Mountains Beyond Mountains

The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World

by Tracy Kidder

Paperback, 336 pages

English language

Published Aug. 31, 2004 by Random House Trade Paperbacks.

ISBN:: 978-0-8129-7301-3

(13 reviews)

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.

Mountains Beyond Mountains takes us from Harvard to Haiti, Peru, Cuba, and Russia as Farmer changes minds and practices through his dedication to the philosophy that "the only real nation is humanity"—a philosophy that is embodied in the small public charity he founded, Partners in Health. He enlists the help of the Gates Foundation, George Soros, the U.N.’s World Health Organization, and others in his quest to cure the world. At the heart of this book is the example of a life based …

9 editions

Mark.Michaelis reviewed Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

Review of 'Mountains Beyond Mountains' on 'GoodReads'

5 stars

Fantastic!!!! Paul Farmer is amazing in his persistence in Haiti and hearing about his outlook and approach to the work is inspiring. I especially appreciate his logical, albeit atypical conclusions. For example, when he faces the question of burnout, he concludes that whenever he chooses not to give life his all or relax more than the absolute minimum, he is aware that people are dying that he could save. He, therefore, concludes to give it his all to save lives.
I found the book inspiring!

MONO reviewed Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

Review of 'Mountains Beyond Mountains' on 'GoodReads'

3 stars

α - recommended by Donald Knuth.

Ω -

AliCorbin reviewed Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

Review of 'Mountains Beyond Mountains' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

A non-fiction work about Paul Farmer, who has spent decades in Haiti operating a medical clinic and trying to alleviate the poverty in the central plateau, and worked in Peru to eradicate antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis, and organized tuberculosis campaigns in Russia, and is now doing God-knows-what in Africa. The discussion took its normal, expected sidetrips into liberal diatribes (by WL's, as Farmer would call us).