
The Work
My Search for a Life That Matters
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $13.50
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Wes Moore
-
By:
-
Wes Moore
About this listen
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The acclaimed author of The Other Wes Moore and governor-elect of Maryland continues his inspirational quest for a meaningful life and shares the powerful lessons—about self-discovery, service, and risk-taking—that led him to a new definition of success for our times.
“This book is about how to make our journeys not just about surviving and succeeding, but about coming truly alive.”—Arianna Huffington
The Work is the story of how one young man traced a path through the world to find his life’s purpose. Wes Moore graduated from a difficult childhood in the Bronx and Baltimore to an adult life that would find him at some of the most critical moments in our recent history: as a combat officer in Afghanistan; a White House fellow in a time of wars abroad and disasters at home; and a Wall Street banker during the financial crisis. In this insightful book, Moore shares the lessons he learned from people he met along the way—from the brave Afghan translator who taught him to find his fight, to the resilient young students in Katrina-ravaged Mississippi who showed him the true meaning of grit, to his late grandfather, who taught him to find grace in service.
Moore also tells the stories of other twenty-first-century change-makers who’ve inspired him in his search, from Daniel Lubetzky, the founder of KIND, to Esther Benjamin, a Sri Lankan immigrant who rose to help lead the Peace Corps. What their lives—and his own misadventures and moments of illumination—reveal is that our truest work happens when we serve others, at the intersection between our gifts and our broken world. That’s where we find the work that lasts.
An intimate narrative about finding meaning in a volatile age, The Work will inspire listeners to see how we can each find our own path to purpose and help create a better world.
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Other Wes Moore
- One Name, Two Fates
- By: Wes Moore, Tavis Smiley - afterword
- Narrated by: Wes Moore
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In December 2000, the Baltimore Sun ran a small piece about Wes Moore, a local student who had just received a Rhodes Scholarship. The same paper also ran a series of articles about four young men who had allegedly killed a police officer in a spectacularly botched armed robbery. The police were still hunting for two of the suspects who had gone on the lam, a pair of brothers. One was named Wes Moore.
-
-
Insightful lesson in self-determination
- By Aneesah on 02-04-13
By: Wes Moore, and others
-
Strategize to WIN
- The New Way to Start out, Step up, or Start Over in Your Career
- By: Carla A. Harris
- Narrated by: Carla A. Harris
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Wall Street powerhouse and author of Expect to Win offers a new way to conceptualize career strategies and gives us proven tools for successful change. Whether we're starting out, striving toward a promotion, or looking for a new opportunity, the working world isn’t what it used to be. Wall Street veteran Carla Harris knows this, and in Strategize to Win she gives listeners the tools they need to get started.
-
-
The advice gets stronger with each chapter!!
- By A. G. on 05-05-17
By: Carla A. Harris
-
Five Days
- The Fiery Reckoning of an American City
- By: Wes Moore, Erica L. Green
- Narrated by: Wes Moore
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A kaleidoscopic account of five days in the life of a city on the edge, told through eight characters on the front lines of the uprising that overtook Baltimore and riveted the world, from the New York Times best-selling author of The Other Wes Moore.
-
-
Great book
- By Ms Moni on 07-06-20
By: Wes Moore, and others
-
Discovering Wes Moore (The Young Adult Adaptation)
- By: Wes Moore
- Narrated by: Wes Moore
- Length: 4 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Through the telling of events from his own life, Wes Moore (author of the best-selling adult title The Other Wes Moore) explores the issues that separate success and failure. He also counterpoints his story with another man, someone who shared the same name, was almost the same age, grew up fatherless in a similar Baltimore neighborhood, but is serving a life sentence for murder. Compelled to write to the other Wes, the author was surprised to receive a reply. And so began a friendship, as letters turned into visits and the two men got to know one another.
-
-
We're 8th Graders
- By Elizabeth Stapula on 11-02-18
By: Wes Moore
-
The Master Plan
- My Journey From Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose
- By: Chris Wilson, Bret Witter, Wes Moore - foreword
- Narrated by: Chris Wilson, Wes Moore
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Growing up in a tough Washington, D.C., neighborhood, Chris Wilson was so afraid for his life he wouldn't leave the house without a gun. One night, defending himself, he killed a man. At 18, he was sentenced to life in prison with no hope of parole. But what should have been the end of his story became the beginning. Deciding to make something of his life, Chris embarked on a journey of self-improvement - reading, working out, learning languages, even starting a business. He wrote his Master Plan: a list of all he expected to accomplish or acquire.
-
-
"Read books that feed your soul."
- By Lighteyes214 on 03-17-20
By: Chris Wilson, and others
-
Worthy
- By: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Narrated by: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jada Pinkett Smith was living what many would view as a fairy-tale of Hollywood success. But appearances can be deceiving, and as she felt more and more separated from her sense of self, emotional turmoil took hold. Sparing no detail, Worthy chronicles her life.
-
-
Budda
- By Tamiko on 10-18-23
-
The Other Wes Moore
- One Name, Two Fates
- By: Wes Moore, Tavis Smiley - afterword
- Narrated by: Wes Moore
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In December 2000, the Baltimore Sun ran a small piece about Wes Moore, a local student who had just received a Rhodes Scholarship. The same paper also ran a series of articles about four young men who had allegedly killed a police officer in a spectacularly botched armed robbery. The police were still hunting for two of the suspects who had gone on the lam, a pair of brothers. One was named Wes Moore.
-
-
Insightful lesson in self-determination
- By Aneesah on 02-04-13
By: Wes Moore, and others
-
Strategize to WIN
- The New Way to Start out, Step up, or Start Over in Your Career
- By: Carla A. Harris
- Narrated by: Carla A. Harris
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Wall Street powerhouse and author of Expect to Win offers a new way to conceptualize career strategies and gives us proven tools for successful change. Whether we're starting out, striving toward a promotion, or looking for a new opportunity, the working world isn’t what it used to be. Wall Street veteran Carla Harris knows this, and in Strategize to Win she gives listeners the tools they need to get started.
-
-
The advice gets stronger with each chapter!!
- By A. G. on 05-05-17
By: Carla A. Harris
-
Five Days
- The Fiery Reckoning of an American City
- By: Wes Moore, Erica L. Green
- Narrated by: Wes Moore
- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A kaleidoscopic account of five days in the life of a city on the edge, told through eight characters on the front lines of the uprising that overtook Baltimore and riveted the world, from the New York Times best-selling author of The Other Wes Moore.
-
-
Great book
- By Ms Moni on 07-06-20
By: Wes Moore, and others
-
Discovering Wes Moore (The Young Adult Adaptation)
- By: Wes Moore
- Narrated by: Wes Moore
- Length: 4 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Through the telling of events from his own life, Wes Moore (author of the best-selling adult title The Other Wes Moore) explores the issues that separate success and failure. He also counterpoints his story with another man, someone who shared the same name, was almost the same age, grew up fatherless in a similar Baltimore neighborhood, but is serving a life sentence for murder. Compelled to write to the other Wes, the author was surprised to receive a reply. And so began a friendship, as letters turned into visits and the two men got to know one another.
-
-
We're 8th Graders
- By Elizabeth Stapula on 11-02-18
By: Wes Moore
-
The Master Plan
- My Journey From Life in Prison to a Life of Purpose
- By: Chris Wilson, Bret Witter, Wes Moore - foreword
- Narrated by: Chris Wilson, Wes Moore
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Growing up in a tough Washington, D.C., neighborhood, Chris Wilson was so afraid for his life he wouldn't leave the house without a gun. One night, defending himself, he killed a man. At 18, he was sentenced to life in prison with no hope of parole. But what should have been the end of his story became the beginning. Deciding to make something of his life, Chris embarked on a journey of self-improvement - reading, working out, learning languages, even starting a business. He wrote his Master Plan: a list of all he expected to accomplish or acquire.
-
-
"Read books that feed your soul."
- By Lighteyes214 on 03-17-20
By: Chris Wilson, and others
-
Worthy
- By: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Narrated by: Jada Pinkett Smith
- Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jada Pinkett Smith was living what many would view as a fairy-tale of Hollywood success. But appearances can be deceiving, and as she felt more and more separated from her sense of self, emotional turmoil took hold. Sparing no detail, Worthy chronicles her life.
-
-
Budda
- By Tamiko on 10-18-23
-
Enough
- By: Cassidy Hutchinson
- Narrated by: Cassidy Hutchinson
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ever since a childhood visit to Washington, DC, Cassidy Hutchinson aspired to serve her country in government. Raised in a working-class family with a military background, she was the first in her immediate family to graduate from college. Despite having no ties to Washington, Hutchinson landed a vital position at the center of the Trump White House.
-
-
Painful
- By Melissa C. on 09-28-23
-
The Light We Carry
- Overcoming in Uncertain Times
- By: Michelle Obama
- Narrated by: Michelle Obama
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with listeners, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?
-
-
Very Disappointing—Too Ego-filled
- By Patricia Webb on 11-29-22
By: Michelle Obama
-
Walk Through Fire
- A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph
- By: Sheila Johnson
- Narrated by: Sheila Johnson
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Filled with sharply drawn, emotionally powerful senses, Walk Through Fire traces the hardships Sheila faced in her marriage and her professional life. Despite her skills as a violinist and music teacher, as well as her obvious entrepreneurial talent, she had to fight to overcome self-doubt and fears of failure. Sheila vividly details her struggles, including battling institutional racism, losing a child, suffering emotional abuse in her thirty-three-year marriage, and plunging into a deep depression with her divorce. And yet, out of that pain came renewed purpose and meaning.
-
-
I am The Salamander
- By Dee Burton on 09-27-23
By: Sheila Johnson
-
Lead from the Outside
- How to Build Your Future and Make Real Change
- By: Stacey Abrams
- Narrated by: Stacey Abrams
- Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
National leader Stacey Abrams has written the guide to harnessing the strengths of being an outsider and succeeding anyway. Leadership is hard. Convincing others - and yourself - that you are capable of taking charge and achieving more requires insight and courage. Lead from the Outside is the handbook for outsiders, written with an eye toward the challenges that hinder women, people of color, the working class, members of the LGBTQ community, and millennials ready to make change.
-
-
Uplifting
- By Jean on 02-03-19
By: Stacey Abrams
-
Finding Me
- A Memoir
- By: Viola Davis
- Narrated by: Viola Davis
- Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever. This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in a world that didn’t always see me.
-
-
Absolutely beautifully Written❤️
- By Love bug23 on 05-02-22
By: Viola Davis
-
American Whitelash
- A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress
- By: Wesley Lowery
- Narrated by: Wesley Lowery
- Length: 7 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In American Whitelash, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and best-selling author Wesley Lowery charts the return of this blood-stained trend, showing how the forces of white power retaliated against Obama’s victory—and both profited from, and helped to propel, the rise of Donald Trump. Interweaving deep historical analysis with gripping firsthand reporting on both victims and perpetrators of violence, Lowery uncovers how this vicious cycle is carrying us into ever more perilous territory, how the federal government has failed to intervene, and how we still might find a route of escape.
-
-
I hate that our country is this way
- By Cullen on 07-22-23
By: Wesley Lowery
-
My American Journey
- An Autobiography
- By: Colin Powell
- Narrated by: Colin Powell
- Length: 3 hrs and 41 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Colin Powell is the embodiment of the American dream. He was born in Harlem to immigrant parents from Jamaica. He knew the rough life of the streets. He overcame a barely average start at school. Then he joined the Army. The rest is history - including Vietnam, the Pentagon, Panama, and Desert Storm - but a history that until now has been known only on the surface.
-
-
Audio book is abridged!
- By Lydia on 02-11-21
By: Colin Powell
-
White Fear
- How the Browning of America Is Making White Folks Lose Their Minds
- By: Roland S. Martin
- Narrated by: Roland S. Martin
- Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For two centuries, the deep-seated fear that many White people feel—of losing power, of losing economic standing, of losing a particular “way of life”—has been the driving force behind American politics and culture. And as we approach a future where White people will become a racial minority in the US, something estimated to occur as early as 2043, that fear is only intensifying, festering, and becoming more visible. Are we destined for a violent clash? What can we do to step into our country’s inevitable future, without tearing ourselves apart in the process?
-
-
an interesting and informative lesson
- By Mo Shaabazz on 09-14-22
By: Roland S. Martin
-
The Upcycled Self
- A Memoir on the Art of Becoming Who We Are
- By: Tariq Trotter
- Narrated by: Tariq Trotter, Rhett Samuel Price, Allyson Johnson
- Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Today Tariq Trotter—better known as Black Thought—is the platinum-selling, Grammy-winning co-founder of The Roots and one of the most exhilaratingly skillful and profound rappers our culture has ever produced. But his story begins with a tragedy: as a child, Trotter burned down his family’s home. The years that follow are the story of a life snatched from the flames, forged in fire.
-
-
PHENOMENAL !!!!!
- By juliajovone on 12-02-23
By: Tariq Trotter
-
Catherine of Siena
- By: Sigrid Undset
- Narrated by: Sydney Penny
- Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sigrid Undset's Catherine of Siena is critically acclaimed as one of the best biographies of this well-known and amazing 14th-century saint. Known for her historical fiction, which won her the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928, Undset based this factual work on primary sources, her own experiences living in Italy, and her profound understanding of the human heart.
-
-
Must read for all Christians
- By James Gajewski on 07-17-21
By: Sigrid Undset
-
Loving What Is
- Four Questions That Can Change Your Life
- By: Byron Katie, Stephen Mitchell
- Narrated by: Byron Katie, Stephen Mitchell, MacLeod Andrews, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Work is simply four questions that, when applied to a specific problem, enable you to see what is troubling you in an entirely different light. As Katie says, "It's not the problem that causes our suffering; it's our thinking about the problem." Contrary to popular belief, trying to let go of a painful thought never works; instead, once we have done The Work, the thought lets go of us. At that point we can truly love what is, just as it is.
-
-
Go for the abridged version
- By moves on 01-06-16
By: Byron Katie, and others
-
The Noticer
- Sometimes, All a Person Needs is a Little Perspective.
- By: Andy Andrews
- Narrated by: Andy Andrews
- Length: 4 hrs and 9 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
>. Orange Beach, Alabama is a simple town filled with simple people. But like all humans on the planet, the good folks of Orange Beach have their share of problems - marriages teetering on the brink of divorce, young adults giving up on life, business people on the verge of bankruptcy, as well as the many other obstacles that life seems to dish out to the masses. Fortunately, when things look the darkest - a mysterious man named Jones has a miraculous way of showing up.
-
-
Fabulous, Life Changing
- By Ml on 09-04-09
By: Andy Andrews
Critic reviews
“Powerful and moving . . . Wes Moore’s story and the stories of those who have inspired him, from family members to entrepreneurs, provide a model for how we can each weave together valuable lessons from all different types of people to forge an individual path to triumph. I’ve known and deeply admired Wes for a long time. Reading The Work, I better understand why.”—Chelsea Clinton
“Wes Moore proves once again that he is one of the most effective storytellers and leaders of his generation. His gripping personal story, set against the dramatic events of the past decade, goes straight to the heart of an ancient question that is as relevant as ever: not just how to live a good life, but how to make that life matter. Above all, this book teaches us how to make our journey about more than mere surviving or even succeeding; it teaches us how to truly come alive.”—Arianna Huffington, author of Thrive
“How we define success for ourselves is one of life’s essential questions. Wes Moore shows us the way—by sharing his incredible journey and the inspiring stories of others who make the world a better place through the choices they’ve made about how they want to live. We come away from this important book with a new understanding of what it truly means to succeed in life.”—Suze Orman
What listeners say about The Work
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- harsh critic
- 05-01-16
Good read
A good read overall on a topic too few of us examine--meaningful living. By the second to last vignette or so, I found the same theme repeated and began to wonder if I could endure many more of these repetitions for too many more hours but I stuck with it and the author had a nice ending. In general a good book but at times I found the author pompous. Either way, some great themes and thoughts throughout and worth the read/listen. 4 stars across the board.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jodi Johnson
- 02-21-21
So Enjoyable!
This book was a pleasure to listen to! The author is a great storyteller, and the stories conveyed were inspiring.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Runnergirl
- 12-10-23
The Work is very interesting and inspiring - chapter after chapter. Well narrated audio book.
I loved the detailed reason for the why in every chapter.
The audio book ended with a smile on my face. So enlightened! Wes Moore, you are my new favorite writer, policy maker and gentleman to follow. Thank you for your military service, sir. Veterans are my passion.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Heather
- 03-12-24
Vulnerability and strength
Enjoyed the story and the mission shared through this read. Tone and voice are great for narration. Thank you for your service.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Bernard
- 01-20-15
Poignant page turner that is truly enlightening
Wes Moore brilliantly echoes a truth we all share be extraordinary at doing what you love versus settling for the ordinary trappings of job security.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Judy
- 05-10-17
Good advice for living a fulfilling life/career
Loved it! The author shows how to find a purpose to life. Brought back good memories.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Willie Mae
- 05-30-18
Captivating
Well delivered, very relatable content. I would recommend this to anyone seeking and searching for purpose in their life.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- SandyTep
- 07-31-18
great book
i loved the book's message. the narration was easy to understand however the chapters listed did not match the books numbering.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Liz
- 07-07-23
Inspiring and motivating work
This book adds to the powerful words of “The Other Wes Moore” and clarifies the life changing influence from caring people in each of our lives. How much better a world we’d live in if everyone had loving guidance like this!?
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- MamboChick
- 10-10-16
inspirational
Enjoyed it. Inspirational. Good advice. Super easy to listen to. Happy I had the audio version. Listened while doing others things.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!