The Road to Character, David Brooks

 

The Road to Character by David Brooks is a frequently recommended book.  It kind of fits in with my study on what it means to be a good person.

Started: 10/29/2020
Completed: 11/02/2020 -- did not finish
Recommendation: Not Recommended
Recommended By:  Numerous people

Words for which I sought help:

apotheosis -- the highest point in the development of something; culmination or climax

beau ideal -- a person or thing representing the highest possible standard of excellence in a particular respect

Review:

It seems that these portraits hinge on religion.  Certainly on the concept of sin which Brooks feels is essential to developing character.

In the section on George Elliott, Brooks fills in a lot of detail between Elliott and her eventual husband (Lewis) by reaching for quotations about the nature of love and marriage from a broad range of authors which may or may not have reflected their actual opinions.  It is odd to have this diversion despite the dearth of material describing their courtship and marriage.

The odd thing about this book is it reads a bit like a series of conversion stories.  In the vein of, "I was lonely, alone, debauched, and I came to know some form of God, thus becoming whole."  I am just kind of past this type of reasoning.  People do not have to make a "great change" for me to appreciate their character--this author seems to only see people in terms of making a "great change" and then focuses the lens to view everything in those terms.

I was discussing my frustrations with this book with my wife who immediately recognized Brooks as a columnist and then a quick review of his wiki page (linked above) made it clear that Brooks has a tendency to have a thought and then to carry that thought through facts whether the two meet well or not.  This might explain why I found the book so odd and difficult to understand.  It simply did not make a lot of sense.  OK.  Stopped reading.