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bookgirlielin's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
emilymyers's review against another edition
2.0
I have so many problems with this book that I literally wrote a paper about it. The author compares two incomparable childhoods (with the assumption that they share extremely similar childhoods) and then chalks up his own success to the “risks” that he took and the drive he had. On the surface, they share a lot of similarities. But if you just read the book, you understand very quickly that they had virtually nothing in common. It is no wonder they had such opposite outcomes. The stories about these two individuals are genuinely interesting but the thesis of the book is what ruins it.
heather_renae's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
4.75
lindsaykatz's review against another edition
3.0
The lessons and themes throughout this story were the parts I loved in this book. The rest for the most part was somewhat of a bore to me as I read. I found myself dreading the fact that I had to read this (although that could be due to the fact that this is a summer book report but sTILL). 3/5 Stars.
lesserjoke's review against another edition
3.0
This is an interesting account of two black boys with the same name who grew up in similar Baltimore neighborhoods, one of whom became a Rhodes scholar and one of whom is now serving a life sentence without parole. Both stories are well-told, but there's not much deeper analysis here as to what these stories can tell us about inner-city life, black masculinity, and so on, nor what factors sent the boys off on such different paths. The shared name is clearly what started the author on the journey that led to this book, but the joint presentation here doesn't feel particularly cohesive or insightful.
amanda_murdockk's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
An incredible true story that sheds light on the socioeconomic struggles that push individuals to partake in criminal behavior; a reflective tale highlighting the differences, between two boys, in childhood, that pushed each to end up where they are at now.
lilbluebelle's review against another edition
3.0
I think the idea of this book is great but it somehow missed the mark for me overall. I think it is very difficult to compare the two Wes’s because while they share a name and a few other similarities, they both have key differences. For example, one Wes has a mother and a support system that is able to send him to a very expensive military school. The odds stacked against both of them are very different, and in the end they make different choices that of course lead to different outcomes.