merit. We do not choose to be born to our particular parents or in a certain country. Where we are educated and acquire our goals and values are initially determined by the adults and communities in which we are raised. This is not to say that we have no ability to break free from them, but our very first introduction to the world is significant an...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Rosemary rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Found this on a Taft high school reading list and the idea is intriguing; 2 boys with the same name growing up in single parent families in Baltimore-one is a successful adult and Rhodes scholar full of potential and possibilities while the other is spending the rest of his life in prison for murder. The book looks at their lives and where they diverged, through luck and circumstance the author has the ultimate freedom to pursue life to its fullest while the other the Wes Moore has no freedom. I...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Molly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-2012-advisory

I loved this book! This book is about the lives of two boys with the same name, Wes Moore. In the title it states, "One Name, Two Fates", and that is exactly what it is about. These two Wes Moore's live 10 blocks from each other in a poor neighborhood, both do not have a father figure to look up to, they both had a hard time in school and committed small crimes. However, one of these boys is very successful and has accomplished many honorable things in his lifetime. The other Wes has been senten...more I loved this book! This book is about the lives of two boys with the same name, Wes Moore. In the title it states, "One Name, Two Fates", and that is exactly what it is about. These two Wes Moore's live 10 blocks from each other in a poor neighborhood, both do not have a father figure to look up to, they both had a hard time in school and committed small crimes. However, one of these boys is very successful and has accomplished many honorable things in his lifetime. The other Wes has been sentenced for a lifetime in jail.

I heard about this book from a friend's mother, which is a reason why I like this book so much. This book can be enjoyable for teenagers in high school because it shows students how important their decisions are for their futures. It also shows students how it does not matter where you grew up or how you were raised, your path is your path and it is up to you to make it a positive one. However, this book is also enjoyable for adults, like my friend's mother, because it can help them realize if they are on the path that they are capable of following, or if they are informing the younger people around them that it is always possible to achieve their dream. I think this book is a must-read for teenagers entering their Junior and Senior year of high school or students who are about to go to college, because this book is great for people who are experiencing new beginnings and who are growing up to be successful and happy. This book is all about paths and determination to become who you want to be. Personally, my philosophy is we all grow to become better versions of ourselves. That is our goal anyway. So, I really liked this book because it has a powerful message and it easily inspires its readers to go out into the world and strive for their goals/dreams.

I highly recommend this book! This story makes these boys so similar, almost the same exact person, yet they have opposite fates. This contrast emphasizes the fact that anyone can either fall down a negative path or rise toward a positive one. It is up to you when it comes to determining your future and happiness, no matter who you are or how similar/different you are to anyone else. (less)

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Aug 06, 2012 Cassandra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The other Wes Moore is the tale of two young men and their respective journeys into adulthood. One, whom I called "free" Wes Moore grows up in Baltimore, his father dies at a young age from a medical complication and his mother is struggling to raise him and her other two children as a single mother (but with some support from her parents). "Imprisoned" Wes Moore has a similar situation with some slight differences. His father is alive but disinterested in raising his child and his older brother...more The other Wes Moore is the tale of two young men and their respective journeys into adulthood. One, whom I called "free" Wes Moore grows up in Baltimore, his father dies at a young age from a medical complication and his mother is struggling to raise him and her other two children as a single mother (but with some support from her parents). "Imprisoned" Wes Moore has a similar situation with some slight differences. His father is alive but disinterested in raising his child and his older brother is a major drug dealer in Baltimore. They share the same name, come from the same gritty streets of Baltimore but one Wes becomes a Rhodes Scholar, soldier in the U.S. Army and a business man working on Wall Street. The other, a drug dealer with a G.E.D. who is currently spending his life behind bars for a robbery and the attempted murder of a security officer. These stories point to agency and the ever lasting debate on nature vs. nurture. The distinction between "free" Wes and "imprisoned" Wes are expectations. Unfortunately, society at large expects very little from young black men growing up in urban areas: no one expects them to graduate from high school, get married, raise children and pursue their dreams by using their intellect. Thus, having a strong support system of parent(s), teachers, family members and friends who do is just the launching pad that a young black man needs to take off. This is what "free" Wes had throughout his life. "Imprisoned" Wes had the same, in part. His launching pad wasn't stable. He had people who were "do what I say and not what I do" folks who could talk about a better life but weren't making strides to live one themselves. He had no one to hold him accountable for his actions. Without this, his take off was rocky, at best, and if he flew, it would only be so far before he came crashing down again. Having agency and the will to succeed is paramount but having people around at a very young age who consistently helps to nurture those ambitions (particularly for young girls and boys growing up in dire circumstances) is what makes all the difference. Now there are some, I'm sure, who have done it without a strong support system, but they are the exception and not the rule. This strong is worth reading because it brings into question why and how we are successful and what can we do to ensure that others will "make it" as well. As long as poverty and disparity exists, these are questions worth pondering and answering. (less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The author posits an interesting question for the reader - a question generated from his own life, and the life of another man, with the exact name, from the same neighborhood, but with a different life story. How can two similar folks go in two such different directions? I think one can ask that within a family as well - what is it that causes two siblings to become such different people? One a criminal, perhaps; and the other a doctor, for example.

I was glad to know that, in the end, the autho...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved the premise of The Other Wes Moore when I first heard about this debut nonfiction title. It is the story of two boys named Wes Moore, born within a year of each other, and who lived within blocks of each other in Baltimore. Both Wes Moores grew up fatherless, lived in poor neighborhoods, and had run-ins with police. Wes Moore, the book's author, grows up to be a Rhodes scholar, combat veteran of Afghanistan, and a White House Fellow as a special assistant to Secretary Condoleezza Rice. T...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was our book club selection this month and it generated a lot of discussion.

Author Wes Moore is a Rhodes Scholar with a lot of accomplishments. He hears about another Wes Moore who is around his age who is wanted in connection for a robbery/murder. About the same age, both were born in Baltimore. Author Wes is obsessed with Jail Wes (that's how we defined them for our discussion) and how he ended up down such a different life path despite their common attributes.

Author Wes mails Jail Wes in...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Jasmine Finch added it · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book, I read it as a part of the Summer Reading Committee at my university and think it will be a wonderful addition to the books that have been read over the years. The themes are easy to pick out and discuss: choices, poverty, fate vs. choice, celebrating success, etc.

Some folks on the committee had feelings about the ending that verged on the negative because he seems to almost brag about how well he has been doing. My question is, when you've gained success and accomplished g...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Nancy Kennedy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In 2000, a Baltimore newspaper ran a story with the headline, "Local Graduate Named Rhodes Scholar." It was a story about the author, Wes Moore, a young black man who rose from the drug, crime and poverty-stricken streets of the city to attain this prestigious academic honor.

Several months earlier, in the same paper, Mr. Moore had noticed a series of articles about two young black men who killed a Baltimore policeman while robbing a jewelry store. The name of one of the killers struck him: his n...more In 2000, a Baltimore newspaper ran a story with the headline, "Local Graduate Named Rhodes Scholar." It was a story about the author, Wes Moore, a young black man who rose from the drug, crime and poverty-stricken streets of the city to attain this prestigious academic honor.

Several months earlier, in the same paper, Mr. Moore had noticed a series of articles about two young black men who killed a Baltimore policeman while robbing a jewelry store. The name of one of the killers struck him: his name was Wes Moore.

This coincidence prompts the author to seek out "the other Wes Moore." He contacts Wes in prison. "How did this happen?" he asks. The question jumpstarts the story of these two young men whose life paths diverged, one into triumph, the other into tragedy.

The author comes to realize that this seemingly complicated story, a too-familiar story that is freighted with societal, economic and racial impact, comes down to a few simple moments in time. "These forks in the road can happen so fast for young boys," he says. "Within months or even weeks, their journeys can take a decisive and possibly irrevocable turn."

I would more specifically pin the divergence on the boys' mothers. The author is born into a two-parent home, both parents college educated, but his father dies when Wes is just three. His mother moves to the Bronx, so that her parents can help provide a stable home life. She works multiple jobs so that she can put her boys in private school. When the author starts to feel the pull of the streets, she packs him off to military school.

The other Wes Moore grows up in a single-parent household of starkly different character. His father is absent and his mother frequently dumps him on friends and family so she can go out clubbing. Although she'd been attending community college, she loses her Pell Grant and simply gives up. Disagreements in the home are handled with beatings. The older brother gets into the drug trade, and all three of them, mother and two sons, bring babies into the world without the stability of marriage. It's no surprise when the other Wes Moore's run-ins with the law begin.

This is a compelling story told with passion and understanding. While the author is compassionate, he also makes clear that he is in no way excusing the other Wes Moore for his heinous deed. Even so, I imagine this is a tough book for the family of the slain policeman to read. If you want another great story of a young black man from Baltimore who succeeds thanks to his determined mother, read Byron Pitts's Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life's Challenges. (less)

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Dec 31, 2011 Martha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wish we had a way to make every parent and child read this book and read it at least once a year. The focus on education, being an active part in a child's life, and having high expectations really helped Wes Moore become a successful man. The other Wes Moore had none of that and is spending his life in prison, such a waste.
Maybe this should be a must read book in the class where Civics is taught. Do we even teach Civics anymore?
I think some people would say Wes Moore, the author of the book,...more

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About Wes Moore

Wes Moore is a youth advocate, Army combat veteran, promising business leader and author.

Wes graduated Phi Theta Kappa as a commissioned officer from Valley Forge Military College in 1998 and Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations. At Johns Hopkins he was honored by the Maryland College Football Hall of Fame...more Wes Moore is a youth advocate, Army combat veteran, promising business leader and author.

Wes graduated Phi Theta Kappa as a commissioned officer from Valley Forge Military College in 1998 and Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations. At Johns Hopkins he was honored by the Maryland College Football Hall of Fame. He completed an MLitt in International Relations from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar in 2004. Wes was a paratrooper and Captain in the United States Army, serving a combat tour of duty in Afghanistan with the elite 1st Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division in 2005–2006. Wes spearheaded the American strategic support plan for the Afghan Reconciliation Program that unites former insurgents with the new Afghan Government. He is recognized as an authority on the rise and ramifications of radical Islamism in the Western Hemisphere. A White House Fellow from 2006–2007, Wes served as a Special Assistant to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Following his time at the White House, Wes became an investment professional in New York at Citigroup, focusing on global technology and alternative investments. In 2009 he was selected as an Asia Society Fellow. Moore was named one of Ebony magazine’s “Top 30 Leaders Under 30” for 2007 and Crain’s New York Business’ “40 Under 40 Rising Stars” in 2009.

Wes is passionate about supporting U.S. veterans and examining the roles education, mentoring and public service play in the lives of American youth. He serves on the board of the Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and founded an organization called STAND! through Johns Hopkins that works with Baltimore youth involved in the criminal justice system. Wes was a featured speaker at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver and addressed the crowd from Invesco Field. He has also spoken at the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Business Plan Competition, Southern Regional Conference of the National Society of Educators, the education reform session of the third annual Race & Reconciliation in America conference, and the first 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.

He has been featured by such media outlets as People Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, CSPAN, and MSNBC, amongst others. Wes’ first book, The Other Wes Moore, will be published by Spiegel & Grau, an imprint of Random House, in late April 2010.

Wes Moore was born in 1978 and was three years old when his father, a respected radio and television host, died in front of him. His mother, hoping for a better future for her family, made great sacrifices to send Wes and his sisters to private school. Caught between two worlds—the affluence of his classmates and the struggles of his neighbors—Wes began to act out, succumbing to bad grades, suspensions, and delinquencies. Desperate to reverse his behavior, his mother sent him to military school in Pennsylvania. After trying to escape five times, Wes finally decided to stop railing against the system and become accountable for his actions. By graduation six years later, Moore was company commander overseeing 125 cadets.

On December 11, 2000, The Baltimore Sun ran an article about how Wes, despite his troubled childhood, had just received The Rhodes Scholarship. At the same time, The Sun was running stories —eventually more than 100 in all—about four African-American men who were arrested for the murder of an off-duty Baltimore police officer d(less)

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“The choices we make about the lives we live determine the kinds of legacies we leave.” — 19 people liked it

“The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his.” — 9 people liked it

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