Strength in what Remains [Paperback]

`A riveting, cogent account of ethnic catastrophe and migrant survival that seemingly places the reader right inside Deo's soul' --Metro

`An inspirational story' --The Times

`A fascinating, uplifting book' -- Irish Examiner

`A remarkable feat' -- Catholic Herald

'Tracy Kidder may have just written his finest work ... one of the truly stunning books I've read this year' New York Times

Strength in What Remains recounts the remarkable experiences of Deo, a medical student from Burundi who narrowly survived two genocides, first in his own country, then Rwanda. Through sheer fortitude, and the astonishing kindness of strangers, Deo fled to New York. But his ordeal was far from over. He endured daily discrimination in his menial job, and left his first home - a Harlem tenement building - for the greater safety of sleeping rough in Central Park. Again the generosity of those he encountered prevailed. Deo was introduced to a couple who would in time virtually adopt him, and in the coming years he graduated from Colombia, obtained US citizenship and returned to Burundi to pursue his dream of founding a clinic. In this powerful book, Tracy Kidder brings to light the universality of the human condition through Deo's extraordinary story of suffering and survival.

Amazon.com's Best Non-Fiction Book of 2009 'The book encourages a general hope that individuals can ­transcend even the greatest horrors.' Wall Street Journal Deo arrives in America from Burundi in search of a new life. Having survived a civil war and genocide, plagued by horrific dreams, he comes to New York with two hundred dollars, no English and no contacts. He ekes out a precarious existence delivering groceries, living in Central Park, and learning English by reading dictionaries in bookshops. Then Deo begins to meet the strangers who will change his life, eventually pointing him in the direction of Columbia University, medical school, and a life devoted to healing. Tracy Kidder breaks new ground in telling this unforgettable true story as he travels with Deo, looking back over a turbulent life in search of meaning. Strength in What Remains is an inspiring account of one man's remarkable journey of suffering and survival, and of the ordinary people who helped him turn his life around. 'Kidder's uplifting true story ... just may restore your faith in humanity' People

Tracy Kidder graduated from Harvard, studied at the University of Iowa, and served as an army officer in Vietnam. He has won the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Award, and many other literary prizes, and is the author of eight books.