Haiti book rec

One of the best books I read while in Haiti (and I read a lot – probably about 40, something I never manage at home with all those distractions!) was Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder, about Dr. Paul Farmer, the founder of Partners in Health, whose work in Haiti and elsewhere is absolutely astonishing.

At the center of Mountains Beyond Mountains stands Paul Farmer. Doctor, Harvard professor, renowned infectious-disease specialist, anthropologist, the recipient of a MacArthur “genius” grant, world-class Robin Hood, Farmer was brought up in a bus and on a boat, and in medical school found his life’s calling: to diagnose and cure infectious diseases and to bring the lifesaving tools of modern medicine to those who need them most. This magnificent book shows how radical change can be fostered in situations that seem insurmountable, and it also shows how a meaningful life can be created, as Farmer—brilliant, charismatic, charming, both a leader in international health and a doctor who finds time to make house calls in Boston and the mountains of Haiti—blasts through convention to get results.

On Audible I found an interview with him, for a show called ‘Fresh Air’, that was done in 2003, in case you want to get an inkling of why this man rocks: mp3 on Sendspace, 25mb (via anonym.to)

Crossposted to my personal blog.