Why was the author haunted by the story of his namesake in The Other Wes Moore? What was the reason he insisted on meeting him in prison? Talk about the awkwardness of the two Wes's first meeting and their gradual openness and sharing with one another.

Wes Moore, the author of The Other Wes Moore, is haunted by the story of his namesake for several reasons. As Moore writes in his book, both men share a name as well as the potential to have lived the same life. Moore the author was able to escape the difficult urban surroundings of his youth and become an accomplished, well-educated young man. Moore the namesake was not able to do the same, and he succumbed to the violence that Moore the author was able to leave behind.
The story of the other Wes Moore is haunting because Moore the author believes the circumstances around the other Wes Moore could have been avoided. The other boy's family lacked resources and money, and he lacked a positive mentor. Because the differences in their lives are so stark and dramatic, Wes Moore the author finds it darkly ironic that they share a name. Moore the author believes that he too could have turned out to be a drug dealing robber and murderer had he not been lucky enough to have had role models and a supportive network of people surrounding him, and he feels he made a narrow escape from this life.