Westley Moore, a senior at Johns Hopkins University, was receiving one of the most prestigious academic awards for students around the world- The Rhodes Scholarship. But when he read a short article in the Baltimore Sun written in his honor titled “Local Graduate Named Rhodes Scholar,” it didn’t move him nearly as much as another series of stories also included in the Sun about another Westley Moore who was wanted for the killing of an off-duty police officer in a planned jewelry store robbery gone horribly wrong.

Years passed since Westley had read about the incident, but he still could not shake the idea of someone with the exact same name as his – who lived on the same streets and grew up at the same time – yet seemed to be living, what appeared like, a completely opposite life. After finally mustering up the courage Westley decided to mail a letter to Wes in prison. This letter sparked a relationship between both men which eventually led to countless prison visits and the making of this book. Both Wes Moores were fatherless and had a rough childhood growing up. So how did one end up serving the rest of his life in prison, and the other recognized nationally for his academic success? And most importantly, why? The “Other Wes Moore” explores the decisions made by a young generation trying to find themselves in a hostile world and how those decisions separated them from a life of success or a life behind bars.