Mountains Beyond Mountains, by Tracy Kidder

Many, many people have recommended this book to me — a story about a great human (Paul Farmer), written by an author I really like (Tracy Kidder). But for whatever reason, I’ve had a hard time getting through it. I didn’t find the subject matter as personally compelling as Kidder’s seminal work, The Soul of a New Machine (which I’ve read several times and is a very important book — sort of a proto-Microserfs :-)).

I think I found the writing on this one a little flat, and the story a little repetitious.

But I have to say that the man, Paul Farmer, is incredible and inspirational and amazing. Obviously a hero of the highest order, and someone who decided to change the world and did, in a very positive way. His work has centered in (especially) Haiti, Peru & Russia — work dedicated to improving the health of the poor — in particular tuberculosis and AIDS. He’s done great, thoughtful indefatigable work, and this is a story that everyone should know and cheer.