Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder will return to campus September 7 to address BC first-year students, who were asked to read his critically acclaimed new book, Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O’Connell’s Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People (Random House, 2023), over the summer. Kidder will be accompanied by Dr. Jim O’Connell—the subject of his story of a dedicated doctor who helped to create a medical system for the homeless people of Boston. A master of reporting and nonfiction storytelling, Kidder spent time over five years riding with Dr. O’Connell as he navigated the city, offering medical care, socks, soup, empathy, and friendship to some of the city’s endangered residents. Called a “magnificent, deeply researched, and inspiring book,” Rough Sleepers highlights the dignity of each person and the importance of integrating care for the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of a person. “First-year students will benefit greatly from reading this honest, reflective, and authentic account of someone who has significantly impacted the way in which Boston cares for its unhoused population,” said Michael Sacco, executive director of the Center for Student Formation and Office of First Year Experience. “By engaging with both Kidder and Dr. O’Connell, we hope that our students can envision what a life of service to others might mean for them.” Read more in BC News.