The Other Wes Moore

The Other Wes Moore is a nonfiction book written by journalist and author, Wes Moore. It tells the story of two boys who share the same name growing up in Baltimore during the 1980s and 1990s. Despite their similarities, they both go on to have drastically different lives; one ends up becoming a veteran in the army, a Rhodes scholar, a White House fellow, and a successful businessman, while the other goes to prison for murder. Through interviews with family members, friends, and teachers of each man, as well as court documents and archival research from various sources such as newspaper articles, this compelling narrative illuminates how even those born under similar circumstances can take very different paths in life due to decisions made along the way. As such, it has become an important work within literature that serves not only as a reminder of our own individual responsibility, but also shines light on issues like poverty's impact on communities throughout America.