For our recent Memoir Book Club at the store, we read The Other Wes Moore, a memoir by Maryland Governor Wes Moore about his childhood and career. Moore, who lived in Maryland in his early years before moving to the Bronx and then eventually back to Baltimore, lost his father as a young child and grew up with a single mother. Despite some early challenges with school and a brush with police, he straightened himself out after military school, went to college, and then pursued a career that led him to prestigious fellowships and, ultimately, the statehouse. Meanwhile, another man named Wes Moore, born in Baltimore a few years before the author, followed a different path. Also son to a single mother, he served time in jail more than once, and despite successfully completing a professional training program, was convicted of felony murder in connection with a robbery and sentenced to life in prison. The Other Wes Moore tracks these two men’s lives, parallel in so many ways yet wildly divergent. How did one Wes Moore make it to Governor while the other is in prison for the rest of his life? I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It raises a lot of questions about race, economics, opportunity and the lure of crime and drugs when there is so little hope for advancement or a better future. Moore also talks about the importance of mentorship, support and resources to provide alternate life choices for young people. It was a good pick for a group discussion, and everyone who came was glad they had read it. I highly recommend this one, especially on audio, as it is narrated by the Governor.