2011 Everybody Reads selection, The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moorefriends-library.org
Because I attend several Pageturners groups every month, I read many books throughout the year. Or, more specifically, I read books that were chosen by committee (i.e., perhaps not my first choice for a rainy afternoon). Normally I love this, because it can lead to some unexpected pleasures. But it can also get a little tiring.
However, in February, all Pageturners groups read the same book, so I get a short stint of “sweet, sweet freedom” in my book selections. Instead of three different books per month, I read one book and then have a few weeks where I choose what to read.
Everybody Reads also means that I participate in several different conversations about the same book, which can be quite fascinating. The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore is about two boys who are superficially very similar (same name, about the same age, both from Baltimore, both black) who end up in very different places. One Wes Moore has been a Rhodes Scholar and Presidential Fellow. He served with the military in Afghanistan, worked on Wall Street, and spoke at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. (And now he’s the author of a best-selling book.) The other Wes Moore is in prison, serving a life sentence. How did these two lives diverge so much? Mr. Moore leaves the answer open to interpretation.
Four Groups, One Book
I attended four different book groups to discuss this book (including the first ever Friends of the Library book group!), and while there were similarities, there were some very interesting differences.
In all of the groups we decided that social class, and the personality of each Wes Moore’s mother were major influences in their lives. In one group we talked about societal factors that might have made a difference: passing children to the next grade when they might not deserve it; the absence of sex education and anger management programs; the lack of living wage jobs; and legalizing drugs potentially to eliminate the illicit drug trade.
In another group, we had a parent whose child seems to have combined the fates of the two Wes Moores: he became involved in gangs and drugs, went to military school to “straighten out,” but still ended up in prison. Her insights were staggering.
Another group, after speculating about why the two lives were so different, mainly seemed to concentrate on the shortcomings of Mr. Moore as an author, and argued about his authorial intentions – what was his purpose in writing the book? Why did he fail to draw any conclusions about why the two Wes Moores had such different outcomes?
While each conversation across the county covered many of the same points, each also had its unique flavor arising from the insights and experiences of the participants. Next year, try going to more than one discussion – you might be surprised.
Free-Time Read
By the way, the book I read in my free time, Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken, is wonderful. Perhaps I’ll try to get it on a future Pageturner’s list…
