- Fall 2007 Selection

Dr. Paul Farmer Tracy Kidder

Current Shared Reading Selection – Fall 2007

The 2007 shared reading title was Tracy Kidder’s Mountains Beyond Mountains. This was the 5^th year of SU’s shared reading program, and this selection exemplifies the values of Scholarship in Action as it portrays the commitment to excellence, broad intellectual interests and service to humanity of Dr. Paul Farmer, a renowned infectious-disease specialist and recipient of a MacArthur “genius” grant.

The book details Farmer’s unconventional upbringing and explains how, while in medical school, he decided to devote his life to finding cures to infectious diseases. Mountains Beyond Mountains follows Farmer’s travels from Harvard to Haiti, Peru, Cuba, and Russia as his dedication to the philosophy that "the only real nation is humanity" leads him to establish Partners In Health, a public charity dedicated to fighting disease founded with help from the Gates Foundation, George Soros, the U.N.’s World Health Organization, and others.

In Mountains Beyond Mountains, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder shows how radical change can be fostered in situations that seem insurmountable, and how taking the road less traveled can lead to great, unexpected rewards and deep understanding about the human condition. The book examines a life based on hope and on an understanding of the truth of the Haitian proverb, “Beyond mountains there are mountains:” as you solve one problem, another problem presents itself, and so you go on and try to solve that one too.

"Our shared reading selection this year shows how intellectual curiosity that crosses traditional disciplines and a willingness to engage the world make it possible to have a tremendous, positive impact on the lives of others. We hope our students find parallels in this story with their own life experiences, and to explore topics and themes related to the Shared Reading book.”

Eric Spina, Vice Chancellor and Provost

Author Tracy Kidder spoke on November 15, 2007 as part of the University Lecture Series. For more information visit the University Lectures website.

Dr. Paul Farmer was that year's College of Arts and Sciences Milton Freshman Lecture speaker.

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Reporting Units Office of the Vice Chancellor and Provost Mary Ann Shaw Center for Public and Community Services Enrollment Management Graduate School Information Technology and Services (ITS) Office of the Associate Provost for Academic Programs Office of Research Syracuse University Press Syracuse University Library Schools and Colleges	A \| A \| A Fall 2007 Selection Dr. Paul Farmer Tracy Kidder Current Shared Reading Selection – Fall 2007 The 2007 shared reading title was Tracy Kidder’s Mountains Beyond Mountains. This was the 5^th year of SU’s shared reading program, and this selection exemplifies the values of Scholarship in Action as it portrays the commitment to excellence, broad intellectual interests and service to humanity of Dr. Paul Farmer, a renowned infectious-disease specialist and recipient of a MacArthur “genius” grant. The book details Farmer’s unconventional upbringing and explains how, while in medical school, he decided to devote his life to finding cures to infectious diseases. Mountains Beyond Mountains follows Farmer’s travels from Harvard to Haiti, Peru, Cuba, and Russia as his dedication to the philosophy that "the only real nation is humanity" leads him to establish Partners In Health, a public charity dedicated to fighting disease founded with help from the Gates Foundation, George Soros, the U.N.’s World Health Organization, and others. In Mountains Beyond Mountains, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder shows how radical change can be fostered in situations that seem insurmountable, and how taking the road less traveled can lead to great, unexpected rewards and deep understanding about the human condition. The book examines a life based on hope and on an understanding of the truth of the Haitian proverb, “Beyond mountains there are mountains:” as you solve one problem, another problem presents itself, and so you go on and try to solve that one too. "Our shared reading selection this year shows how intellectual curiosity that crosses traditional disciplines and a willingness to engage the world make it possible to have a tremendous, positive impact on the lives of others. We hope our students find parallels in this story with their own life experiences, and to explore topics and themes related to the Shared Reading book.” Eric Spina, Vice Chancellor and Provost Author Tracy Kidder spoke on November 15, 2007 as part of the University Lecture Series. For more information visit the University Lectures website. Dr. Paul Farmer was that year's College of Arts and Sciences Milton Freshman Lecture speaker. Shared Reading Home Current Shared Reading Book Previous Shared Reading Selections To Nominate a Book for the Shared Reading Program Organizational Structure of the Shared Reading Program Members of the Shared Reading Committee Links to Related Sites