Recommended Reading

Here's a shocker for you: I'm always reading a book. If my nose isn't physically in it at the moment, then it's in my purse or on my nightstand or waiting for me in my most recent reading nook.

With that in mind, it shouldn't surprise you that I'm reading as much as I can about Haiti and mission work before I leave. I know just reading about the place won't make me an expert of any kind - or make me even marginally equipped for what I'm about to experience - but boning up at the library has never hurt anyone, so I'm doing it.

Fortunately for me, Haiti H2O has my back in the book rack, so I've had plenty of material to focus on since committing to this adventure. For your convenience, I've broken our recommended reading into several (hopefully) helpful categories, just in case you feel so inclined to read a bit about Haiti beyond this blog. Within each category, I've ranked the books from my favorite (top) to least favorite (bottom). Maybe you'll find a few that interest you!

Haitian History

• The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster by Jonathan M. Katz
• The Uses of Haiti by Paul Farmer
• The Black Jacobins by C.L.R. James
• Toussaint Louverture: A Biography by Madison Smartt Bell 

Mission Work

• Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle: Living Fully, Loving Dangerously by Kent Annan
• Song of Haiti: The Lives of Dr. Larimer and Gwen Mellon at Albert Schweitzer Hospital of Deschapelles by Barry Paris
• Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder
• When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor...and Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

Haitian Culture

• Krik? Krak? by Edwidge Danticat
• The Comedians by Graham Greene