Kidder's "Mountains

One of the most interesting authors I have stumbled upon in years. I will forge through everyone of his books. I had to take a break from Tracy Kidder's books after reading this one because it gave me so much food for thought. I have not finished digesting his revelations of Paul Farmer. Tracy Kidder finds people that are worth reading about; those with dedication, drive, and the energy to follow through a personal dream. I am hoping to find a book of this caliber about a woman. I don't know if Kidder has written one, but I'm off for the hunt!

Tracy Kidder is the master journalist, like a clear window on the world. Long ago I read The Soul of a New Machine and liked it, but didn't think too much about it. The brilliance of Kidder's style is so make you feel like you are there, really feel what the subject is about, without any distortion positive or negative.What an amazing subject for this work: Dr. Paul Farmer. This guy is just amazing! As a college student, he travels to Haiti to dedicate himself to the poor. He attends Harvard while spending 8 months a year in Haiti building his own hospital there. He gets a PhD in Anthropology at the same time he gets his MD, the latter not surprising given that he already has 6 years of intense clinical experience dealing directly with life and death situations. You would expect such a person to take on airs, maybe be a big proud of himself, maybe even be motivated by the 'big bucks' so clearly available in a rich city. Dr. Farmer appears to be vying for a "saint"...Read more

Thank you Tracy Kidder. It was hard to put this book down. I felt as if I'd walked every mile with Paul Farmer through remote mountain villages where he helped people suffering from maladies that took root in the midst of poverty, isolation and lack of knowledge. Reading this story, my takeaway was this: When we do have occasion to meet people like Dr. Farmer, we are fortunate if we recognize we are in the presence of someone who is living out his or her mission without holding back. Passionately, tirelessly and with perseverance. Deserving of our gratitude and support. Kidder does an admirable job by providing an accurate and respectfully written portrayal of Dr. Farmer with the power to inspire others to follow in his footsteps.