by David Brooks. Hardback (6.4×9.5 inches). 347 pages. 2019.
David Brooks was a New York Times columnist and is still a weekly PBS pundit, but this book has nothing to do with politics, per se, but is about philosophy. Inside, he tracks four major variables and a number of minor ones to living a moral life full of purpose.
He uses a metaphor of two mountains: the first is all about satisfying self and ego and accumulating tangibles. The second, and more difficult mountain to climb, is all about living a “relationist” life by offering selflessness above selfishness within a series of interrelated “communities” — think beyond neighborhoods and into volunteer organizations, workplaces, and circles of friends.
If Brooks thought 2019 was a nightmare of what I would call an “I got mine, screw you” society, he must be apoplectic now in 2026. The levels of distrust are spiking, the quest to gather tangibles is increasing, and the celebration of individualism at the expense of society is skyrocketing.
Yet he offers relationist advice in four areas: Vocation, Marriage, Philosophy/Faith, and Community. He bolsters his call for service over self with quotes and excerpts from hundreds of philosophers and wags. I’m not sure all these ideas pertain, and all those scattered opinions sometimes make this a difficult book to read, but I can agree with at least some of the ideas: get to know your neighbors, expand your circle of friends, volunteer to strengthen your community, understand that solving a societal problem requires a comprehensive approach across multiple “programs” and not just funding one program, and so on. Much more gets discussed within the text, but you get the idea.
I don’t know if I’m on that second mountain, but I keep trying. My journalism Vocation has almost run out, but writers never retire, we just keep working on our next novel — and then work on getting an agent. To me, Marriage of over 40 years continues to be even more wondrous than ever. Philosophy/Faith continue to evolve as most folks do over decades. Community: always the tough one, but newfound time means I can help out more — trustee of three historical societies and editor for HMGS to help bring history (and social in-person gaming) alive to, um, whomever will listen. I certainly hope this AAR newsletter offers informative and entertaining prose and photos and makes the world a little brighter for a few minutes. Maybe I should tag that under Philosophy/Faith…
The book is thought provoking, even if I skipped over some of the longer quotes that proved a little repetitious. Still, this is a book about hope and is just as valid in 2026 as it was in 2019.
Enjoyed it.
— Reviewed by Russ Lockwood
