This book really should be a "must read" for all schools teaching "social studies" or any topic related to culture, history and an ethnographical example modern (black) man in urban settings. As well, it should also be on the "must lead" list for anyone who wants to better understand how our culture, history and society is evolving today. I disagree with KatAMP in that I think this book is brilliantly written in a very simple, straightforward way that directs high impact "education" to virtually anyone who wants to learn about what "is very well-known and does indeed bring many relevant and intersting points..." We can't all be academics, postulating complex "points or arguments, hypotheses or research". This is NOT just a cautionary tale for only young black boys and men should read - it should be a story we all read, if ....if we want to start changing the course of own cultural history, this is one simple, direct, impactful way to start.

A fascinating tale about two young men and of how their futures diverged. The author suggests how and why that might be, although even to him it is a puzzle. A good book for young men to read so that they might have insight into how a small choice can determine their future.

Even though it is classified as an adult book, this title is great for teens to read. It is a true story of how the choices we make in our life affects how it will turn out.

This book, for all that it is very well-known and does indeed bring up many relevant and interesting pointe, is not extremely well-written; it would be better to look elsewhere for more difficult academic reading, but as far as story goes, it's a great book.

A sobering look at the interplay of family, race, and poverty in the lives of two young black men. Wes Moore the author is a successful businessman, former army officer and a Rhodes Scholar; his doppleganger, a man about the same age with the same name is serving a life sentence for murdering a police officer. How could two boys, both raised in urban poverty by single mothers turn out so differently? The two Wes Moores spent hours interviewing each other over several years, and while the author provides no easy answers, certain key differences become apparent. Wes Moore the author had a dead father, but a mother who came from a stable high achieving family that appreciated the value of education and discipline. Wes Moore the criminal had an equally dedicated mother, but he and his brother had different fathers, few examples of stable families, and both fathered illegitimate children when still teens.

Very compelling, clearly told story that illuminates much of the urban Black male experience through comparing perspectives of the two guys. It reads quickly, like magazine journalism, so is well-suited to the general public as opposed to scholars. The ending was a bit abrupt and I wanted more analysis of prison life and its effectiveness (or lack thereof). But it's a very moving story as it stands.