The Road to Character

David Brooks examines the balance between external success—what he calls "résumé virtues"—and the core principles that form inner character. Drawing on the lives of notable figures including labor activist Frances Perkins, President Dwight Eisenhower, Dorothy Day, and civil rights pioneers A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, Brooks explores how internal struggle and awareness of personal limitations have shaped strong character. These individuals learned through different paths—suppression of self-interest, self-restraint, simplicity, and self-discipline—to serve purposes beyond themselves. Brooks blends psychology, politics, spirituality, and personal reflection to argue for reconsidering life priorities and building inner lives marked by humility and moral depth. The book suggests that joy emerges as a byproduct when people focus on aims beyond themselves.