Last fall the University of Washington embarked on an ambitious reading project — having every entry-level UW student read the same book (that would be a 5,000-member book club). The UW's choice was "Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World" by Tracy Kidder (Random House), the story of Farmer and his quest to bring health care to impoverished parts of the world.

Farmer came through last fall to discuss his mission; now Kidder, winner of multiple awards for his nonfiction ("Among Schoolchildren," "House," "The Soul of a New Machine") is coming to town to discuss the book and what it's like to write about a 24/7 personality such as Farmer. Kidder will appear at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at Kane Hall on the University of Washington campus. The event is free, though registration (at www.uwcommonbook.org) is encouraged. For more information, call 206-543-0540.

Mary Ann Gwinn, Seattle Times book editor