Jonathan Moore drew together noteworthy writers to contribute to Hard Choices, including: Kofi A. Annan, Rony Brauman, Romeo A. Dallaire, Richard J. Goldstone, J. Bryan Hehir, Michael Ignatieff, Ian Martin, Elizabeth Reid, Mohamed Sahnoun, Mu Sochua, Cornelio Sommaruga, Roger Williamson, and José Zalaquett.
In addition to Somalia, the book addresses humanitarian problems caused by conflicts in Bosnia, Cambodia, Haiti, and Rwanda.