LiterariLeigh

Choices. We've all made some good choices, and some bad. Decisions that we may not have had time to think about, that were an immediate response or pure instinct in a situation. That were made because we were young. Because we felt there was no choice.

The Other Wes Moore tells the true story of two men with the same name, about the same age, who grew up in similar circumstances, and ended up on opposite sides of the spectrum. Author Wes Moore found out about a man serving a life sentence who happens to also be called Wes Moore. He wrote to the jailed Wes, wanting to learn how he ended up in prison, while he himself was a Rhodes Scholar and successful businessman. They began a correspondence that led to meeting in person and discussing their lives. I feel that the book raises questions that merit thought and debate. How much does environment influence a persons behavior? Are your role models peers? Parents? Teachers? Is there someone to push you in the right direction? Who sees and hears what you need? And how do you respond? How do you make your own decisions? These are just some of the questions my book group raised. I'm sure there are a hundred more. What are the answers?