Some Northwestern students and Evanston residents who turned out to see Tracy Kidder instead found themselves watching the author on a live feed in a pair of overflow rooms that were themselves…overflowing.
The large audience turnout – about 450 people showed up for Kidder’s presentation on “Mountains Beyond Mountains,” this year’s One Book One Northwestern book – surprised some attendants.
More than half an hour before the event started, attendants completely filled room 107 in Harris Hall, where Kidder spoke. Event organizers set up two overflow rooms, one in Harris, 1881 Sheridan Rd., and one in University Hall, 1897 Sheridan Rd. Projectors showed live video feeds of the presentation.
“Most people would’ve thought it to be logical to have it in a bigger place, but I think the school wanted to show off the new building,” said SESP sophomore Joan DeGennaro, referring to the University’s recent renovation of Harris.
Weinberg junior Steph Asplundh said she expected the crowd.
“I felt there was hype about him,” she said. “Tracy Kidder is pretty famous, and I think he speaks to a lot of students. I know a lot of students had read ‘Mountains Beyond Mountains’ even before it was the One Book One Northwestern.”
Asplundh, who was in the main room, said people were standing along the walls and sitting on the side staircases near the stage.
“I wasn’t surprised with how many people were there, but I was surprised by how many of them weren’t students,” she said. “I was little disappointed that more students didn’t get to sit in the main room.”
After the presentation, Kidder signed books in the overflow room in Harris, where many people – mostly adults – stood in line once again.
“I went in a little skeptical at first because Tracy Kidder wrote about Paul Farmer , and (Kidder) didn’t do (Farmer’s) work,” DeGennaro said. “So I was just curious about what he would talk about. But I enjoyed the talk, and I’m really glad I went. He had his inspiring points.”
