A day may come many years from now when future generations will look back, after they have cleaned up our messes, and be shocked by the shear apathy of our and previous generations. If Compassion ever becomes the norm in the future how will history judge our time? When men like Dr. Farmer are considered mad because they work so hard for others? May we all be lucky enough that our posterity will not have to look back on us with shame. Mar 11, Erin Sorensen rated it it was amazing.
This book was amazing. Paul Farmer is my hero. This story really gives you a new perspective, it is very inspiring. When companies have to make really hard decisions everyday, they create a protocol to take the emotions out of the process and to focus only on value.
When governments do it, it's called collateral damage. Paul Farmer doesn't believe in protocol OR collateral damage. He believes in curing people of curable diseases, no matter where they live, who they are or how much money they have.
I keep trying to think of a metaphor to describe Farmer's drive. Imagine if your house was on fire and all your f When companies have to make really hard decisions everyday, they create a protocol to take the emotions out of the process and to focus only on value.
Imagine if your house was on fire and all your favorite things and people were inside of it. Paul Farmer operates on that level every single second of every single day, except his house is the third world and his favorite people are the world's poor. He's happy to have the fire department come with their technologies for fire fighting, but he's also happy to literally throw water on the fire bucket by bucket.
He is most at peace when walking 4 hours through Haitian tundra to treat one family with a history of tuberculosis. If you read this and think oh, this book must be just a tremendous guilt trip for the rest of first world humanity - you're right. But Paul Farmer doesn't care.
He thinks guilt is good, it's important. If it makes you question privilege, if it makes you uncomfortable with how little you do to eradicate inequality, if it makes you write a check to Partners in Health, that's just fine with him.
It's hard to separate Tracy Kidder's work from the story itself - Paul Farmer is a fascinating character and the work he's done in places like Haiti, in Russian prisons, in Peru is amazing and most health organizations think the work he has done is impossible to replicate. Treating one person at a time. But by the end of the narrative, you'll have bought into Paul's ideology as well. I do wonder how much the people he loves and who love him suffer for this mission, but the fact that he thinks it would be selfish to even discuss that makes me understand why Kidder doesn't delve too deeply into that.
Paul is frustrating, brilliant, and has more energy and drive than any other human being I have ever met or read about. The book is worth reading for many reasons - why do the poor suffer? You'll cry, you'll laugh, you'll feel guilty and most importantly - this book will make you think. Jul 15, Fred Forbes rated it liked it. If I were to judge the content of this book by the actions of the main subject, Dr. Paul Farmer, I would naturally award it 5 stars. This is an amazing individual - one gets tired just reading about him as the travels the world - Haiti, Peru, Russia - aiding the impoverished by treating infectious diseases like TB and AIDs.
How he ever finds time to write, publish, and address conventions is beyond me. But, Kidder's prose gets a bit wearying, repetitive, and plodding at times. Unusual for so acc If I were to judge the content of this book by the actions of the main subject, Dr. Unusual for so accomplished a writer I enjoyed several of his other books, especially the Pulitzer winner, "Soul of A New Machine". Still, a book worth reading if only for learning some Haitian history, the operation of the Cuban health care system and the sad state of the medical care to which the world's impoverished masses are subject.
Nov 11, Brandi rated it did not like it Recommends it for: nobody. Had to read this for a first year university thing, and greatly resented this first uni experience. What I got out of this book was that, basically, if you weren't helping the sick in Haiti, then you suck. I felt like Tracy Kidder didn't appreciate the valuable work of anyone else in any other field - or, honestly, anybody but Dr. Then Dr. Farmer came to speak to my school, and I hated the book even more after being forced to listen to him.
I rarely hate books, but Kidder's uncritical pr Had to read this for a first year university thing, and greatly resented this first uni experience. I rarely hate books, but Kidder's uncritical praise of Farmer made me see Farmer as an egotistical jackass. Helpful in the grand scheme of things, sure, but I don't want to hear about him. May 18, Rebecca McPhedran rated it it was amazing Shelves: favorites , book-of-substance , non-fiction.
I just finished this amazing account of the work of Paul Farmer. Farmer is a medical anthropologist, who travels the world including Peru, Russia and Haiti. His name is one of the best known in international medical circles. He is a champion for the poor, and not just the American poor, but those who are oppressively, chronically poor-with barely any hope of ever seeing a doctor in their lives.
Tracy Kidder dos an amazing job of chronicling his time spent with Farmer, traveling back and forth I just finished this amazing account of the work of Paul Farmer. Tracy Kidder dos an amazing job of chronicling his time spent with Farmer, traveling back and forth to Haiti and all over the globe. Farmer has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, since before he started medical school, and as Kidder writes in his book, "Farmer is like a compass-one leg swinging all over the world, and one firmly planted in Haiti.
Farmer's mission is to help as many people as possible, medically, and then help them in any way to make their lives a bit more comfortable. Maybe, even pull them out of their poverty in the tiniest bit. Kidder's account of Farmers work, makes the reader want to do something, anything to help those who are less fortunate. I believe him to be one of the most giving individuals on this planet, and in truth, he sees himself as not doing enough. He has truly dedicated his life to helping those less fortunate.
Those individuals, who, who, we as Americans, probably don't give a second thought to. I feel like I could never measure up to his standards.
A truly amazing person, who I think we could all learn a small lesson from. I think this would be a great book for a high school sociology class, or even a world history class. I think that the topic will only get more and more relevant as time passes. Kidder does an amazing job of showing the different points of view of the poor, of Farmer, and the POV of the observer to such amazing selflessness. Jul 25, kevin rated it it was amazing Recommends it for: everyone.
Shelves: non-fiction. Haiti is a complex nation with a heroic history often sullied and distorted by former colonial powers. Kidder offers a balanced view of Farmer's astonishing work for the reader to honor, question, criticize, and admire without didactic hand-holding. I particularly enjoyed the details of Farmer's day-to-day life. Following the doctor's relentless trave Haiti is a complex nation with a heroic history often sullied and distorted by former colonial powers.
Following the doctor's relentless travel schedule, Kidder describes the powerful contrast of Farmer's time spent among international policymakers with the days and weeks he spends serving the people of Haiti. Farmer's dedication to "Areas of Moral Clarity" and bulletproof idealism are an inspiration to a post-industrial world mired in the inertia of relativism. Jan 16, Julie rated it it was amazing Shelves: bio-autobio-memoir , best-of , read , social-political-commentary.
Journalist Tracy Kidder offers a complex portrayal of Dr. Paul Farmer, founding member of Partners in Health and tireless advocate of health care and social justice for the poor.
Kidder struggles to retain subjectivity as he inserts himself directly into Farmer's life. He strives to not present Farmer as a Messianic figure, yet resists focusing on Paul's flaws and the sacrifices he has forced his loved ones and colleagues to make in his quest to save the lives of the least of us. The frequent fi Journalist Tracy Kidder offers a complex portrayal of Dr.
The frequent first-person narration interspersed with the typical third-person exposition of Farmer's life before he and the author met is perhaps what I most appreciated about this biography- that Kidder doesn't distance himself from Farmer. By being a central character in this story, Kidder allows us our natural tendency to compare our lives with Farmer's- which can't help but to come up hopelessly short in compassion and action.
By revealing his affection for and occasional irritation with Farmer, he acknowledges the awe and the self-indulgent guilt nearly all of us would feel in the presence of a man who is changing the world. The book is also a fascinating account of the politics and the personal of global health organizations. The story of how Partners in Health began in a one-room office in with a handful of very young, very talented visionaries, including Farmer and his then-girlfriend, Ophelia Dahl, who remains PIH's Executive Director, is a testament to the power of belief in and dedication to social justice.
PIH has grown in relevance and effectiveness to become one of the most world's respected and influential NGO's. It should and has served as a model to international development organizations of how to structure an agency that can move nimbly and effectively according to need and partnership opportunities.
Paul Farmer is an exceptional human being- there is simply no denying that he walks in the steps of humanitarian geniuses who precede him: Albert Schweitzer, to name but one. Perhaps he lacks the charisma of Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. He has an astonishing stamina and is relentless in his pursuit of his beliefs. Yet, the point of this biography is not to deify a great man. One of my favorite quotes of this book, delivered by Jim Yong Kim, who has been with PIH nearly from its beginning: "If Paul is the model, we're fucked.
He's not a model for how it should be done. But we can't say anybody should or could be just like him. Each of us can DO something to alleviate suffering. It is the doing of the thing that Paul Farmer exemplifies; he has never let the Sisyphean hopelessness of disease and poverty stop him from working to seek their end. The challenges have made him work all the harder. What an inspiration. May 14, Chris rated it it was amazing Shelves: science-or-medicine , bookclub2 , nonfiction.
We need more people like Paul Farmer.!!! Paul Farmer, an infectious disease specialist and medical anthropologist by education, one of the founders of the non-profit Partners in Health had a quirky upbringing and I would say he continued to be a quirky character as Kidder illuminates in his travels with him over the years. I have to admit, I was exhaus WOW!! I have to admit, I was exhausted after finishing the book. There is much one could focus on in the book, but I will just highlight a couple of things.
Farmer had an experience in Haiti during his college years which changed the course of his life and world view. Liberation theology and social justice mixed into the medical desire for cure. His life seems dichotomous at times. He became a medical Robin Hood "redistributive justice" and a powerful fundraiser, he loved caring for the individual, yet became an icon in global health arenas, especially in the areas of multi-drug resistant TB, and AIDS.
He is the Joe Normal to Farmer's almost saintly portrayal, and sometimes plays the Devil's advocate. Many times, in reading about the work, I'd think what have I done? Farmer appears to be It made me feel better. Oct 30, Cara rated it it was ok. I had to seriously think for a long time about why I hated this book. Paul Farmer seems like he's actually a pretty great person doing some great work. And I certainly like Haiti - I've been there twice and those experiences were extraordinarily memorable for me.
And I also find books about epidemiology and especially infectious diseases to I had to seriously think for a long time about why I hated this book. And I also find books about epidemiology and especially infectious diseases to be really interesting in general. This book has all the right ingredients. It's just that it is so Yes, that's the word for it. Utterly and completely boring.
I don't know why. I've thought about it, and I can't figure it out. I could spend more time thinking about it, but I don't care that much. Two stars instead of one, for Paul Farmer being a good guy. How to rate a mind-numbingly long, adulating, repetitive book about an inspiring, dedicated, and apparently effective foot soldier and general in the fight to improve public health world-wide? I read very quickly, finishing most non-fiction books in about 3 days. Determined to read it to the end, wanting to understand more about the subject and his passions, it took me weeks to plow through this book.
Sometimes I could only tolerate about 15 minutes at a time. Throughout his career, Farmer was able to overcome many mountains.
He is extremely influential in the field of global medicine and has revolutionized the way that TB is treated. This year's musical, Frozen Jr. The volleyball team will be playing at the Xcel Energy center this week for the state championship.
Tickets are available. Seniors should submit their senior picture, baby picture, and senior quote to Mrs. Schwarz by January 3rd. Submit Search. Close Menu. Matt Sparke, Department of Geography. Poverty and Health Dr. Jane Huntington, Department of Family Medicine. Jane M. While the doing may be difficult, it can still be done. One of the lasting questions the book asks of us, then, is to consider where we find hope and to challenge us to pursue that hope relentlessly. McKnight, John.
Illich, Ivan. Jane C. Kendall et al. Cruz, Nadinne. Alinsky, Saul. New York: Vintage. Goodwin, Jeff, and James M. Jasper, eds. Oxford: Blackwell. King, Martin Luther, Jr. Loeb, Paul Rogat. New York: St.
Morton, Keith. Greenleaf, Robert K. New York: Paulist Press. Kouzes, James M. The Leadership Challenge Third Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Nussbaum, Martha Craven.
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