Paul Farmer and his contributions to eradicating health inequalities around the world were not unknown to me. We read his articles in grad school.  I went to the talk he gave in a packed lecture hall at Columbia.  I even read Infections and Inequalities just for fun.  The man is something of a legend in public health spheres for what he has been able to accomplish in terms of advocating for health care for the poor.

Farmer went places no one else wanted to go (Haiti, the slums of Peru, Siberian prisons, and on and on) and conquered diseases that all the experts said were impossible to treat in impoverished parts of the world (multiple drug resistant TB, AIDS).  Instead of hiding behind the ideas of “appropriate technology” and “cost effectiveness” when treating the poor, he and his organization (Partners in Health) pushed for real solutions and a radical change in thinking.

So imagine my joy when a package arrived on my doorstep — a get-well-soon gift from Kristen and Frank in DC (thanks again!) of Mountains Beyond Mountains, a biography of Farmer written by Tracy Kidder.  I didn’t expect to tear through this book so quickly, but it was absolutely inspiring!

To do research for the book, Kidder spent a good deal of time with Farmer, which becomes evident as he uncovers Farmer’s philosophies, motivations, and just generally what makes him tick.  I loved that Kidder injected himself into the book, so as to analyze his own (and others) reactions to someone so tireless, dedicated and controversial as Farmer.  Instead of making Farmer into a saint, this book gets to the heart of Farmer as a person.  And by doing this, turns Mountains Beyond Mountains into a call for action for each one of us.