Cutting for Stone; Abraham Verghese
Spanning the world of surgical medicine from Ethiopia to the large teaching hospitals of the US, Verghese tells a compelling story of the startling birth of twin boys and the lives they lead through this environment, impacting family, fellow clinicians and patients alike. An engrossing, captivating story, beautifully written....not to be missed !
Rated of 5
by Mary Lou (Shenandoah Junction WV)
Cutting for Stone
"Cutting for Stone" is a gripping story that begins in Ethiopia and unfolds over decades and continents. It is a story of coming of age, of passion and of tragedy, but mostly, it is a story of hope and commitment.
Dr. Verghese's descriptions of places and incidents were so vivid, I felt like I was with the characters. looking over their shoulders and eavesdropping. This is one of the best and most well written books I've read in a long time.
Rated of 5
by Laura (Atlanta GA)
Read this one! Cutting for Stone is a family saga that has it all - birth and death, sin and forgiveness, love and hate, politics and medicine - wrapped in a balanced and gripping plot involving compelling characters and exotic locations. Verghese tells a great story with none of the overwriting so common to "big" novels. His fiction debut is even better than his outstanding nonfiction (My Own Country). This was the best "curl up with a good book" read I've had in ages.
Rated of 5
by Christine (Highland UT)
Outstanding Cutting for Stone was one of the best novels I've read in a long time.
The narrator is Marion Stone, who begins his life in Ethiopia. His story includes "his"tory of his biological parents, his surrogate parents, his twin brother, his love, his passion for medicine, his witnessing of Ethiopian history and unrest, his move to New York, and his eventual life as a surgeon. There are incredibly complicated relationships between Marion and his twin, Marion and the love of his life, and Marion and his father. Abraham Verghese does an extraordinary job of weaving all of these lives and events together in a way that is believable and so full of the human spirit.
Passion, pain, suffering, guilt, hidden truths, forgiveness and redemption act as cogs that continue to move the story forward with a force that made me look forward to every single page. Abraham is a gifted storyteller. I am sure this novel will not only be a bestseller, but will be among those having a lasting impact on anyone who reads it.
Rated of 5
by Pat (San Antonio TX)
Cutting for Stone
The novel takes the reader in and out of the operating theatre. Diseases are described and medical terms are used. The reader learns just as Marion, the narrator, learns the difference between the Art and the Science of Medicine and the blending of the two. Even Matron, a minor character, plays an important role explaining how donated money to the hospital is disbursed. She is courageous and she displays good common sense. Fundamental truths are stated in a direct manner. The story line is compelling and the characters are well rounded. Strange cultural practices are described without passing judgment. As the narrator matures, he learns that life - "you live forward, but understand it backward."
This book will be on our reading list for next year. It is a must read!
Rated of 5
by Leann (Springfield IL)
Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese
I really enjoyed this book, although there were parts that I thought might have benefited from tighter editing to even out the pacing. But, the language is rich and lovely and the characters alive and wonderfully complex. I’m sure that this book will be among the rare few that stay with me long after I’ve moved on to the next . . . and the next . . . and the next . . .
Rated of 5
by Judith (Ewa Beach HI)
Too heavy to put down
Each chapter is short so I found myself reading 'just one more'....and then not wanting the book to end.
I felt as though I were in the doctors' shoes and the medical/scientific terminology was no obstacle to this being an exciting, interesting read.
ShivaMarion caught my heart and made me care each step of the way ... as did all the other characters. I really did get to know them personally.
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys well-written fiction with an engaging plot line (or two!)
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of 5
by Jane (Lakeport CA)
