#185: Cigarettes vs Soda

The book explores the lives of two men named Wes Moore, both born in Baltimore and raised in fatherless households. The author, Wes Moore, became a Rhodes Scholar, a decorated veteran, a White House Fellow, and a business leader, while the other Wes Moore was convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence. Through alternating narratives, the book delves into the critical roles of family support, choices, and luck in shaping their destinies. It highlights the impact of their environments, the absence of their fathers, and the different paths they took despite similar starting points. The author reflects on how his own family's support and his experiences in military school and later in his career contributed to his success, contrasting with the other Wes Moore's struggles and eventual incarceration.