Advising graduates to commit to relationships
Brooks argues that commencement advice urging graduates to seek limitless freedom or find their passion is unhelpful, advocating instead that they be told to orient their lives around relationships.
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David Brooks
David Brooks (born August 11, 1961) is a Canadian-born American author and commentator. Born in Toronto and raised in New York City, he graduated from the University of Chicago in 1983 with a degree in history. He is a staff writer at The Atlantic, a New York Times columnist, a commentator on PBS NewsHour, and the bestselling author of books including The Second Mountain, The Road to Character, The Social Animal, and Bobos in Paradise.
Biographical details sourced from Wikipedia and Penguin Random House.
On LuvemBooks, we've reviewed The Second Mountain.
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Books ReviewedIn David Brooks' own words
David Brooks joins CBS This Morning to discuss his book 'The Second Mountain' and the shift from personal ambition to community and connection.
Uploaded by CBS Mornings, 2019 · Watch on YouTube ·
Also in this interview
Ask LuvemBooks about David Brooks
David Brooks writes big-idea nonfiction about morality and meaning for a general audience, and LuvemBooks has reviewed 1 of their books so far. That book, The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, argues that fulfillment comes from commitments — to family, vocation, faith, and community — rather than individual achievement, and it holds a 4.4/5 reader rating from over 4,000 Amazon ratings.
- Where should I start?
- Start with The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life — it's the David Brooks book we've reviewed on LuvemBooks, and it lays out their central argument clearly. The book contends that a meaningful life rests on four commitments — to spouse and family, vocation, philosophy or faith, and community — rather than individual success. It holds a 4.4/5 reader rating from 4,216 Amazon ratings, so plenty of readers have found it a rewarding entry point.
- What's their writing style?
- Based on our review of The Second Mountain, David Brooks writes idea-driven nonfiction that frames personal life as a moral project. Rather than telling a conventional story, they build an argument — in this case, mapping a meaningful life onto four concrete commitments and critiquing a culture of individual achievement. Reviewers described the result as stirring, suggesting an earnest, aspirational tone aimed at readers who want philosophy applied to everyday choices.
- Books we've reviewed
- LuvemBooks has reviewed 1 David Brooks book. The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life argues that a meaningful life is built on four commitments — spouse and family, vocation, philosophy or faith, and community — rather than individual achievement. It carries a 4.4/5 reader rating from 4,216 Amazon ratings.
- What genre do they write?
- David Brooks writes big-idea nonfiction. The book we've reviewed, The Second Mountain, falls under Philosophy & Religion, tackling questions of meaning, morality, and commitment for general readers. Their other bestselling books named in their bio — The Road to Character, The Social Animal, and Bobos in Paradise — similarly sit in the social commentary and ideas space.
- What should I read after The Second Mountain?
- The Second Mountain is the only David Brooks book we've reviewed so far, so we can't point you to another reviewed title yet. Within their wider bibliography, The Road to Character is a natural companion, since it also examines moral life and character. The Social Animal and Bobos in Paradise are their other bestselling works named in their bio.
Who is David Brooks?
Where should I start?
What's their writing style?
Books we've reviewed
What genre do they write?
What should I read after The Second Mountain?
Who is David Brooks?
David Brooks (born August 11, 1961) is a Canadian-born American author and commentator, raised in New York City and a 1983 history graduate of the University of Chicago. They are a staff writer at The Atlantic, a New York Times columnist, and a commentator on PBS NewsHour. Their bestselling books include The Second Mountain, The Road to Character, The Social Animal, and Bobos in Paradise.
Follow up
What books has David Brooks written?
Where does David Brooks work?
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