The Other Wes Moore

This book was picked for the book club I'm in by a lovely friend.  She heard about it from one of her friends, and the premise sounds so interesting she thought it would make for a lively discussion. 

To her credit, I think the subject merits much conversation, but I'm not sure about the book format.  

Fall reading requires cozy blankets

This a memoir written by Wes Moore.  He was surprised to find another Wes Moore living nearby, in jail for murder.  With his interest piqued he set out to interview the other Wes and his family about the trajectory of his life.  Author Wes Moore had a shaky beginning but through a series of choices, opportunities, serendipitous moments, and help from others he was able to right his course.  The other Wes Moore was not so lucky, nor did he have as many people invested in him, and the choices he made were often questionable.  

The story is interesting but some of the descriptions are grating.  At times I found myself hoping Moore would provide more insight or deeper thoughts about choices or situations but it was primarily a plot driven memoir with much time spent on describing people and places.  This would have been an excellent article but I don't think it needed to be a book.  

As I was reading this I also heard an NPR story on the uprising of the memoir genre.  I found the discussion very thought provoking, especially since I was reading a memoir at that time.  The radio hosts were saying that with much of the fiction published today is distoypian or uber-literary there is a need for more "normal" or "real" stories.  

Part of the discussion that stuck with me was about how accurate a memoir could really be.  I thought about that often while reading The Other Wes Moore.  The author shares crisp memories of himself as a four year old.  How much does a four year old really remember, and crisply?  Through the years we turn our own lives into tales based on the way events are recounted to us, photographs we've seen hundreds of times, and our own personal opinions and beliefs.  I guess when we read memoirs we need to prepare for the author's interpretation of themselves and not always a factual rendition of their history.  

Something that bothered me about the book is also the author's age and experience level.  While Wes Moore the author has certainly accomplished much, he seemed to be reflecting back like an old man.  He was 33 when the book was published.  I don't know, it's kind of a petty criticism, but I just think memoirs are for older people to write.  However, this didn't particularly bother me with Tina Fey's memoir or Amy Poehler's.  Maybe I was just bored by the end...

The deeper issues the book presents are so important.  However, they are only examined on a surface level.  We could do so much more for the youth of America at ages when they are seeking guidance and strong role models.  There is an extensive resource guide at the end that offers some places to start.  This list would be beneficial to those looking to volunteer and also those who need help.  

I'm looking forward to an interesting book club.  Not so much because the book was a literary masterpiece, but because the subject matter forces us to reflect on society and the way we do things.