Summary of The Road to Character: by David Brooks

An insightful, in depth examination of society's over emphasis on success-oriented, economic-enhancing skills, vs. traits essential to character building. Brooks' premise is that the first, described as resume virtues, reflecting the Adam I nature of man, are now predominant in our society, out of balance with the eulogy virtues reflecting our Adam II nature, the service and other-oriented, moral characteristics for which we will be remembered. The two primary source books for his discussion are, first, Rabbi Soloveitchik's "The Lonely Man of Faith," the origin of his Adam I and Adam II analysis of the dual nature of man, as Soloveitchik interprets mankind's creation in Genesis I and Genesis 2 ; second, Viktor Frankl's "The Search for Meaning."The stress on high worldly achievement and economic success, he argues, is not enough. To bring true balance to life is to place greater stress on character building, recognizing that yes,we are wonderfully endowed but also greatly flawed. His formula for character building is to focus on nine individuals who strengthened their "eulogy virtues" through self-examination and self-discipline.The book affords thoughtful, lucid writing based on extensive research.

An absolute must if you want to read David Brooks' book. The book "The Road to Character" was described as a mid life crisis from someone (Brooks) who fancies himself as an intellectual. The Summary does a much better job of explaining the original. You can read it in a hour or less.

This book has no redeeming qualities. I am embarrassed at having purchased it. Filled with incomprehensible sentences (constructed so poorly that one has to struggle to figure out what the "writer" is trying to say), total mishandling of punctuation, over simplification of ideas, ad unnecessary repetition, this book is a complete disaster. If you can't find the time to read all of David Brooks' wonderful if lengthy book, at least content yourself with reading in it. It's ok to jump around. But I strongly do not recommend these hack productions by a company that apparently hires some of the most incompetent people imaginable to write their summaries.

At a time when charater seems so lacking in our public officials, David Brooks brings it forward for examination. The book is built on Joseph Soloweitchik's distinction between Adam 1 and Adam 2 and the choices implied between a life of self aggrandizement and one of service. Brooks uses biographical summaries ranging across a variety of fields to illustrate the the people and events that shape who we become.

This isn't much shorter than reading the entire (small) book anyway, and didn't really offer any additional insight.

Since I had no time to read the actual book, it was a delight to read a well organized summary of the original book.The main features of how a character is developed over time, was well explained by real people who faced many different roadblocks in their lives. Yet just exactly these challenges helped them to form traits of their characters or even change certain bad habits. In the end kindness, loyalty and empathy won! I liked the list of reasons to evaluate your own character at the end of the book.

Excellent expedient if you need a quick review of the book, but having heard Mr. Brooks present and discuss the book and his findings, I heartily recommend that you read the book!! This book is deep, instructive and fulfilling, and you owe it to yourself to hear Mr. Brooks perspective on life.

Helpful to be sure. But this is my the first time reading a Summary, which was necessarily light