Tracy Kidder

Who they were

Tracy Kidder, American writer (born 1945)

Early life

Kidder was born in 1945 and grew up in New England. He studied at Harvard University and served in the U.S. Army before pursuing a career in writing.

Path and career

Kidder began his career as a journalist, writing for The Atlantic Monthly and other publications. His 1981 book *The Soul of a New Machine*, about computer engineers at Data General, won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.

He went on to write acclaimed works including *House* (1985), about the construction of a home, and *Mountains Beyond Mountains* (2003), a biography of physician Paul Farmer. Kidder's meticulous reporting and literary style made complex subjects accessible to general readers.

Why this date

Tracy Kidder appears on our March 24 calendar for 2026 as a death entry.