The Other Wes Moore

One Name, Two Fates

By: Wes Moore, Tavis Smiley

Narrated by: Wes Moore

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the governor of Maryland, the “compassionate” (People), “startling” (Baltimore Sun), “moving” (Chicago Tribune) true story of two kids with the same name: One went on to be a Rhodes Scholar, decorated combat veteran, White House Fellow, and business leader. The other is serving a life sentence in prison.

The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his.

In December 2000, the Baltimore Sun ran a small piece about Wes Moore, a local student who had just received a Rhodes Scholarship. The same paper also ran a series of articles about four young men who had allegedly killed a police officer in a spectacularly botched armed robbery. The police were still hunting for two of the suspects who had gone on the lam, a pair of brothers. One was named Wes Moore.

Wes just couldn’t shake off the unsettling coincidence, or the inkling that the two shared much more than space in the same newspaper. After following the story of the robbery, the manhunt, and the trial to its conclusion, he wrote a letter to the other Wes, now a convicted murderer serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. His letter tentatively asked the questions that had been haunting him: Who are you? How did this happen?

That letter led to a correspondence and relationship that have lasted for several years. Over dozens of letters and prison visits, Wes discovered that the other Wes had had a life not unlike his own: Both had had difficult childhoods, both were fatherless; they’d hung out on similar corners with similar crews, and both had run into trouble with the police. At each stage of their young lives they had come across similar moments of decision, yet their choices would lead them to astonishingly different destinies.

Told in alternating dramatic narratives that take readers from heart-wrenching losses to moments of surprising redemption, The Other Wes Moore tells the story of a generation of boys trying to find their way in a hostile world.

Critic reviews

“Moving and inspiring, The Other Wes Moore is a story for our times.”—Alex Kotlowitz, author of There Are No Children Here

“A tense, compelling story and an inspirational guide for all who care about helping young people.”—Juan Williams, author of Enough

“This should be required reading for anyone who is trying to understand what is happening to young men in our inner cities.”—Geoffrey Canada, author of Fist Stick Knife Gun

“The Other Wes Moore gets to the heart of the matter on faith, education, respect, the hard facts of incarceration, and the choices and challenges we all face. It’s educational and inspiring.”—Ben Carson, M.D., author of Gifted Hands

“Wes Moore is destined to become one of the most powerful and influential leaders of this century. You need only read this book to understand why.”—William S. Cohen, former U.S. senator and secretary of defense

“This intriguing narrative is enlightening, encouraging, and empowering. Read these words, absorb their meanings, and create your own plan to act and leave a legacy.”—Tavis Smiley, from the Afterword

Good Read

I really enjoyed the book. Read by author--wasn't the greatest performance of reading. But a really good book.

Two men with one story

Would you consider the audio edition of The Other Wes Moore to be better than the print version?

I don't know because i haven't read the print version. This is a great to listen to in the car or on the go.

What did you like best about this story?

The segment of the military school for the author was easily my favorite.

What about Wes Moore’s performance did you like?

HIS VOICE CHANGE! hes an incredible actor. especially because this is his story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

yes! when the other wes moore is part of the robbery but just finished vocational school.

Any additional comments?

GREAT READ! please listen to this and allow the differences in our racist culture to sink in.

Great book for Mentors.

A must-read for anyone working or considering working with at-risk youth. it's clear to me why their lives ended up so drastically different one had positive mentors the other didn't.

Great story

We never know what separates the paths we live out. Fascinating book. The irony of a shared name heightens the story all the more.

Was an amazing book

It provides a good guide for young kids in today's society. I would recommend it