Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World
Book Review: Amazing book
Summary: 5 Stars
I would not suspect that a book set in poverty and about battling long odds against a nasty disease would so completely capture my interest. Kidder is a storyteller of the first rank. The main character is totally amazing as well. To appreciate this book you would have to read the first chapter... and by that time I am betting you will be hooked and want to finish it.Book Review: Eye-opening Account of a Global Problem
Summary: 5 Stars
The Author Tracy Kidder becomes like Johnson's Boswell and dutifully follows Paul Farmer in his day-to-day life mainly in a Haitian health clinic that he founded.. The result hopefully is a very accurate way to write a biography. Dr. Paul Farmer, Superman, cannot help but impress any reader. It sounds as if not only does he work superhuman hours with the poorest of the poor in Haiti, he really gives them his personal time, still he has time for fund-raising, keeping up correspondences, pioneering and affecting world health political agendas, writing books and becoming a world authority on tackling MDR TB (multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis). In his spare time Dr. Farmer shuttles back to Boston, drops off cultures to testing labs and unbelievably also sees patients while in Boston. I firmly hope that this guy is for real and unfortunately it also appears that he is one of a kind. This book is full of hope when it is seen what just one man has done. If someone like a hands-on Dr. Paul Farmer believes the onslaught of AIDs and new powerful strains of Tuberculosis on impoverished tropical populations can be controlled, who are we to argue and maybe his organization deserves a contribution.Book Review: Beware: this book may inspire you
Summary: 5 Stars
This book was recommended to me by a co-worker who read it in a reading group. She warned me that the book might cause me to "view our patients a little differently". I don't know that it changed my entire perspective, but it helped me to see things from a different angle. If you have read the previous reviews, you know the book is about a physician / anthropologist who dedicates his life to treating the sick, which in his case are also poor (very poor). In doing so he encounters many obstacles (or mountains) that make many problems we face in the U.S., seem... well trivial. The fact that he overcomes many of these and continues to take on greater obstacles is what makes this book inspirational. For those in the health care community, it will make you look at some of our "overwheling" ethical, public health, socioeconomic and other issues a little differently... I highly recommend this book to anyone... Book Review: Unexpectedly compelling, brilliantly written
Summary: 5 Stars
I confess that when this book was selected for my book club, I was relatively unenthused. I work for a non-profit and am interested in public health issues, so it wasn't for lack of interest in the topic, but the title and subtitle just made it sound somewhat repetitive and lengthy - I suppose I thought the read itself would be an uphill battle. I was completely wrong. The book was compelling throughout, and the writing was brilliant. Kidder makes the medical terminology extremely accessible, while also making the imagery of the various countries, landscapes, and people come to life.
While I won't go into the details of Farmer's quest (the other reviews and summaries do it justice), I will say that I was duly inspired. This inspiration was partially circumstantial, as I read it while I was experiencing an inertia and lull at work, but all the people I've spoken with concur that it had the same effect on them. However, despite the glowing portrayal of Farmer's visionary quest, Kidder also did a great job of illuminating some of the monsters among Farmer's windmills, the drawbacks of his lifestyle, and the (though few) less-than-charming quirks. I think this was important psychologically for both Kidder and his readers, who could easily be overwhelmed by the enormity of Farmer's vision and impact.
This book made for a great book club discussion and it would also be excellent for high school and college classroom discussions, as it raises a number of issues related to social justice, ethical dilemmas, international politics/policy, personal responsibility, and global health. I highly recommend it and I look forward to checking out some of Kidder's other works.
Book Review: Moving
Summary: 4 Stars
Mountains Beyond Mountains is an excellent work of inspiration and hope. Obviously it's a look inside the life and career of Dr. Paul Farmer. Farmer came from a meager background but excelled enough in his studies to find himself in a unique position. He could doctor to the world-not just the affluent but the poor. Perhaps the people who need it most. At a young age Farmer found himself visiting Haiti (one of the poorest and most third-world of places) and was changed forever. He set up a health clinic there that provides services to the poor and even occasionally hikes hours into the countryside of this tumultuous country to call on patients. This book shows that being a good human, that is, doing what's right pays off even if everyone doesn't follow suit. Farmer wouldn't like it but this book shows him to be a moral exemplar of how we all should be. Throughout the book you'll read about how Farmer has been involved globally to help eradicate TB in places like Peru and Russian prisons, how he has spoken at various forums around the world to show that each patient is a priority regardless of if it is cost-effective or not to treat them. Also, one comes to realize by Farmer's example and efforts that there are more important things in the world than accumulating wealth. What's the old saying that it's better to give than to receive? Early on in the book one of Farmer's patients proclaims that he's a saint. After reading the book it's easy to see why.