Rough Sleepers

Dr. Jim O’Connell’s Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People

By: Tracy Kidder

Narrated by: Tracy Kidder

Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The powerful story of an inspiring doctor who made a difference, by helping to create a program to care for Boston’s homeless community—by the Pulitzer Prize-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Mountains Beyond Mountains

“I couldn’t put Rough Sleepers down. I am left in awe of the human spirit and inspired to do better.”—Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, BookPage, Chicago Public Library

Tracy Kidder has been described by The Baltimore Sun as “a master of the nonfiction narrative.” In Rough Sleepers, Kidder tells the story of Dr. Jim O’Connell, a gifted man who invented a community of care for a city’s unhoused population, including those who sleep on the streets—the “rough sleepers.”

After Jim O’Connell graduated from Harvard Medical School and was nearing the end of his residency at Massachusetts General, the hospital’s chief of medicine made a proposal: Would he defer a prestigious fellowship and spend a year helping to create an organization to bring health care to homeless citizens? That year turned into O’Connell’s life’s calling. Tracy Kidder spent five years following Dr. O’Connell and his colleagues as they work with thousands of homeless patients, some of whom we meet in this illuminating book. We travel with O’Connell as he navigates the city streets at night, offering medical care, socks, soup, empathy, humor, and friendship to some of the city’s most endangered citizens. He emphasizes a style of medicine in which patients come first, joined with their providers in what he calls “a system of friends.”

Much as he did with Paul Farmer in Mountains Beyond Mountains, Kidder explores how Jim O’Connell and a dedicated group of people have improved countless lives by facing and addressing one of American society’s most difficult problems, instead of looking away.

©2023 Tracy Kidder (P)2023 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"“Excellent . . . a detailed portrait of the lives of homeless Americans . . . [Kidder] asks us—correctly, I think—to consider that in a world of far too much cruelty, the compassionate person standing at the bottom of the cliff is part of the story too.” —The Washington Post

“Excellent and immersive . . . sure-handed.” —The Wall Street Journal

“To read Rough Sleepers is to confront not only the consequences of homelessness, but to wrestle with knowing that, as terrible as the problem is now, it would so be much worse if not for the sacrifices of people like O’Connell.” —Los Angeles Times

I could not stop listening!

Jim O'Connell and I were Notre Dame classmates, although our paths never crossed, to my great regret. His work with the homeless of my native city has been the subject of magazine articles and radio interviews over the years, but I never fully appreciated how fully he has devoted himself to the physical, emotional and social needs of his fellow men and women until I read ROUGH SLEEPERS. As an emergency medicine physician, I know full well the enormous energy, patience and compassion that is required to provide quality medical care to "rough sleepers." These patients were among the most challenging I encountered in my practice, with their manifold medical problems, atrocious living conditions, and lack of social support. They represented only a small fraction of my patient population. It takes a very special doctor to devote his entire practice to the care of the homeless, drug-addicted, despised denizens of the streets. Dr. O'Connell's patients and co-workers call him a saint. After reading ROUGH SLEEPERS, I can't think of a better word to describe this wonderful human being.

Must Listen

Kidder does an amazing job in accurately and urgently engaging the listener in a most important telling of an oft overlooked slice of society cared for by one of the nation’s foremost leaders and healers. Eloquently articulated prose of Dr. O’Connell’s work, passion, and practice. Not only important and urgent, Kidder continues his practice of immensely engaging writing (and narrating) making it hard to “put the book down” or stop listening.

Incredible story and mission

A truly remarkable story about the unhoused community in Boston - there is community, compassion, joys, and tribulations. It has made a long-lasting impression on me.

Powerful book on many levels

Brilliant writer. This books added to me personally and professionally increasing my compassion and understanding. Kidder writes on the most complex societal challenges through the lens of individuals contributing and inspiring me as a reader.

The worth of every individual

Doctor Jim is someone to emulate. His compassion for those less fortunate, for those abused souls who live out their lives on the streets is overwhelmingly and powerfully beautiful. A must read for those of us concerned with justice and the worth of every person on the planet.

Captivating story telling

The writing is so good it makes you feel like you know these people, the patients as well as the care givers. An incredible look at amazingly caring health workers. Makes the complicated problem of chronic homelessness more comprehensible.

Real stories about real homeless people

This book proves that one person can change the world for the better. Jim gave us real stories about real homeless individuals. He shared the unfortunate circumstances that get people to homelessness, and what helps them the most.

The story of a real life saint

The people of BHCHP are real life heroes. This is such a beautiful and inspiring book.

Excellent audiobook

“Rough Sleepers” was an eye opener. Although I have participated in poverty simulations and tours of homeless areas as part of community awareness and volunteering, this was a much more in-depth view of homelessness and helped to dispel many of my preconceived notions of homeless folk.

A tremendous book and audio book

As a Boston resident, I found this book to be one of the most moving that I've read/heard in the last several years. Dr. Jim O'Connell is an unforgettable character and his work so admirably documented by Tracy Kidder is simply amazing. The book is moving and sad and filled with poignant scenes. I will never look at homeless people, especially the rough sleepers in the same way.