The Other Wes Moore

This is a fascinating book about two young men from Baltimore with the same name. One, the author, became a Rhodes Scholar while the other landed in jail. It's as much a meditation on circumstance and luck as it is a commentary on how successful our society is in managing those who are on the precipice, both socially and economically. The author doubles as narrator and brings the emotional heft necessary to sustain his words. Sometimes he speaks too fast, and other times he doesn't emphasize key words enough, but still the effect of his delivery is striking. We get to know both Wes Moores and become involved in their lives because one of them is compelling enough to draw us in with his reading. R.I.G. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine