The introduction and conclusion were the strongest, clearest, and most convincing sections. I found I did not agree with many of the significant points or interpretations within the main section but there are several interesting topics presented. Also, I think the audio book would have been much improved by Brooks' narrating his own work.

Not a great book. Expected a much different read. Highly recommend Dr. Henry Cloud's book titled "Integrity" over this one.

David Brooks should stick to radio where he is articulate and his columns which are focused.

In the book, he takes a pompous, preachy, presumptuous, prudish tone using a lot of psychobabble. He has one good idea and expands it into a scattered book, when a column talking about the duality of character would have sufficed.

Don't waste your time. It led to a very spirited discussion in our book club because we couldn't say enough about how bad it was! And several of us are David Brooks fans!

Probably one of the worst nonfiction books I've ever seen. That people are impressed by the three source sub-undergrad level profiles is remarkable enough. That people so consistently praise the pretentious and repetitive prose? That's stupefying. I suspect that much of the praise comes from people who enjoy wagging their fingers at the kids these days and think that Brooks gives them some veneer of objectivity. Either that or they're simply in awe of the great man writing it, because nothing in this book warrants the praise it's received.

This book is an inspiring, challenging classic. Character is presented as the most important priority in a person's life. The book highlights thrlives of figures in history who have suffered to develop character.

I chose this book for self improvement. Brooks used great figures from the history as the examples to explain the road to character. Although it is inspiring to read about great historical figures but it also made it hard for me to relate my road to character.

A very good contemporary guide to this topic. *Not* the typical preachy tone that bogs down many books about character. The author's style is idiosyncratic and can vary from eloquent to vaguely clunky, but not enough to distract readers.

Just OK. A few quotables. Seems to reach out to those of his readers, listeners, viewers, part of a mainstream eddying in the backwaters of apathy and quietism. Otherwise, preaching to the choir. Worth a skim.

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.

Star Gladiator, your analysis of David Brooks' book is full of such anger, which appears to be the result of extreme left radicalism. How can you live with such hatred in your heart?