Book Review: The Road To Character

The Road To Character 

By David Brooks

Penguin Random House 

pp300

David Brooks takes the reader on a journey to the past, to a time when self-sacrifice conjoined with self-effacement created a moral ethos that was the de facto standard for the American culture. He homes-in on the principles of rendering good service, of doing what is good for the community, and paying homage to the greater good. Brooks paints a picture to illustrate that the good old days really were morally superior to the cultural norm of today that focuses on The Big Me. For the sake of clarity, our current zeitgeist can be succinctly defined as it’s always all about Me.

The parameters of the struggle between the moral ethos of yesterday and the big me of today are defined in two personae: Adam I and Adam II. Adam I, the material guy, is selfishly led by ambition and does whatever it takes to succeed, whereas Adam II is soulful and cares deeply about doing what is best for others: family, community, country, and in many instances, God. These two personae, or selves, lie within the inner core of every individual and are engaged in struggle. And it is important to note that Adam I and Adam II have been warring within human beings since the beginning of time. 

Brooks has crafted original anecdotes about people who chose to take the moral high ground by traveling along the road to character. The actual road map is as unique as the traveler, yet everyone arrives at the same spiritual destination—the way they govern their lives does indeed make the world a better place. 

Original anecdotes about amazing individuals, from Dorothy Day, Frances Perkins, and A. Philip Randolph to General George Marshall, Augustine, and Samuel Johnson, provide enough new information to put a new spin on an old story. Focusing on the biography of one person or a small cluster of like-minded individuals also gives the narrative heft and lends itself well to the overall organization of the book. 

Mounting a successful journey on the road to character reveals the core attributes that are similar among these individuals. Self-discipline, hard work, serving others, and serving a higher power define the person of character who has chosen to live a good and virtuous life. David Brooks quotes Samuel Johnson, “It is always a writer’s duty to make the world better.” Like Samuel Johnson, David Brooks has used his writing to serve and inspire his readers.