David Brooks doesn't profess to always follow the road to character, but he wanted to know what it looked like. Thus, his motivation for studying people throughout history who made an effort to build their character and follow a moral code of conduct that wouldn't change based on circumstance, their desires, or the fashion of the day.

The book starts with an eloquent introduction. Brooks outlines his thesis that humans have an internal struggle between "Adam 1" (the purest, moral self) and "Adam 2"(a more hedonistic, selfish self/ as long as you're not doing anything obviously bad, you're doing just fine). He also describes a current culture that has made it harder to be "good". Listening to the audio version of this book I found myself furiously scribbling notes, wanting to capture everything in the introduction as it seemed so relevant.

Each of the people Brooks highlights in his book as examples of taking the road to character are flawed, as we all are (at one point while listening my husband turned to me and said "Is this a book about people with good character or bad character?!") This is where the book really loses momentum. Instead of being inspired by their stories, I really found the book to just drag through most of these profiles. They really could have benefited from some significant editing.

The final chapter of the book provides a nice closing, weaving together the themes from the profiles. Along with the introduction, this is where Brooks shines. ( )

David Brooks is a far better writer than I knew. The book is a collection of well-written short biographies of a number of people (such as Dwight Eisenhower, George Marshall, Frances Perkins, George Elliot, etc) describing the trials and tribulations they endured that allowed them to build character and achieve deserved prominence. A final chapter summarizes the biographies and describes some of the commonality of the experience of the subjects.

( )

Now, in The Road to Character, he focuses on the deeper values that should inform our lives. Responding to what he calls the culture of the Big Me, which emphasizes external success, Brooks challenges us, and himself, to rebalance the scales between our “résumé virtues”—achieving wealth, fame, and status—and our “eulogy virtues,” those that exist at the core of our being: kindness, bravery, honesty, or faithfulness, focusing on what kind of relationships we have formed.

Looking to some of the world’s greatest thinkers and inspiring leaders, Brooks explores how, through internal struggle and a sense of their own limitations, they have built a strong inner character.

I will admit that some chapters rang truer than others in regards to the biographical examples. I really didn't connect with Eisenhower and a couple others. Some started strong and then became weaker. Some went the other direction of weak to strong. I think this is a reflection of my own preference. My preference were those sections regarding Montaigne, Saint Augustine, Frances Perkins, Eisenhower's mother, George Eliot, George C. Marshall, and A. Philip Randolph. Eisenhower and Bayard Rustin didn't make any positive impression on me.

The final chapter did a good wrap. I will be thinking on Mr. Brooks' argument for distinction between Adam I and Adam II for some time. I couldn't help but reflect on Ecclesiastes as I read this book. Many of his arguments and point can be summed up in that one book of the Bible... one of my favorites. ( )

While I do admire the amount of research David Brooks must have put into writing this book, I simply do not agree with his conclusion. And I rather disliked the condescending tone of the book. Thanks for the advice Dave, but no thanks. I've found my own road to character and it suits me just fine. ( )

I discovered this book when I heard the author speak at an educator conference. Before the talk I was somewhat of a skeptic, but the ideas expressed were intriguing enough that I ordered the book. For me, it has been the right book at the right time in my personal journey. I have read some negative reviews on this book that criticize the author pointing to shortcomings in his personal life that sounded to me like snarky gossip attacking the messenger rather than the message. The very nature of these negative reviews revealed that they missed the message of this book. Character and virtue are qualities we never fully attain, we will always fall short. But if we keep striving to overcome our shortcomings and our misguided views as to what matters, we move closer to being a person of character. The goal is to continually seek to be better than we were before. Reading about influential figures from history who struggled with the same things I do, brings a certain comfort and renewed motivation. ( )

I disagreed with a couple of his choices but his prose makes it hard to justify my disagreement. This. This was good. ( )

It's difficult to write a book on character without taking a strong opinion on what it takes to "have character", but I felt like this one did. This left me without as much of a takeaway as I would have hoped. The main focus is on biographies of various people, looking into how they lived. The leading thread throughout these was relatively simple: develop your own beliefs, stick to them through the hard times, don't showboat and base your life on the journey rather than the outcome. ( )

Not a super-deep read, but provides some ideas to reflect on. The bulk of the book is arranged as mini-biographies of a number of historical figures, and how their lives reflected different aspects of character. These were hit-and-miss for me, but I very much enjoyed the segments on Dwight D. Eisenhower and George Eliot. ( )

Notes as of p. 50, approximately:

1. The breakdown between (success-driven) Adam I and (character-driven) Adam II could have been just as easily broken down along traditional gender lines as masculine values vs. feminine values. I don't think he has any clue, based on what I've read so far, that he is essentially valorizing the choices mothers make every day. There is nothing special or magical about people who spend their entire lives prioritizing other people, David. We call them women. (And indeed his first two case studies are women.)

2. There is an awful lot of mushy langauge in the introduction about how these super-character-ful people have an aura of patience and wisdom that is not, so far, borne out by the case studies.

3. So far, no Adam II case studies that are not ultimately vindicated by Adam I style successes.

4. A lot of unearned nostalgia for the past. What reads like support for parental abuse if it serves to develop a child's character. And a fundamental misunderstanding of the purpose of listening to one's own feelings and instincts and being true to oneself. This is not mutually exclusive with a life of service; it just keeps one from being abused.

I'll keep reading, but so far it reads like a book that would have been a better memoir than a moral map for society at large.

I really enjoyed David Brooks earlier books, and he tells a story well but....

The Road to Character contains some interesting profiles of people that I do believe are fascinating, good research and social analysis, and some thoughtful observations, yet, there is a sense of whinging about the book that I found off-putting enough that I was often close to tossing the book across the room. I am glad I kept reading because Books' observations prove relavant to many things and keep cropping up in my thoughts. Besides whinging alone is not enough to discredit all the thoughtful work that went into this book. ( )

A well reasoned and classical look at the maturing of individuals. Brooks used classical thought and the examples of lives of prominent individuals over the last 300 years to reveal that oftentimes living for something makes the adult more than living for oneself. Sometimes his summaries seemed off but his portrayals of individuals such as Day and Johnson hit home. ( )

I did not like this book AT ALL. ( )

Provides a candidate moral vocabulary that Brooks finds lacking (or at least backgrounded) in our present time. He allows the many character sketches to speak for themselves without overlaying much opinionated preaching. A well-written and inspirational read. ( )

Albeit a bit preachy in spots, this modern-day [Profiles in Courage] was an enjoyable and enlightening read. Brooks impressed me during the 2016 election season by appearing as a "conservative" with a brain fully engaged and not merely an ideologue. I am glad to have read this. ( )

“I will be conquered; I will not capitulate.” That sounds like Samuel Beckett, but it’s actually Samuel Johnson. While Beckett wrestled with words and narrative structures, Johnson battled with physical limitations and inner demons. Both expressed something only a minor fraction of humanity can hope to attain.

But this book isn’t about Beckett. It’s not even about Samuel Johnson, really. He’s one character, one human, throughout history who Brooks has snagged to put alongside his cast of mature, wise and morally-driven exemplars. It’s an appeal to our better, deeper, inner selves to reclaim the lexicon of what once made great persons great: sin, grace, demons. Not a call to re-embrace religion, but a reawakening to a language that can help define a more purposeful life; a shifting of emphasis from “I” to “we”, or, more properly, from “why me?” to “what should I do about this?” when presented with a challenge. An existence spent more on building a character of resolution and sinew and less on a string of accomplishments or rewards. A slowly growing soul, with a lifetime’s accretion of wisdom—heartbreaks and defeats turned toward a love of humanity and a deep calling—weaknesses become strengths. The end to a journey where a host of others can show up and expound on who you were. A bullet-pointed list on paper pales in comparison. It’s not the résumé, it’s the eulogy.

Every section, every person in this book has its fascination—its lesson to impart. I, however, responded most deeply to the chapters “Love” (about Mary Anne Evans, a.k.a. George Eliot) and “Self-Examination” (about Samuel Johnson and Michel de Montaigne); maybe because they resonated with my own spirit and hinted at my own weaknesses. Passion is surely my Achilles’ heel and yet it’s my greatest strength. This book, though, has challenged me to truly conquer that weakness, to notice when it’s destructive and not constructive, and realize that it’s not so much about victory in each instance, but a constant vigilance against that destruction—and that it’s OK if it takes a lifetime to achieve. That gives me peace.

When I’d heard David Brooks on Sam Harris’ podcast, “Waking Up”, I knew immediately that I’d buy this book. I knew that I’d devour it. I knew that it would have sticking bits on its way toward the bowels. I’m so grateful that it didn’t disappoint, but I’m even more grateful to be aware and active in reclaiming those lost words on our road to becoming greater characters, soulful and graceful and stumbling, and not fret over the dust on the shoes.


“The person who successfully struggles against weakness and sin may or may not become rich and famous, but that person will become mature. Maturity is not based on talent or any of the mental or physical gifts that help you ace an IQ test or run fast or move gracefully. It is not comparative. It is earned not by being better than other people at something, but by being better than you used to be. It is earned by being dependable in times of testing, straight in times of temptation. Maturity does not glitter. It is not built on the traits that make people celebrities. A mature person possesses a settled unity of purpose. The mature person has moved from fragmentation to centeredness, has achieved a state in which the restlessness is over, the confusion about the meaning and purpose of life is calmed. The mature person can make decisions without relying on the negative and positive reactions from admirers or detractors because the mature person has steady criteria to determine what is right. That person has said a multitude of noes for the sake of a few overwhelming yeses.” ( )

Excellent collection of short biographies used to illustrate a general path towards building character in an age that values external shows of success over internal growth (pics or it didn't happen).

One star off for Brooks's slightly repetitive writing style. This works well on the audio, but it's a little tedious when reading the printed book. (I started with the audio and finished the hardcover.) ( )

I thought I added this three days ago, but I guess not. Anyway, have you ever seen a movie trailer that made you want to see the movie? Only to be sadly disappointed when it turned out to be quite bad? The deceiving trailer either had all the best jokes or action...sigh. I heard a snippet of a review on NPR which grabbed my attention when it quoted Brooks's opening anecdote about how America reacted at the end of WWII compared to now, and with more of the "now" with respect to sports celebrations being all about the "me" as an indicator of today gone wrong. That was the teaser that contained pretty much everything good about this book.

I liked the story in the first chapter because it stuck a chord, but Brooks lost me in the second chapter with:

Today the word "sin" has lost its power and awesome intensity.

What the hell? I can't even think about dignifying that nonsense with a rebuttal, but he takes it even further with

Furthermore, the concept of sin is necessary because it is radically true.

Still shaking my head. And it goes downhill from there. It's clear that Brooks has misplaced adoration in his chosen heroes. And he has an interesting moving goal post - a chapter on Eisenhower as virtuous but calling him out for being callous to his ... mistress? Regardless of the veracity of the claims, Brooks did not qualify the term, so must have believed it true and didn't pause to observe the hypocrisy of trumpeting Ike given the presumption of infidelity. Brooks culled some good and some horrific examples of the "virtues" he adores here (on the horrific side, George C. Marshall not turning in his classmates despite them rushing him to urgent medical attention following an extreme hazing incident gone wrong.)

Brooks has distorted ideals, but I am assuming his religious perspective peppered throughout the book explains some of them. There are a few good points to take from this, which saves it from one star. But few, which is disappointing, and I wish I'd read something else.
( )

Although I enjoyed this book, it was not at all what I expected. The author gives a lot of information about some historic people, to whom I believe he feels have what he feels is character. The emphasis seems to be more on positive character, and not on how individuals have either negative or positive character. When reading through in-between the lines, the underlying message obtained is that character is obtained through the series of one’s life events and the things that happen to them. My personal believe is certainly not much different in that the things that happen, the adversity we face, and the actions we take to overcome them are what build character. However people also have to know that an upbringing that supports this will and can make all the difference in the world however it is not the only thing that matters. ( )

Building character, like life itself, is a journey, and we get that point with the title of the David Brooks book "The Road to Character." We may be born with a certain personality, but not with character. That's something that takes a lifetime to develop, assuming we even bother to try.

Brooks studies character building by studying the lives of a variety of men and women who made more effort to develop character than most of us do. They never became perfect people, but all were better later in their lives than earlier. Dorothy Day and Augustine were sexual libertines in their youth. Both later became devoted to Christian service. Dwight Eisenhower struggled with a terrible temper. Thanks to the influence of his mother and his military training, he learned to control it to become both the supreme Allied commander in World War II and the president of the United States. Frances Perkins fought to subdue her own wants and needs to better serve others.

Character building has become an old-fashioned concept, which is why younger readers may not be drawn to this book. With all the emphasis on self-esteem today, children are inclined to believe they already have it made. Why work to improve when you are already perfect? Brooks says that 53 percent of all students now get A's. Some graduating classes have a half dozen valedictorians or more. If high school is easy, why not the rest of life? And if virtue is relative and what's right for you is not necessarily right for me, then why work to become more virtuous?

Brooks contrasts Johnny Unitas with Joe Namath. Both were great NFL quarterbacks from the same region of Pennsylvania, yet their concepts of character were radically different. Unitas believed in working hard and keeping a low profile. Namath believed in having fun and showing off. Brooks sees them as symbols of their respective generations, Even though both men played in Super Bowl III, we tend to associate Unitas with the 1950s and Namath with the 1960s, when because of Vietnam and a lot of other factors, social change was rampant. Yet Brooks suggests it was actually the postwar Unitas generation, sometimes called the Greatest Generation, that actually brought about the change in how people view character. After years of Depression and war, this generation focused on material success, building big homes in the suburbs and acquiring nice things. Developing character became a minor issue, then no issue at all in many homes and schools.

Brooks says there are "resume virtues" and "eulogy virtues." The first includes the kinds of things we brag about and use to get jobs and impress others. The second kind of virtue includes what might be said about us at our funerals, at the end of our life journeys. And this second kind of virtue is what makes character. ( )

This book wasn't quite what I was expecting. It was actually better than I thought. The Road to Character was full of historical trivia. The book stressed the importance of a full spiritual life, but it wasn't very preachy. Instead, it was very approachable. I loved the anecdotes about Dwight D. Eisenhower and A. Philip Randolph. As a resident of Duluth, it was also cool to hear about the life of Dorothy Day. The Catholic Worker's Movement is pretty big around here. Mr. Brooks had a very poetic writing style which felt both mature and grounded. It was a fast read. Five stars. ( )

David Brooks walks us through the minds, lives and inner struggles of a collection of outstanding and inspiring leaders and thinkers in history. He comments on how narcism pervades our present generation and how the culture of “Big Me” is inherently perpetuated by our society’s value and focus on the mastery of an individual's “resume virtues” (ie: exam scores, community service hours, professional achievements, etc.). When emphasized, these are the characteristics that often provides the ticket to getting into a prestigious school, landing a competitive job and progressing towards success. He compares this to the “eulogy virtues”- the capacity of kindness, self-discipline, self-restraint, self-sacrifice, bravery, honesty, generosity, gratitude, love and humility (the inner qualities that create character). Although society rewards the external achievements of “resume virtues”, the “eulogy virtues” build upon the necessary “moral vocabulary” that enriches life with deeper meaning and purpose; there is no denying its importance. He argues that this shift of balance in societal values has made it increasingly difficult to practice proficiency of the latter, as we now have to “spend more time, energy and attention on the external…climb towards success and we have less time, energy and attention to devote to the internal world."

Brooks portrays these figures not as exemplars of morality, but rather as deeply flawed individuals who each took unique paths to the “road to character.” He demonstrates that they all shared an awareness of their own limitations and vulnerabilities, and commonly engaged in the harsh internal struggle to rise above their weaknesses. He prefaces the book with the statement, “I’m hoping you and I will both emerge from the next nine chapters slightly different and slightly better.” Although certain chapters had lengths of dullness that took some effort to trudge through, I’d recommend reading at least the first and final chapters of the book. It’s an overall very inspiring read, and it required me to take thoughtful pauses of reflection throughout. It has challenged me to reevaluate my own motivations, vulnerabilities and weaknesses from a different vantage point. Brooks challenges us to understand the virtues that go into the development of character, and from that I think we can all emerge slightly better. ( )

I was intrigued by this book just reading the blurb. The mention of "Resume Values" vs. "Eulogy Values," grabbed me hook, line, and sinker.
Seeing how much the definition of "character" has changed over the years, it is indeed a monumental task that David Brooks has undertaken in this book. Brooks uses great figures from history to illustrate his points and often quotes from their lives or works. This makes for some very colorful prose such as "Large angels take a long time unfolding their wings, but when they do they soar out of sight."
We need to ask ourselves the tough questions like who we are and balance our resume lives and our eulogy lives. Then and only then can we attain joy; for joy is not something you can aim for it is a byproduct that comes when you are aiming for something else.
Not an easy read by any means but worth reading. ( )

A thoughtful conservative's study of the way of humility. ( )