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The Work: My Search for a Life That Matters
The acclaimed author of The Other Wes Moore continues his inspirational quest for a meaningful life and shares the powerful lessons—about self-discovery, service, and risk-taking—that led him to a new definition of success for our times.
The Work is the story of how one young man traced a path through the world to find his life’s purpose. Wes Moore graduated from a difficult childhood in the Bronx and Baltimore to an adult life that would find him at some of the most critical moments in our recent history: as a combat officer in Afghanistan; a White House fellow in a time of wars abroad and disasters at home; and a Wall Street banker during the financial crisis. In this insightful book, Moore shares the lessons he learned from people he met along the way—from the brave Afghan translator who taught him to find his fight, to the resilient young students in Katrina-ravaged Mississippi who showed him the true meaning of grit, to his late grandfather, who taught him to find grace in service.
Moore also tells the stories of other twenty-first-century change-makers who’ve inspired him in his search, from Daniel Lubetzky, the founder of KIND, to Esther Benjamin, a Sri Lankan immigrant who rose to help lead the Peace Corps. What their lives—and his own misadventures and moments of illumination—reveal is that our truest work happens when we serve others, at the intersection between our gifts and our broken world. That’s where we find the work that lasts.
An intimate narrative about finding meaning in a volatile age, The Work will inspire readers to see how we can each find our own path to purpose and help create a better world.
The Work is the story of how one young man traced a path through the world to find his life’s purpose. Wes Moore graduated from a difficult childhood in the Bronx and Baltimore to an adult life that would find him at some of the most critical moments in our recent history: as a combat officer in Afghanistan; a White House fellow in a time of wars abroad and disasters at home; and a Wall Street banker during the financial crisis. In this insightful book, Moore shares the lessons he learned from people he met along the way—from the brave Afghan translator who taught him to find his fight, to the resilient young students in Katrina-ravaged Mississippi who showed him the true meaning of grit, to his late grandfather, who taught him to find grace in service.
Moore also tells the stories of other twenty-first-century change-makers who’ve inspired him in his search, from Daniel Lubetzky, the founder of KIND, to Esther Benjamin, a Sri Lankan immigrant who rose to help lead the Peace Corps. What their lives—and his own misadventures and moments of illumination—reveal is that our truest work happens when we serve others, at the intersection between our gifts and our broken world. That’s where we find the work that lasts.
An intimate narrative about finding meaning in a volatile age, The Work will inspire readers to see how we can each find our own path to purpose and help create a better world.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2014
145 people are currently reading
2309 people want to read
About the author
Wes Moore
7 books508 followersWestley Watende Omari Moore (born October 15, 1978) is an American politician, investment banker, author, television producer, and nonprofit executive serving as the 63rd governor of Maryland since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the first Black governor of the state, the third Black person elected as governor of any U.S. state, and as of 2023, the only incumbent black governor of any U.S. state.
Born in Maryland and raised largely in New York, Moore graduated from Johns Hopkins University and received a master's degree from Wolfson College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. After several years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, Moore became an investment banker in New York. Between 2010 and 2015, Moore published five books, including a young adult novel.
--wikipedia.org
Born in Maryland and raised largely in New York, Moore graduated from Johns Hopkins University and received a master's degree from Wolfson College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. After several years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, Moore became an investment banker in New York. Between 2010 and 2015, Moore published five books, including a young adult novel.
--wikipedia.org
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January 10, 2015
What a challenge Wes Moore had, to follow up his bestselling book, The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates, about his journey as an at-risk youth on the gritty streets of Baltimore to his triumph as a Rhodes scholar. I don't envy that assignment at all!
In his first book, Mr. Moore contrasted his life to that of another young African American with the same name born in the same city into similar conditions, yet how that Wes Moore ended up incarcerated for life with a murder conviction. You really need to read that book before you start this one. (You might also want to read The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League, a book about an inner-city youth who ultimately could not escape the pull of his upbringing. Oh, and Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life's Challenges by former CBS and current ABC correspondent Byron Pitts.)
In this book, Mr. Moore continues his journey, with the emphasis on living a life that matters. "I've been unusually fixated on questions of fate and meaning from the time I was young," he says. His experiences have been wide and varied -- he's been a combat soldier deployed to Afghanistan and a highly compensated executive in the financial markets. He's been a White House fellow and the founder of a nonprofit. He intersperses chapters about his own life with stories about inspiring people he's met along the way and how they came to their life's work and meaning.
Toward the end of the book, Mr. Moore describes his current work as the founder of BridgeEdU. In lecturing at college campuses, Mr. Moore discovered the disheartening statistic that 34 percent of freshmen who enter college never graduate. BridgeEdU aims to reinvent the freshman year, allowing students what Mr. Moore calls a better "on-ramp to success." I would have loved to hear more about Mr. Moore's own experiences with this transitional time and why he became passionate about this cause. Because of the contrasts of his life, his experiences were bound to be more dramatic than those of many students. In fact, I wish the book had started with the chapter, "The Lesson of the Worker," about his educational opportunities once his mother moved to the Bronx to live with her parents after her husband died so she could save her son from becoming ensnared by the drug-invested and crime-ridden streets of Baltimore.
"Finding my work was not a matter of following prescribed steps -- it was, and is, an ongoing journey, not a ten-point program," he writes in his introduction. I hope to hear more about Mr. Moore's journey in the future.
In his first book, Mr. Moore contrasted his life to that of another young African American with the same name born in the same city into similar conditions, yet how that Wes Moore ended up incarcerated for life with a murder conviction. You really need to read that book before you start this one. (You might also want to read The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace: A Brilliant Young Man Who Left Newark for the Ivy League, a book about an inner-city youth who ultimately could not escape the pull of his upbringing. Oh, and Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life's Challenges by former CBS and current ABC correspondent Byron Pitts.)
In this book, Mr. Moore continues his journey, with the emphasis on living a life that matters. "I've been unusually fixated on questions of fate and meaning from the time I was young," he says. His experiences have been wide and varied -- he's been a combat soldier deployed to Afghanistan and a highly compensated executive in the financial markets. He's been a White House fellow and the founder of a nonprofit. He intersperses chapters about his own life with stories about inspiring people he's met along the way and how they came to their life's work and meaning.
Toward the end of the book, Mr. Moore describes his current work as the founder of BridgeEdU. In lecturing at college campuses, Mr. Moore discovered the disheartening statistic that 34 percent of freshmen who enter college never graduate. BridgeEdU aims to reinvent the freshman year, allowing students what Mr. Moore calls a better "on-ramp to success." I would have loved to hear more about Mr. Moore's own experiences with this transitional time and why he became passionate about this cause. Because of the contrasts of his life, his experiences were bound to be more dramatic than those of many students. In fact, I wish the book had started with the chapter, "The Lesson of the Worker," about his educational opportunities once his mother moved to the Bronx to live with her parents after her husband died so she could save her son from becoming ensnared by the drug-invested and crime-ridden streets of Baltimore.
"Finding my work was not a matter of following prescribed steps -- it was, and is, an ongoing journey, not a ten-point program," he writes in his introduction. I hope to hear more about Mr. Moore's journey in the future.
October 18, 2019
I took some time off this week to recharge a bit and decided to catch up on my reading. I’ve been staring at a hardcover copy of “The Work,” by Wes Moore that rested on the top of my reading pile for some time now. I had my morning coffee with it. Three cups later, I was done. The novel is a work of non-fiction that tells the story of the author’s journey to find meaningful work. His personal stories of time in the military, on Wall Street, at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and at the White House were insightful and provided great food for thought.
My only complaint is that he employed a technique with this work of non-fiction that I’ve only seen used effectively with fiction. I’m referring to his decision to introduce additional story lines that at first seem unrelated and break the flow of the book. I believe that this can work with fiction because things become interesting when the stories connect. In “The Work,” every other chapter or so in the book departed from the author’s story and presented a profile of someone else who touched the author’s life. I never found the “intersect” to any great degree and these additional stories detracted from the book—at least for me. Honestly, I would have loved it if he told his story straight through and then added a second section profiling the individuals who were influential in his life.
Beyond this one stylistic issue, I thought it was a great read that caused me to pause more than once over a line or section that I thought was particularly meaningful. I’ve highlighted a few quotes and other passages below:
Notable quotes:
• “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.”
• “At some point everybody will die, but not everybody lives.”
• “ A Rhodes Scholar is someone who has a great career behind them.”
He also spoke of November 15th as being Alive Day, which is a celebration of an event that didn’t happen. (The bullet that just missed you or the cancer that you beat). I thought this was a fascinating concept.
Toward the end of the book he included a short poem entitled, “We Wear the Mask,” by Laurence Dunbar. I loved it and excerpted the short verse below:
We wear the mask that grins and lies
It hides our teeth and shades our eyes
This debt we pay for human guile
With torn and bleeding hearts, we smile
I enjoyed “The Work,” and recommend that you consider spending some time with it as I did. Perhaps with a cup of coffee in hand. It certainly worked for me!
My only complaint is that he employed a technique with this work of non-fiction that I’ve only seen used effectively with fiction. I’m referring to his decision to introduce additional story lines that at first seem unrelated and break the flow of the book. I believe that this can work with fiction because things become interesting when the stories connect. In “The Work,” every other chapter or so in the book departed from the author’s story and presented a profile of someone else who touched the author’s life. I never found the “intersect” to any great degree and these additional stories detracted from the book—at least for me. Honestly, I would have loved it if he told his story straight through and then added a second section profiling the individuals who were influential in his life.
Beyond this one stylistic issue, I thought it was a great read that caused me to pause more than once over a line or section that I thought was particularly meaningful. I’ve highlighted a few quotes and other passages below:
Notable quotes:
• “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.”
• “At some point everybody will die, but not everybody lives.”
• “ A Rhodes Scholar is someone who has a great career behind them.”
He also spoke of November 15th as being Alive Day, which is a celebration of an event that didn’t happen. (The bullet that just missed you or the cancer that you beat). I thought this was a fascinating concept.
Toward the end of the book he included a short poem entitled, “We Wear the Mask,” by Laurence Dunbar. I loved it and excerpted the short verse below:
We wear the mask that grins and lies
It hides our teeth and shades our eyes
This debt we pay for human guile
With torn and bleeding hearts, we smile
I enjoyed “The Work,” and recommend that you consider spending some time with it as I did. Perhaps with a cup of coffee in hand. It certainly worked for me!
February 27, 2015
http://blogs.slj.com/adult4teen/2015/...
5* for the inspiration 3* for the execution.
5* for the inspiration 3* for the execution.
March 23, 2025
This was kind of interesting I guess.
-Student teaching core-
EDIT: Just realized this dude is the governor of Maryland and that he was the man who came out last summer at the end of the Maggie Rogers concert I was at to declare that day "Maggie Rogers day." can't wait to tell my students that
-Student teaching core-
EDIT: Just realized this dude is the governor of Maryland and that he was the man who came out last summer at the end of the Maggie Rogers concert I was at to declare that day "Maggie Rogers day." can't wait to tell my students that
April 14, 2015
3.5 Stars
If you have not read anything by this author, I would start with "The Other Wes Moore"; I recently saw the author speak at a local university and he is a gifted storyteller.
Wes Moore survived a difficult childhood in the Bronx and Baltimore and went on to be a Rhodes Scholar, work on Wall Street, combat soldier deployed to Afghanistan, serve as a White House Fellowship and beyond. This book is a reflection on the nature of work and passion in his own life and his quest to continually find meaning and has the title states, a life that matters. Needless to say he is quite a man, and has accomplished far more than most.
I love a good inspirational story, but I also appreciate a bit of grace and humility and while I won't go so far as say this book felt boastful, it certainly did not captivate me like "The Other Wes Moore". Still, I am a fan of the author and look forward to his next book.
If you have not read anything by this author, I would start with "The Other Wes Moore"; I recently saw the author speak at a local university and he is a gifted storyteller.
Wes Moore survived a difficult childhood in the Bronx and Baltimore and went on to be a Rhodes Scholar, work on Wall Street, combat soldier deployed to Afghanistan, serve as a White House Fellowship and beyond. This book is a reflection on the nature of work and passion in his own life and his quest to continually find meaning and has the title states, a life that matters. Needless to say he is quite a man, and has accomplished far more than most.
I love a good inspirational story, but I also appreciate a bit of grace and humility and while I won't go so far as say this book felt boastful, it certainly did not captivate me like "The Other Wes Moore". Still, I am a fan of the author and look forward to his next book.
August 6, 2015
Nice approach - Wes' story interspersed with the stories of others pursuing their passions and interests. Includes a 37-page "Resource Guide" of international organizations, NGOs, advocacy groups that "epitomize the 'work' being done every single day."
P. 177 - "I saw how in my own academic journey it was the holistic nature of learning that helped make the academic foundations actually mean something to me." The holistic nature included academic course work, internships/externships & service learning.
P. 177 - "I saw how in my own academic journey it was the holistic nature of learning that helped make the academic foundations actually mean something to me." The holistic nature included academic course work, internships/externships & service learning.
February 3, 2015
I won this book from a goodreads.com giveaway...thanks.
This was a very inspirational read for me. Mr. Moore made it thru a very hard life growing up yet he is positive and learns from people he encounters. He seems to be constantly striving to learn more and better the world he lives in. After reading this book I am eager to read his book "The Other Wes Moore" which looks like it will be another great book. I look for Mr. Moore to accomplish great things!!!
This was a very inspirational read for me. Mr. Moore made it thru a very hard life growing up yet he is positive and learns from people he encounters. He seems to be constantly striving to learn more and better the world he lives in. After reading this book I am eager to read his book "The Other Wes Moore" which looks like it will be another great book. I look for Mr. Moore to accomplish great things!!!
February 7, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from the GoodReads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review. A great storyteller, I was moved by this powerful book.
March 22, 2015
Wes is a stellar story teller who shares the lessons of his life, and those of others, in a compelling and thought-provoking narrative.
February 17, 2015
The Work is a memorable read that I highly recommend. It creates a desire to evaluate what we think about life's events on many levels. Wes Moore shares his own internal thoughts plus allows many others to share their own experiences and the lessons they've learned from their own life events.
It is a timely book because the experiences of those in the book relate to current international and national events. When he spoke of civil rights and Martin Luther King, it was a reminder of this summer's events in Ferguson, Missouri. King and his teams of civil rights workers were labeled "outside agitators". Many who have recently tried to march in peaceful protests and their leaders have been labeled the same. It is frustrating to see that in 2014, we are dealing with the same issues faced by others in the 1960s.
Here are some examples of why I found the book so appealing. The book should appeal to a wide audience of readers.
"SPOILER ALERT"
(p. 7) Colin Powell wrote the following letter to one of his children upon turning sixteen. This is good advice for anyone. I would like to read his biography entitled My American Journey.
"You now begin to leave childhood behind and start on the road to manhood. . . . You will establish definitively the type person you will be the remaining fifty years of your lifetime. You know what is right and wrong and I have confidence in your judgement. Don't be afraid of failure. Be more afraid of not trying. . . . Take chances and risks-not foolhardy actions, but actions which could result in failure, yet promise success and reward. And always remember that no matter how bad something may seem, it will not be that bad tomorrow."
(p. 30) Daniel Lubetsky CEO, KIND
"People tend to confuse determination and positive attitude with false optimism or naivete."
(pp. 69-70)Abdullah was an interpreter who worked with the 82nd. Airborne to which Wes Moore was assigned during his deployment in Afghanistan.
"In Afghanistan, a person's loyalty was first and foremost with the immediate family and then the extended clan. After family, loyalty spreads) to one's tribe. Abdullah fought as much for the legacy of his family as anything else. I remember on one patrol we were handing out supplies to a group of Afghans, and among the items we were distributing were flags that carried a beautiful silhouette of Afghanistan filled in with black, red, and green, Afghanistan's national colors. One villager started speaking to Abdullah in Pashtu, with a clouded expression on his face. After their conversation ended, I asked Abdullah what was the conversation about. Abdullah explained to me the man had not understood the significance of the image on the flag, so Abdullah told him it was a picture of Afghanistan-a picture of his country. At that, the man had shrugged and walked away. That's when I started to understand that our goal of establishing loyalty to a national government was possibly in trouble."
(p. 73) Edmund Burke
"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing."
(pp. 80-81) John Galina and Dale Beatty founders of Purple Heart Homes
"We saw other units come back into the base, washing blood out of their trucks after a really bad mission. We'd drive down the road and seen vehicles-a Hummevee mangled and burned down to nothing. We destroyed the vehicle and wouldn't leave it for them. Our training was clear and certain. Trained to react to contact. Trained to react with overwhelming force."
"They honed their ability to take in everything around them, looking for IEDs, insurgents, and snipers."
"Every day I thought, 'All nine of my guys in my squad are going to come home alive.'...'I would try to be more loyal to my squad than to leadership and the directives we got. We still got the mission accomplished, maybe just not the way the orders were given.'...'I was obviously doing the right thing. Bad commanders play by the book all the time; good commanders let their people make decisions.'"
"Only 2 percent of the population in Iraq were our enemies. The rest were scared or hated us because they'd been programmed to hate us."
(p. 98-99) Wes Moore drew some of the following conclusions upon returning to the states after leaving active duty.
"I had stumbled-always grateful-from Oxford to finance to the army, always at the behest of others and out of a desire to do the right thing, the best thing, the unimpeachably correct thing. Prestige, financial security, duty. But coming back home from combat, sitting in this conference room at the pinnacle of American power, was maybe one moment of whiplash too many."
"I know I am coming off of one of the most important and life-changing experiences of my life and I want to continue serving in some way....But I know in this year I hope to learn a lot and help some as well."
"We have well over two million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts in this country....I'm one of them, but I don't think I fully grasped, in those weeks right after my return, how that experience changed all of us. I don't know if I ever will, I didn't see yet that it would be impossible to simply go back to being the person I was before my deployment. I wasn't broke, I wasn't irreparably damaged, but I was different."
Sargent Bowe Bergdahl has been in the news since he was traded for five terrorists held in Guantanamo. Bergdahl has been accused of being a traitor. Men died trying to bring him back when he left the battlefield. He was held by the Taliban from 2009-2014. (p. 99) Wes Moore comments that post-traumatic stress can strike before a soldier leaves the battle zone.
(p. 108) Moore discusses American policy in the international arena.
"And even when things go right, the massive indifference of the American public can sometimes shift into resentment over the amount of resources being spent. Some people would prefer that fewer-or none-of our resources ever leave this country at all."
"Americans became fatigued by stories from Afghanistan and the procession of American-flag-draped coffins that the honor guard escorted back to Andrews Air Force Base. We became frustrated by the slow progress of the country's developments toward democracy and stability. Afghanistan. . . started to seem like a sinkhole."
"If we are impatient about an exceptional case such as Afghanistan, then how much more impatient will we be when our efforts are driven more by humanitarianism and compassion than self-interest and security? Even when you talk to aid workers or workers at nonprofits whose philanthropic work takes them overseas, they will tell you that Americans ask them: Why don't you just focus your work on America? Why go to Africa or Asia or South America to help kids or help with disasters: Why not do it right here?"
(pp. 108-109) "I'm not a warmonger-like many who have worn the uniform, I am particularly averse to war. I'm also not someone who believes in empire building or imperialistic or paternalistic attitudes about the world outside of America. But our passion, influence, and responsibility as humans can never end at our borders."
(p. 120) A trait common to successful people is their passion for the work they do "... in business, in philanthropic work, in human rights, in government, or in raising a family." They "...shared one common trait: they were fanatically passionate about the work they did. They breathed it. They needed it. It was their lifeblood."
It was interesting traveling into the mind of someone who asks many of the same questions we ask ourselves. Wes Moore doesn't try to slant your vision in any direction. He does share his own quest which is the same expedition that many of us share making this a worthwhile real-life adventure.
It is a timely book because the experiences of those in the book relate to current international and national events. When he spoke of civil rights and Martin Luther King, it was a reminder of this summer's events in Ferguson, Missouri. King and his teams of civil rights workers were labeled "outside agitators". Many who have recently tried to march in peaceful protests and their leaders have been labeled the same. It is frustrating to see that in 2014, we are dealing with the same issues faced by others in the 1960s.
Here are some examples of why I found the book so appealing. The book should appeal to a wide audience of readers.
"SPOILER ALERT"
(p. 7) Colin Powell wrote the following letter to one of his children upon turning sixteen. This is good advice for anyone. I would like to read his biography entitled My American Journey.
"You now begin to leave childhood behind and start on the road to manhood. . . . You will establish definitively the type person you will be the remaining fifty years of your lifetime. You know what is right and wrong and I have confidence in your judgement. Don't be afraid of failure. Be more afraid of not trying. . . . Take chances and risks-not foolhardy actions, but actions which could result in failure, yet promise success and reward. And always remember that no matter how bad something may seem, it will not be that bad tomorrow."
(p. 30) Daniel Lubetsky CEO, KIND
"People tend to confuse determination and positive attitude with false optimism or naivete."
(pp. 69-70)Abdullah was an interpreter who worked with the 82nd. Airborne to which Wes Moore was assigned during his deployment in Afghanistan.
"In Afghanistan, a person's loyalty was first and foremost with the immediate family and then the extended clan. After family, loyalty spreads) to one's tribe. Abdullah fought as much for the legacy of his family as anything else. I remember on one patrol we were handing out supplies to a group of Afghans, and among the items we were distributing were flags that carried a beautiful silhouette of Afghanistan filled in with black, red, and green, Afghanistan's national colors. One villager started speaking to Abdullah in Pashtu, with a clouded expression on his face. After their conversation ended, I asked Abdullah what was the conversation about. Abdullah explained to me the man had not understood the significance of the image on the flag, so Abdullah told him it was a picture of Afghanistan-a picture of his country. At that, the man had shrugged and walked away. That's when I started to understand that our goal of establishing loyalty to a national government was possibly in trouble."
(p. 73) Edmund Burke
"All it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing."
(pp. 80-81) John Galina and Dale Beatty founders of Purple Heart Homes
"We saw other units come back into the base, washing blood out of their trucks after a really bad mission. We'd drive down the road and seen vehicles-a Hummevee mangled and burned down to nothing. We destroyed the vehicle and wouldn't leave it for them. Our training was clear and certain. Trained to react to contact. Trained to react with overwhelming force."
"They honed their ability to take in everything around them, looking for IEDs, insurgents, and snipers."
"Every day I thought, 'All nine of my guys in my squad are going to come home alive.'...'I would try to be more loyal to my squad than to leadership and the directives we got. We still got the mission accomplished, maybe just not the way the orders were given.'...'I was obviously doing the right thing. Bad commanders play by the book all the time; good commanders let their people make decisions.'"
"Only 2 percent of the population in Iraq were our enemies. The rest were scared or hated us because they'd been programmed to hate us."
(p. 98-99) Wes Moore drew some of the following conclusions upon returning to the states after leaving active duty.
"I had stumbled-always grateful-from Oxford to finance to the army, always at the behest of others and out of a desire to do the right thing, the best thing, the unimpeachably correct thing. Prestige, financial security, duty. But coming back home from combat, sitting in this conference room at the pinnacle of American power, was maybe one moment of whiplash too many."
"I know I am coming off of one of the most important and life-changing experiences of my life and I want to continue serving in some way....But I know in this year I hope to learn a lot and help some as well."
"We have well over two million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts in this country....I'm one of them, but I don't think I fully grasped, in those weeks right after my return, how that experience changed all of us. I don't know if I ever will, I didn't see yet that it would be impossible to simply go back to being the person I was before my deployment. I wasn't broke, I wasn't irreparably damaged, but I was different."
Sargent Bowe Bergdahl has been in the news since he was traded for five terrorists held in Guantanamo. Bergdahl has been accused of being a traitor. Men died trying to bring him back when he left the battlefield. He was held by the Taliban from 2009-2014. (p. 99) Wes Moore comments that post-traumatic stress can strike before a soldier leaves the battle zone.
(p. 108) Moore discusses American policy in the international arena.
"And even when things go right, the massive indifference of the American public can sometimes shift into resentment over the amount of resources being spent. Some people would prefer that fewer-or none-of our resources ever leave this country at all."
"Americans became fatigued by stories from Afghanistan and the procession of American-flag-draped coffins that the honor guard escorted back to Andrews Air Force Base. We became frustrated by the slow progress of the country's developments toward democracy and stability. Afghanistan. . . started to seem like a sinkhole."
"If we are impatient about an exceptional case such as Afghanistan, then how much more impatient will we be when our efforts are driven more by humanitarianism and compassion than self-interest and security? Even when you talk to aid workers or workers at nonprofits whose philanthropic work takes them overseas, they will tell you that Americans ask them: Why don't you just focus your work on America? Why go to Africa or Asia or South America to help kids or help with disasters: Why not do it right here?"
(pp. 108-109) "I'm not a warmonger-like many who have worn the uniform, I am particularly averse to war. I'm also not someone who believes in empire building or imperialistic or paternalistic attitudes about the world outside of America. But our passion, influence, and responsibility as humans can never end at our borders."
(p. 120) A trait common to successful people is their passion for the work they do "... in business, in philanthropic work, in human rights, in government, or in raising a family." They "...shared one common trait: they were fanatically passionate about the work they did. They breathed it. They needed it. It was their lifeblood."
It was interesting traveling into the mind of someone who asks many of the same questions we ask ourselves. Wes Moore doesn't try to slant your vision in any direction. He does share his own quest which is the same expedition that many of us share making this a worthwhile real-life adventure.
February 10, 2020
I read Wes Moore's first book, The Other Wes Moore, a few years ago. I thought that book has a great premise. Two young African-American boys with the same name, living close by each other but did not know each other, similar economic backgrounds. One grows up to spend his life in prison and the other goes to college and a good job. If you wondered what became of Wes Moore after his first book, this book tells you. This book also has chapters about other people that Wes admires that went on to do great things. I thought the first book was more emotional. This one was not as interesting as interesting as the first.
Read
November 19, 2024DNF. Not my cup of tea.
November 6, 2018
Interest level: 2 stars. Soporific level: 5 stars. Required reading, need I say more? Good lord, I am fairly certain my argumentative essay will have something to do with this book; I can't imagine how I'll manage if it does. . . unleeeessss, I can argue it put me to sleep.
September 7, 2016
I have to be honest - I expected more. I had heard a lot about this author, most notably his book "The Other Wes Moore" comparing two kids with the same name having very different lives. That book focused on how upbringing, support networks and opportunity (or the lack thereof) combine to make kids flourish or get lost in the system. The current book advocates for people to be more of a social justice advocate/warrior especially if they get to a point where they can really make a difference.
I have a younger son attending Montana State University this fall and Wes Moore gave their convocation speech. This book was chosen by Montana State as its Freshman book selection - a book required by all Freshman to read and discuss as part of their core curriculum. I decided to read it as well, since I expected the message to be uplifting and I like to try to read the books my kids read when I can.
Wes is basically states you should do more than make money and chase your dreams, you should find a way to do so that also improves the world in someway and not be afraid to fail. Ultimately he feels a life without the higher purpose of social justice is hollow and can lead to a sense of unhappiness with your accomplishments.
Now while I agree with the general premise that people should find some way to give back, volunteer or otherwise become involved in their local communities or a larger cause, I feel some of the examples he uses, including his own life, are not something everyone could relate to or accomplish. Wes is a Rhodes Scholar, a decorated veteran and very successful in the financial field. He has a lot of money and a lot of connections. He has lived an extraordinary life. It is therefore a little easy for him to tell us all we shouldn't be afraid to lay it on the line and make a career change if we are feeling unfulfilled.
The majority of the chapters are different stories of people Wes has met that have been faced with a situation that they thought needed fixing. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, these individuals took action and made some tough choices. Wes discussed problems they ran into, sometimes failures, but that they didn't give up and are now making a difference or at least did for awhile. I feel his message might have been a little more powerful if he focused on some individuals a little more "regular", and not so connected. Interestingly, Wes includes questions at the end of the book on each of the 6 or so major chapters for readers to consider, regarding the choices and struggles some of the individuals encountered. I wish I had known this before I read the chapters since I was beginning to skim some of the later stories. He also includes a long list of organizations that were set up by people wanting to make a difference.
Wes offered many compelling reasons and examples to find a life with meaning. My favorite observations: don't be afraid of change in order to try to give meaning to your life and don't be afraid of failure. Regarding the first comment - all well and good if you don't have a family depending on you!! But at least when your young, I think you sometimes have to do jobs you don't always want to do just to move up the ladder and get to a point where you can have influence. I do believe people who are afraid of change stagnate. I also agree you can't be afraid of failure - calculated risk takers can often get huge rewards, but you may never have the chance of reward if you don't make that first leap. Sometimes that risk is changing your job. Today's generations seem less resilient and I think its because they haven't had the chance to fail and don't know how to handle it. Your failures do make you stronger and teach you lessons you would never learn any other way.
In any case, I am glad I read the book and look forward to a discussion at some point with my son.
I have a younger son attending Montana State University this fall and Wes Moore gave their convocation speech. This book was chosen by Montana State as its Freshman book selection - a book required by all Freshman to read and discuss as part of their core curriculum. I decided to read it as well, since I expected the message to be uplifting and I like to try to read the books my kids read when I can.
Wes is basically states you should do more than make money and chase your dreams, you should find a way to do so that also improves the world in someway and not be afraid to fail. Ultimately he feels a life without the higher purpose of social justice is hollow and can lead to a sense of unhappiness with your accomplishments.
Now while I agree with the general premise that people should find some way to give back, volunteer or otherwise become involved in their local communities or a larger cause, I feel some of the examples he uses, including his own life, are not something everyone could relate to or accomplish. Wes is a Rhodes Scholar, a decorated veteran and very successful in the financial field. He has a lot of money and a lot of connections. He has lived an extraordinary life. It is therefore a little easy for him to tell us all we shouldn't be afraid to lay it on the line and make a career change if we are feeling unfulfilled.
The majority of the chapters are different stories of people Wes has met that have been faced with a situation that they thought needed fixing. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, these individuals took action and made some tough choices. Wes discussed problems they ran into, sometimes failures, but that they didn't give up and are now making a difference or at least did for awhile. I feel his message might have been a little more powerful if he focused on some individuals a little more "regular", and not so connected. Interestingly, Wes includes questions at the end of the book on each of the 6 or so major chapters for readers to consider, regarding the choices and struggles some of the individuals encountered. I wish I had known this before I read the chapters since I was beginning to skim some of the later stories. He also includes a long list of organizations that were set up by people wanting to make a difference.
Wes offered many compelling reasons and examples to find a life with meaning. My favorite observations: don't be afraid of change in order to try to give meaning to your life and don't be afraid of failure. Regarding the first comment - all well and good if you don't have a family depending on you!! But at least when your young, I think you sometimes have to do jobs you don't always want to do just to move up the ladder and get to a point where you can have influence. I do believe people who are afraid of change stagnate. I also agree you can't be afraid of failure - calculated risk takers can often get huge rewards, but you may never have the chance of reward if you don't make that first leap. Sometimes that risk is changing your job. Today's generations seem less resilient and I think its because they haven't had the chance to fail and don't know how to handle it. Your failures do make you stronger and teach you lessons you would never learn any other way.
In any case, I am glad I read the book and look forward to a discussion at some point with my son.
March 24, 2016
Wes Moore's inspirational story in The Other Wes Moore, inspired me to look for this book about moving on with his adult life and finding work that matters. But it wasn't quite what I was expecting. I was expecting more of a straightforward memoir, like the first book. Instead, we get moments of memoir, although superficial and skipping over large parts (in particular we barely get to know his fiancee at all). And interspersed are stories of inspirational people he meets along the way, from one of the founders of KIND bars to the assistant director of the Peace Corps.
After his stint at Oxford University for his Rhodes scholarship, Wes tries out banking, and then goes to Afghanistan (he's been in the military all along), then focusing on finding his life's goals when he returns. With all the inspirational stories, he gives brief but full biographies of these amazing people, delving into what in their backgrounds inspired the way they live their lives, and I particularly liked the story of three siblings who founded a nonprofit that ultimately failed, but they didn't see themselves as failures. The story of the assistant director of the Peace Corps was to me the least effective even though in some ways she was the most inspiring--she didn't feel real. No matter what hardships she faced, she had such an unwavering attitude of optimism and belief that things would work out, that she was hard to identify with. Someone who never doubts is hard to emulate. But the other stories were inspiring, although, as someone in my 40s who knows what I'm doing with my life, it all felt a little remote and somewhat irrelevant to me. I certainly remember massive worries and the feeling that I would never find my way--and if all I was doing was eliminating jobs one by one that I didn't want, I would never luck into the right job for me.
This book would be perfect for a recent college grad (or soon to be college grad.) Asking a 22-year-old what they're going to do with the rest of their life only causes anxiety. Giving them this book might actually help them think about that question and formulate a path. Mr. Moore is an accessible writer with a kind attitude and is easy to identify with, despite his opportunities and advantages. He doesn't take his advantages for granted and he struggles with the guilt he feels, not maximizing his economic potential and if that's worth the personal sacrifice to his soul. This book doesn't proscribe any answers, but can help a young adult, struggling to find their way in the adult world, see a way forward and what options are available.
After his stint at Oxford University for his Rhodes scholarship, Wes tries out banking, and then goes to Afghanistan (he's been in the military all along), then focusing on finding his life's goals when he returns. With all the inspirational stories, he gives brief but full biographies of these amazing people, delving into what in their backgrounds inspired the way they live their lives, and I particularly liked the story of three siblings who founded a nonprofit that ultimately failed, but they didn't see themselves as failures. The story of the assistant director of the Peace Corps was to me the least effective even though in some ways she was the most inspiring--she didn't feel real. No matter what hardships she faced, she had such an unwavering attitude of optimism and belief that things would work out, that she was hard to identify with. Someone who never doubts is hard to emulate. But the other stories were inspiring, although, as someone in my 40s who knows what I'm doing with my life, it all felt a little remote and somewhat irrelevant to me. I certainly remember massive worries and the feeling that I would never find my way--and if all I was doing was eliminating jobs one by one that I didn't want, I would never luck into the right job for me.
This book would be perfect for a recent college grad (or soon to be college grad.) Asking a 22-year-old what they're going to do with the rest of their life only causes anxiety. Giving them this book might actually help them think about that question and formulate a path. Mr. Moore is an accessible writer with a kind attitude and is easy to identify with, despite his opportunities and advantages. He doesn't take his advantages for granted and he struggles with the guilt he feels, not maximizing his economic potential and if that's worth the personal sacrifice to his soul. This book doesn't proscribe any answers, but can help a young adult, struggling to find their way in the adult world, see a way forward and what options are available.
October 6, 2025
I did not like this book. It was torture for me to read each chapter. I was reading it aloud to my husband for our library book club. I wanted to quit. My hubby convinced me to persevere. I hate to quit once I start reading a book so we read on. The final chapters were a little better than the beginning, but not much. One of the ladies in the book club did improve our view of the book slightly by her comments, but only slightly. I would not recommend this book to anyone I know.
It held little relevance for my life. No life lessons. Nothing to lift me up. There were a couple nuggets that I identified with. Things that I related to. Unfortunately they were also things that made me sad because I related to them from the trials we have had in our own lives. Like this passage...
“Walking back to my desk, imagining the conversations Ramon was going to have with his family later that night, I said a prayer for him and a prayer of gratitude for myself. Tonight was not the night that I would have to go home and tell my wife that I no longer had a job.” [pg 148-149]
Many, many times my husband has had to come home and have that conversation with his family. I cried ever time. I could so relate to Ramon and his family. It made me cry, again.
And this one...
“There was a book that was published a generation ago–Fear of Falling by Barbara Ehrenreich. She talked about the fear that middle-class people lived with, fear that they'd lose their jobs, fear that they'd fall all the way to the bottom. That fear created conformity, spurred conservatism, and stifled creative thinking in fact, it stifled lives and killed dreams.” [pg 155]
Yes. We have been afraid. Yes, that probably did stifle our creative thinking and kill our dreams. I have had a lot of dreams killed over the years... and even more that just faded away to nothingness.
The last was this sad portion of a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar called “We Wear the Mask”:
“We wear the mask that grins and lies
It hides our teeth and it shades our eyes
This dept we pay for human guile
With torn and bleeding hearts, we smile.” [pg 171]
Oh, how many times I have done this. I wear a mask many times, moments, days. I must. I cannot show my true thoughts and feelings.
This book did not help me find my life's work. It did not inspire me. I didn't like it.
It held little relevance for my life. No life lessons. Nothing to lift me up. There were a couple nuggets that I identified with. Things that I related to. Unfortunately they were also things that made me sad because I related to them from the trials we have had in our own lives. Like this passage...
“Walking back to my desk, imagining the conversations Ramon was going to have with his family later that night, I said a prayer for him and a prayer of gratitude for myself. Tonight was not the night that I would have to go home and tell my wife that I no longer had a job.” [pg 148-149]
Many, many times my husband has had to come home and have that conversation with his family. I cried ever time. I could so relate to Ramon and his family. It made me cry, again.
And this one...
“There was a book that was published a generation ago–Fear of Falling by Barbara Ehrenreich. She talked about the fear that middle-class people lived with, fear that they'd lose their jobs, fear that they'd fall all the way to the bottom. That fear created conformity, spurred conservatism, and stifled creative thinking in fact, it stifled lives and killed dreams.” [pg 155]
Yes. We have been afraid. Yes, that probably did stifle our creative thinking and kill our dreams. I have had a lot of dreams killed over the years... and even more that just faded away to nothingness.
The last was this sad portion of a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar called “We Wear the Mask”:
“We wear the mask that grins and lies
It hides our teeth and it shades our eyes
This dept we pay for human guile
With torn and bleeding hearts, we smile.” [pg 171]
Oh, how many times I have done this. I wear a mask many times, moments, days. I must. I cannot show my true thoughts and feelings.
This book did not help me find my life's work. It did not inspire me. I didn't like it.
May 6, 2016
This book is one of the greatest memoirs and was one of the NY Times bestsellers. It grabs attention right away “Flight attendants, please be seated and prepare for landing” after the twin towers had fallen on September 11th, this flight was on September 23rd when he was on his way to London, after the tragedy that had happened with the twin towers. His life could have been on the line, if he was at the towers during the plane crash “I was scheduled to have a meeting that day at Morgan Stanley, whose offices were in one of the towers” The only reason he got out of it was because they rescheduled for the 13th. On the 11th, he was with his mother planning his sister’s birthday and trying to surprise her. Which was a miracle that had saved his life. Wes Moore is a very knowledgeable person, and helps others see what life is really all about. Cecil Rhodes, was a famous scholar known in South Africa, left his money to give it out to deserving students. Wes was also from South Africa, and had applied for the scholarship. The head of Selection Committee was in charge of interviewing and asking why these students deserved Cecil Rhodes’s money as a scholarship. In one of Wes’s answers he said “I don’t consider this asking for Cecil Rhodes’s money, I consider this fulfilling a promise I made to the countless people who came before me to give me this opportunity” his intelligence and use of articulate language showed that he deserved the scholarship and ended up getting it. The book has made a great impact on my life and makes me want to read more of his memoirs and writings.
January 31, 2015
I think that Wes Moore hit on three key points that mattered for this reviewer. 1. You don't have to find your path in life the moment the university doors close behind you. There are very few wunderkinds who know it all at a youthful age. I think that sometimes in today's youth-oriented culture, there is this fear that if we don't make it now, we never will. 2. This process entails a lot of hard work that often is not glamorous and is often conducted behind the scenes based on elements of personal experience. 3. Just because your a success in material ways does not mean that you are a success in a way that matters.
These three lessons are wrapped in a book that intertwines Wes Moore's own biography with the inspiring stories of several people who have dared to find a life that matters, even when the world presents safer options that can be presented as sure things in some cases. It takes courage to take this step, but the people who do may ultimately end up better off than those who never discover passion or purpose. What I really liked is that Wes Moore doesn't present a step by step how to guide to do this difficult activity because I often feel that these sorts of things stifle much needed creativity necessary for the task.
Moore just gives one the inspiration to start.
These three lessons are wrapped in a book that intertwines Wes Moore's own biography with the inspiring stories of several people who have dared to find a life that matters, even when the world presents safer options that can be presented as sure things in some cases. It takes courage to take this step, but the people who do may ultimately end up better off than those who never discover passion or purpose. What I really liked is that Wes Moore doesn't present a step by step how to guide to do this difficult activity because I often feel that these sorts of things stifle much needed creativity necessary for the task.
Moore just gives one the inspiration to start.
May 2, 2015
The Work– Wes Moore – Publication Date: January 13, 2015 – 978-0812993578–Spiegel & Grau– Paperback ARC- 210 Pages - 3.5 Stars
Although I would never try to discredit anyone's struggle or plight to success, reading The Work by Wes Moore initially had me thinking, "Another guide to success by someone who was granted opportunities that the average person, struggling for success would not and has not been allotted."
In discussing this book with a colleague, it was suggested that I read The Other Wes Moore. At any rate, what I got from this book was that it is owed to the people for us to succeed. S/N: This book made me want to read the Colin Powell book that Wes talks about. I love Wes' responses when asked how he felt about receiving money for a scholarship in the name of blood diamond historian Cecil Rhodes. Whether we realize it or not, in some way, many of receive favor from God in the name of someone has done unsavory things in history.
I have to admit that I could not find myself able to finish this book, even though I tried three times. I gave it a 3.5 because Amazon does not allow 1/2 stars. Because of that, I give it a 3 Star Amazon rating. My reason for leaning more towards three stars instead of four is because, although I commend Wes for working hard and being successful, his story is not completely relatable to others of African descent.
Although I would never try to discredit anyone's struggle or plight to success, reading The Work by Wes Moore initially had me thinking, "Another guide to success by someone who was granted opportunities that the average person, struggling for success would not and has not been allotted."
In discussing this book with a colleague, it was suggested that I read The Other Wes Moore. At any rate, what I got from this book was that it is owed to the people for us to succeed. S/N: This book made me want to read the Colin Powell book that Wes talks about. I love Wes' responses when asked how he felt about receiving money for a scholarship in the name of blood diamond historian Cecil Rhodes. Whether we realize it or not, in some way, many of receive favor from God in the name of someone has done unsavory things in history.
I have to admit that I could not find myself able to finish this book, even though I tried three times. I gave it a 3.5 because Amazon does not allow 1/2 stars. Because of that, I give it a 3 Star Amazon rating. My reason for leaning more towards three stars instead of four is because, although I commend Wes for working hard and being successful, his story is not completely relatable to others of African descent.
January 28, 2015
I like this snippet from the description - "Our truest work happens when we serve others, at the intersection between our gifts and our broken world. That’s where we find the work that lasts." Wes Moore rose from the streets of Baltimore and the Bronx to become a Rhodes Scholar, a paratrooper and combat officer in Afghanistan, a White House fellow, a Wall Street banker and a youth advocate.
Unlike many, Wes Moore's success came from determination, drive and hard work. While attending a military school in Pennsylvania, Mr. Moore decided to become accountable for his own actions - one of the pivotal moments on his road to success.
I certainly respect and admire Mr. Moore for his many accomplishments and enjoyed reading about a successful young man with a social conscious. I like the premise behind BridgeEdU because so many students fail to continue their college studies after the first year. In the book, Mr. Moore also discusses others who want to make positive changes, including Daniel Lubetzky and Esther Benjamin.
I would certainly recommend this book to others, especially young people.
Unlike many, Wes Moore's success came from determination, drive and hard work. While attending a military school in Pennsylvania, Mr. Moore decided to become accountable for his own actions - one of the pivotal moments on his road to success.
I certainly respect and admire Mr. Moore for his many accomplishments and enjoyed reading about a successful young man with a social conscious. I like the premise behind BridgeEdU because so many students fail to continue their college studies after the first year. In the book, Mr. Moore also discusses others who want to make positive changes, including Daniel Lubetzky and Esther Benjamin.
I would certainly recommend this book to others, especially young people.
December 9, 2015
I received this book through a giveaway and it's my first time reading anything by Wes Moore.
I'm not a huge fan of memoirs. I think I mostly avoid them because I've tried reading memoirs by celebrities in the past and just haven't cared for their personal stories.
This book was different in that Wes Moore has a life worth sharing, at least in my opinion, and I feel fortunate enough to have read this book. He speaks to me at a time when I'm trying to decide what to do with my own life and wondering if I'm on the right path.
He helps calm that anxiety we all feel when trying to figure out what to do for the rest of our lives. His story and that of the others he briefly shares show us that there's a lesson to be learned in every experience, job and opportunity.
Moore shows that it's okay to constantly think about our purpose in life, and even stress over it, but not to despair because if we're examining our lives and thinking about our future we're most likely going to find ourselves on the right path.
I'm not a huge fan of memoirs. I think I mostly avoid them because I've tried reading memoirs by celebrities in the past and just haven't cared for their personal stories.
This book was different in that Wes Moore has a life worth sharing, at least in my opinion, and I feel fortunate enough to have read this book. He speaks to me at a time when I'm trying to decide what to do with my own life and wondering if I'm on the right path.
He helps calm that anxiety we all feel when trying to figure out what to do for the rest of our lives. His story and that of the others he briefly shares show us that there's a lesson to be learned in every experience, job and opportunity.
Moore shows that it's okay to constantly think about our purpose in life, and even stress over it, but not to despair because if we're examining our lives and thinking about our future we're most likely going to find ourselves on the right path.
February 5, 2016
Unlike most people who probably read or intend to read this book, I never heard of the author, nor did I read his first book. I was drawn to this nonfiction book strictly based on its subject matter, and while I didn't get what I expected, I enjoyed it very much anyway. Moore uses both his own life experiences (from being a Rhodes Scholar through Wall Street to the fields of Afghanistan to a White House Fellowship and beyond) to reflect on the nature of work and passion in his own life.
He also intersperses his own story with tales of people who have undertaken (and even failed) to find meaningful work, often very inspiring tales of service to others. This is a book that seeks to provoke (although its chapter of questions at the book's end is perhaps a bit heavy handed). When we spend so much of our lives working, isn't the idea to find what's meaningful, both for us and for those who will be served by that work?
This book doesn't have all the answers, but it offers some strong guidelines for putting more passion and meaning into work, and that's valuable stuff indeed.
He also intersperses his own story with tales of people who have undertaken (and even failed) to find meaningful work, often very inspiring tales of service to others. This is a book that seeks to provoke (although its chapter of questions at the book's end is perhaps a bit heavy handed). When we spend so much of our lives working, isn't the idea to find what's meaningful, both for us and for those who will be served by that work?
This book doesn't have all the answers, but it offers some strong guidelines for putting more passion and meaning into work, and that's valuable stuff indeed.
May 30, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Wes Moore is very inspirational and his message of finding work that matters, while stated before by many, is presented in a novel way. Mr. Moore presents his own journey from student to Army Captain in Afghanistan to Wall Street Banker to social entrepreneur interspersed with the stories of other inspirational people.
There were a few places where I found a bit too much self help flavor mixed into the story. However, overall I really enjoyed the book. At the end there is an appendix with listings of social agencies that Mr. Moore considers are “doing the work”. I really liked this inclusion but found it hard to use. An easier way of organizing the material might have been by topic or field rather than alphabetical. Most people find they have certain passion points and including all the organizations with common missions would allow the reader to peruse the list by mission rather than having to read the description of each one to find the ones of interest. Minor point tho. Overall very inspirational and a great read.
There were a few places where I found a bit too much self help flavor mixed into the story. However, overall I really enjoyed the book. At the end there is an appendix with listings of social agencies that Mr. Moore considers are “doing the work”. I really liked this inclusion but found it hard to use. An easier way of organizing the material might have been by topic or field rather than alphabetical. Most people find they have certain passion points and including all the organizations with common missions would allow the reader to peruse the list by mission rather than having to read the description of each one to find the ones of interest. Minor point tho. Overall very inspirational and a great read.
July 31, 2018
Not that they need compared - but I liked this even after feeling mixed about "The Other Wes Moore" I feel there is more of a relaxed, refreshing voice. Moore is not trying to triangulate to appease multiple audiences, yet his life experiences and generous intellectual disposition allows space and inspires effort for bridging multiple audiences.
He has been inside the two most hegemonic institutions of the U.S. - Wall Street and the Military - and retains a reflective space to critically appreciate their contribution to his story and their limits to providing the ultimate story of meaning and purpose as they do for American religion.
"When we run to the thing we fear, which keeps us up at night, sometimes we find the work we were meant to do all along. The work finds us" For Moore, this insight is not just a cliche-prone sentiment, it is incarnate in his personal journey and his challenge to the American psyche to do this particular work in the face of legacies and realities of racism.
He has been inside the two most hegemonic institutions of the U.S. - Wall Street and the Military - and retains a reflective space to critically appreciate their contribution to his story and their limits to providing the ultimate story of meaning and purpose as they do for American religion.
"When we run to the thing we fear, which keeps us up at night, sometimes we find the work we were meant to do all along. The work finds us" For Moore, this insight is not just a cliche-prone sentiment, it is incarnate in his personal journey and his challenge to the American psyche to do this particular work in the face of legacies and realities of racism.
December 3, 2014
The Work is a very positive, upbeat book relating the adult life of the author thus far. He has profiled several other positive, upbeat persons and their work in the pages as well. The appendix offers study type questions to get the reader's thought processes going to steer the reader toward success and happiness in his or her work place.
Wes Moore is a Rhodes Scholar, has served in the military of the United States, worked in world banking and more. He pulls from each of these experiences to help the reader understand the scope of the work that is worthwhile to both a person's life and the life of the world.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to succeed in life and thinks that money or prestige is the only to accomplish that goal. I would also recommend it to teens through older adults that they may further explore what success truly means.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Wes Moore is a Rhodes Scholar, has served in the military of the United States, worked in world banking and more. He pulls from each of these experiences to help the reader understand the scope of the work that is worthwhile to both a person's life and the life of the world.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to succeed in life and thinks that money or prestige is the only to accomplish that goal. I would also recommend it to teens through older adults that they may further explore what success truly means.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
June 7, 2015
Like many of the other reviews, Wes' first book is a real gem and anything after that would be hard to follow. I liked 'The Work' because I love a good story about someone working hard and making it despite all life's challenges and setbacks; this is definitely that story. What saved the book for me is the stories of other people he met along the way that he weaved throughout the book. Those felt fresh and authentic when I was a little bored reading about how great Wes was. All in all, it is a good story that's written well and has plenty of moments to pause and reflect on how you're living your own life. I liked that.
. . . I hadn't read the last 2 chapters when I wrote the above review and I came back to give it 4 stars instead of 3. Maybe it's the place I'm in at the moment but the book is filled with quotables, good advice, and inspiration. I also loved the Resource Guide which is a large list of for-profits, non-profits and other supported programs doing good.
. . . I hadn't read the last 2 chapters when I wrote the above review and I came back to give it 4 stars instead of 3. Maybe it's the place I'm in at the moment but the book is filled with quotables, good advice, and inspiration. I also loved the Resource Guide which is a large list of for-profits, non-profits and other supported programs doing good.
February 6, 2015
I really enjoyed Wes Moore's first book The Other Wes Moore, so I was very excited to get my hands on a copy of this book. It didn't really go over with me as well as that one though. The Work has an entirely focus. It does include more about Wes Moore's life and how he wound up in the position he did now and what inspired him to be there. He also intersperses each chapter of his own story with the stories of others who are doing inspiring work.
I admire what he is trying to do with the book and certainly all the wonderful people who are sacrificing their own lives to make this world a better place in various ways. However, the book itself didn't do a whole lot for me. Hopefully it does inspire others in the way he means it to. It just didn't really hit me in the way I think he wanted it to.
I admire what he is trying to do with the book and certainly all the wonderful people who are sacrificing their own lives to make this world a better place in various ways. However, the book itself didn't do a whole lot for me. Hopefully it does inspire others in the way he means it to. It just didn't really hit me in the way I think he wanted it to.
August 19, 2015
Wes Moore seems like an interesting dude with a fascinating life. I might read his other, more popular book "The Other Wes Moore" sometime. It really is cool to know that this dude tried so hard to screw up and somehow (mostly by loving family and wicked quick wits) he ended up a huge success.
This book was OK. It's just him telling stories about people living good, honorable, productive lives. He has a special affinity for underdogs, and he takes care to show how any one life could have gone in a totally different direction, had different choices been made.
His whole point was to inspire readers to do stuff that matters to them. To serve.
I wouldn't call it super inspiring but it was OK. The people whose stories he told where interesting enough.
A good book to rest your brain on and just let yourself be surrounded by mostly happy stories.
This book was OK. It's just him telling stories about people living good, honorable, productive lives. He has a special affinity for underdogs, and he takes care to show how any one life could have gone in a totally different direction, had different choices been made.
His whole point was to inspire readers to do stuff that matters to them. To serve.
I wouldn't call it super inspiring but it was OK. The people whose stories he told where interesting enough.
A good book to rest your brain on and just let yourself be surrounded by mostly happy stories.
July 22, 2015
Moore tells of his life in the inner-city of Baltimore to Rhodes scholar, to service in Afganistan to success on Wall Street to motivational speaker. The book was filled with reflections on the people who helped him along the way, and there were many. One of his observations, "Fiction never allowed me to forget the humanity of the people," goes along with some of my recent thinking. Good fiction does not just entertain but gives us a deeper understanding and compassion for people. A well-told story helps us look below the surface of people's actions to their motivations, background, etc. This was a good reminder that fiction, perhaps more than anything else, is a way God uses to help us see people as He sees them. Another nugget: "How we spend our days is how we spend our lives."
February 12, 2016
3.5 - I think I was looking for something more prescriptive and inspirational rather than hearing more about his life. Not that his life isn't interesting,but he sort of skips the part where he goes from quitting his financial job to founding an education organization focusing on first-year college completion rates. I'd have liked to hear how he narrowed in on that being his passion issue since education isn't really mentioned as a passion directly prior to that. With that as his passion, how did he decide on the format (non-profit/for-profit) for his BridgeEdU venture? None of this is covered, just the meandering years of not-correct Work. I'd like to have seen the thought process to getting to the right Work.
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