The Road to Character

Brooks's argument is that modern culture has tilted heavily toward what he calls 'resume virtues' — the skills and achievements that build a career and a public image — at the expense of 'eulogy virtues,' the qualities of character (kindness, honesty, courage, capacity for love and sacrifice) that people are actually remembered for at their funerals. Through profiles of historical figures who struggled toward deep character — including Dwight Eisenhower, Frances Perkins, Dorothy Day, and Augustine — he traces a common structure: real character is forged not through self-esteem or confidence-building but through confronting one's own weaknesses, sin, and limitation.

The book matters as a counterweight to a self-affirming, achievement-obsessed culture, arguing that an older moral tradition centered on humility and inner struggle produced sturdier, more admirable people than today's culture of self-promotion tends to produce.

Who should read it

This suits readers uneasy with a culture of personal branding and self-esteem-first parenting, and anyone seeking historical models of humility, discipline, and moral seriousness rather than self-help formulas. It rewards patience, since it moves through detailed biographical portraits rather than quick, actionable lists.

About the author

David Brooks is a New York Times columnist and commentator who has written extensively on culture, politics, and character, including The Second Mountain and Bobos in Paradise.