The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his.
-- Narration (Introduction paragraph 1)

Importance: This tagline for the book sums up the author’s quest in writing it. He wanted to learn what set the two of them apart on different paths. They had so much in common that their lives could have been switched.

The distance I’d put between my brother’s world and mine suddenly collapsed…Wherever he was, running for his life, he carried part of me with him.”
-- John Edgar Wideman’s Brothers and Keepers. (Introduction paragraph 1)

Importance: This quote from another book encapsulates one of the themes of the book: distance. The two Wes Moores had a distance between them. As the author learned more about his double, he could not help but feel for his struggle.

Soon it became clear that the Riots were about more than the tragic death of Dr. King. They were about...
-- Narration (chapter 1 paragraph 1)