Paul Farmer

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Harvard Book Store is honored to welcome Partners in Health founder and Chair of Harvard Medical School's Department of Global Health and Social Medicine PAUL FARMER as he discusses his newest book, Haiti After the Earthquake.

On January 12, 2010 a massive earthquake laid waste to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, killing hundreds of thousands of people. Within three days, Dr. Paul Farmer arrived in the Haitian capital, along with a team of volunteers, to lend his services to the injured.

In this narrative, Farmer describes the incredible suffering—and resilience—that he encountered in Haiti. Having worked in the country for nearly thirty years, he skillfully explores the social issues that made Haiti so vulnerable to the earthquake—the very issues that make it an "unnatural disaster." Complementing his account are stories from other doctors, volunteers, and earthquake survivors.

"A searing firsthand account of the earthquake and its aftermath. . . . Farmer has been involved in Haiti for 25 years, during which time he has warned policy makers about the country’s precarious position. Unfortunately, the results have been very close to what he was predicted for years—at least 2 million people are still displaced, one-third of the population is directly affected and cholera has become a major problem. . . . An eye-opener of a report and a wake-up call that change is needed." —Kirkus Reviews

"Farmer’s book raises a question: Now that Haiti has the world’s attention and is the beneficiary of one of the largest philanthropic outpourings in history, can this republic of NGOs use its collective knowledge to build the country back to a better place? Though hopeful, Farmer recognizes that massive work lies ahead." —The Washington Post