Exploring Global Health: The Incredible Journey of Dr. Paul Farmer in Mountains Beyond Mountains

Bookworshipper: Amazing book-difficult to believe there are people who are so committed and driven to do good for the people-wherever they are. It shows to see people as human not based on colours. Instead of calculating everything as cost vs benefits, we should meet the requirements of every individual. Paul Farmer demonstrate that few committed individuals with high ideals can change the world. He also demonstrates the importance of working with people accepting their cultural beliefs.

Tracy kidder- this is the first book I read from him. I never felt there is any need to take a break! I am planning to read more of his books.

United Kingdom on May 24, 2023

G horne: Not yet finished, but really enjoying this inspirational book. Recommend for anyone studying tropical medicine/nursing or has a desire to make a difference in low resource countries

United Kingdom on Apr 04, 2021

Sol Rosenfeld: A must read for anyone interested in medicine and public health. Very inspiring story.

Canada on Mar 10, 2021

Beesmalls: I adored this incredible book, and I’m absolutely obsessed with Farmer after reading it. More than just one man though it really sparks thought about global health and social policy and the idea that the poor don’t deserve the health options that the rich have. It is incredibly well researched and I’ve come away knowing more than I ever imagined I would about Haiti, and TB.

United Kingdom on Aug 06, 2019

Steve A: I work in primary health care in the UK and have lived through the times when HIV related illness emerged and TB reappeared as a significant public health problem so this book is of great interest to me professionally and at a personal level with a parallel career in a totally different setting. I found it challenging in thinking 'what might have been' but at the same time familiar - holding that paramount concern for the patient in front of you and the desire to be the best advocate for their care. I think I got to understand the psyche of Dokte Paul, but I am left wondering about the relationships within his own nuclear family. I found it a very good read.

United Kingdom on Jun 06, 2018

kds: Tracy Kidder is the master journalist, like a clear window on the world. Long ago I read The Soul of a New Machine and liked it, but didn't think too much about it. The brilliance of Kidder's style is so make you feel like you are there, really feel what the subject is about, without any distortion positive or negative.

What an amazing subject for this work: Dr. Paul Farmer. This guy is just amazing! As a college student, he travels to Haiti to dedicate himself to the poor. He attends Harvard while spending 8 months a year in Haiti building his own hospital there. He gets a PhD in Anthropology at the same time he gets his MD, the latter not surprising given that he already has 6 years of intense clinical experience dealing directly with life and death situations. You would expect such a person to take on airs, maybe be a big proud of himself, maybe even be motivated by the 'big bucks' so clearly available in a rich city. Dr. Farmer appears to be vying for a "saint" award. Kidder makes you feel like you are there sitting in the same room, and it is no big deal.

To say this book is inspiring is badly understating it. Look at what you can do if you hold true to your...

United States on Jan 21, 2015

William R. Rico: Mountains Beyond Mountains is Tracy Kidder's novel-like non-fiction book about Dr. Paul Farmer, an American doctor who dedicates his life to doctoring the world's poorest and sickest.

Dr. Farmer spends his entire life traveling the world, working at the highest levels of the WHO and other health organizations, but also on the ground -- treating the poor one-on-one. Dr. Farmer became a controversial figure in world medicine, primarily as the result of his stance on two issues...

#1, Dr. Farmer feels compelled to provide direct one-on-one care to patients, including patients in places among the most remote and destitute in the world. In Haiti, it is not uncommon for him to hike for an entire day to reach one patient who failed to make a scheduled appointment at Dr. Farmer's clinic. His usual reasons for these treks are simply so he can ensure a patient is OK and doesn't miss a necessary dose of medicine.

But is this the best use of time for someone uniquely gifted in researching, planning, and guiding disease eradication on a world-wide scale? To many, the answer is "no," and to them, it's irresponsible for Dr. Farmer to spend so much time with individual...

United States on Jan 11, 2009