Cutting for stone by the astonishingly gifted, deeply compassionate writer abraham verghese will wrap around you from the very first page and will not let you go. Those words provide an epigraph partway through abraham verghese s first novel, cutting for stone, and also explain the surname of its narrator, marion stone, along with his twin brother, shiva. The title of this book is cutting for stone and it was written by abraham verghese. This is a long, ambitious novel, dickensian in its scope, detailing the not only the life of marion stone, but the struggling charity hospital in which he is raised, and. Jul 15, 2016 cutting for stone abraham verghese vintage canada, 2010 i had put off reading cutting for stone for quite some time, mostly, i think, from a fear that it couldnt live up to its hype. Cutting for stone abraham verghese vintage canada, 2010 i had put off reading cutting for stone for quite some time, mostly, i think, from a fear that it couldnt live up to its hype. The book is set in addis, ethiopa in the 1950s and 60s. For most of the novel, there isnt much good to say about dr. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese reading guide.
Cutting for stone by abraham verghese so, i finally finished the second of the two big fat books i was reading simultaneously note to self. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese books library. Haunting, moving, richly detailed summary from publisher. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese everyday reading. This is the book you need to put at the top of your reading list right now. As the distraught father leaves abruptly, the boys are. Abraham verghese, author of cutting for stone, describes. This first novel involves the trials of a medical family caught up in the turmoil of ethiopia. Forthcoming books are announced every day, but this week, there have been two big announcements that have us buzzing with anticipationso of course we wanted to share the news with you first up is the maramon convention scribner, the forthcoming second novel from awardwinning writer abraham verghese, whose cutting for stone was one of our readers choice.
Cutting for stone by abraham verghese book cover, description, publication history. In cutting for stone, renowned physician abraham verghese has given us a. These are fascinating topics, and evocatively written. Cutting for stones medical content increases as marion goes on to an internship in new york, and robs the novel of a little of its magic. Feb 03, 2009 abraham verghese is professor and vice chair for the theory and practice of medicine at the stanford university school of medicine. At first, i wasnt sure id like the book, as i expected it to be quite sad. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese in fb2, rtf, txt download e book. The story in cutting for stone seems to be modeled after at least a few of dr.
Cutting for stone kindle edition by verghese, abraham. About threequarters of the way through, the book moves to the us. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese and a great selection of related books. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese in fb2, rtf, txt download ebook. Sometimes i like that, but for cutting for stone, which has quite a lot of things going on, i could have used a little hand holding. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese a story of ethiopias past half century impresses aida edemariam. In what ways is cutting for stone an oldfashioned story and what does it share with the great novels of the nineteenth century. Chapter two of cutting for stone, by abraham verghese, is titled the missing finger, and we learn how dr. Yet cutting for stone is all the better for vergheses encyclopaedic knowledge and affection for its content. Apr 26, 2011 for readers who like the length, depth, and strength of a true saga, cutting for stone by abraham verghese is your story. Dec 09, 2011 verghese is the author of the bestselling novel cutting for stone and two memoirs, my own country and the tennis partner. I read it with no idea where it was going or who the story was even about. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Ethiopian physician abraham vergheses 2009 novel cutting for stone, a publishers weekly best book of 2009 selection, tells the story of twin brothers marion and shiva stone who are born conjoined but are separated at the time of their birth.
It was published by vintage and has a total of 667 pages in the book. The story of cutting for stone is told from marions point of view he and his twin brother, shiva, were born in an ethiopian hospital to a nun one hardly needs to point out that this is problematic, to say the least. Abraham verghese is professor and vice chair for the theory and practice of medicine at the stanford university school of medicine. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Abraham verghese has 5 books on goodreads with 687105 ratings. Cutting for stone throughout the month of march, npr books will be running an online discussion about abraham vergheses novel cutting for stone.
Moving from addis ababa to new york city and back again, cutting for stone is. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of cutting for stone by abraham verghese. In cutting for stone, renowned physician abraham verghese has given us a remarkable reading experience that explores the lives of a memorable cast of characters, many of them doctors. He has also said my ambition was to write a big sweeping novel into which you could disappear, travel away as though in a spaceship, disappear, meet exciting people, and return to find that only a couple of days. Naomi shihab nye, author of habibi empathy for our frail human condition resonates throughout abraham vergheses cutting for stone.
Abraham verghese has said that his ambition in writing cutting for stone was to tell a great story, an oldfashioned, truthtelling story. Marion and shiva stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful indian nun and a brash british surgeon. Marion and shiva stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful indian nun and a brash british. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese houston chronicle. To read the first page of cutting for stone is to fall hopelessly under the spell of a masterful storyteller. Richard eyre compared this book to chekhov and shakespeare, an enthusiasm presumably prompted by the variety and colour of vergheses world, its earthiness and drama, its concreteness of detail.
Cutting for stone is one of those books thats been floating around the book discussion group circuit and seems to be mostly beloved. An epic novel that spans continents and generations, cutting for stone is an. An indian nun and an english doctor have conjoined twin babies in ethiopia. A tale this wild is perilous, but there is not a false step anywhere. Nov 11, 2014 presentsabraham verghese on cutting for stone. Buy a cheap copy of cutting for stone book by abraham verghese. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese nook book ebook. Jan 26, 2010 cutting for stone by the astonishingly gifted, deeply compassionate writer abraham verghese will wrap around you from the very first page and will not let you go. Accomplished nonfiction writers do not necessarily make accomplished novelists, but with cutting for stone, abraham verghese has become both. Abraham verghese story, cutting for stone, takes us to ethiopia during haile selassies rule when poverty foments revolution and betrayal by subjects who want better living and working conditions for its citizens. Audio book sample courtesy of penguin random house audio. Cutting for stone, by abraham verghese the new york times. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading cutting for stone.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Vergheses digressions into medicine and surgery, however, are more intrusive, and feel like selfindulgence on the part of the author. Abraham verghese, md, macp, is professor for the theory and practice of medicine at the stanford university school of medicine and senior associate chair of the department of internal medicine. Cutting for stone is a gorgeous epic tale, suffused with unforgettable grace, humanity and compassion. Narrated by marion stone, the story begins even before marion and his twin brother, shiva, are born in addis ababas missing hospital a mispronunciation of mission. Those words provide an epigraph partway through abraham vergheses first novel, cutting for stone, and also explain the surname of its narrator, marion stone. Feb 08, 2009 those words provide an epigraph partway through abraham vergheses first novel, cutting for stone, and also explain the surname of its narrator, marion stone, along with his twin brother. For readers who like the length, depth, and strength of a true saga, cutting for stone by abraham verghese is your story. Orphaned by their mothers death and their fathers disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution. Born of indian parents who were teachers in ethiopia, he grew up near addis ababa and began his medical training there.
Cutting for stone by abraham verghese fantastic fiction. So, yeah, marion and shiva are two separate peoplebut at the same time, theyre kind of. Verghese, marion praise stone, the novels protagonist, is also a doctor with south indian roots, born and brought up in ethiopia, who eventually immigrates to the united states in the wake of political unrest. Verghese is the author of the bestselling novel cutting for stone and two memoirs, my own country and the tennis partner. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese a story of ethiopias past halfcentury impresses aida edemariam. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese 9780375714368. It is a saga of twin brothers, orphaned by their mothers death at their births and forsaken by their father. Books by abraham verghese author of cutting for stone. About threequarters of the way through, the book moves to the us as many. In my heart i knew the chance was infinitesimally small, and the first whiff of. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese, paperback barnes. Feb 08, 2009 stone, i said, using his title though i longed to cry out, father.
Oct 17, 2011 abraham verghese s cutting for stone was published in 2009, and while verghese had published two nonfiction books previously, this was his first novel. He is the author of my own country, an nbcc finalist made into a film directed by mira nair, and the tennis partner, a new york times notable book. Books by abraham verghese author of cutting for stone abraham verghese has 5 books on goodreads with 687105 ratings. Jan 28, 2011 cutting for stone by abraham verghese. This is a book, i think, that i would have greatly benefited from an introductory summary. Abraham vergheses cutting for stone was published in 2009, and while verghese had published two nonfiction books previously, this was his first novel. Recently in san francisco i attended a reading by abraham verghese, who has written my favorite book of the year. Verghese said that his aim in writing cutting for stone was to tell a great story, an oldfashioned, truthtelling story. Cutting for stone 2009 is a novel written by ethiopianborn indianamerican medical doctor and author abraham verghese. Cutting for stone by verghese, abraham and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
The author must bring it home, that continent, into the readers more defined existence. He is the author of my own country, a 1994 nbcc finalist and a time best book of. An epic novel that spans continents and generations, cutting for stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, compassion and redemption, exile and home that unfolds across five decades in india, ethiopia, and america. Verghese is a physician and an already accomplished author. See abraham verghese speaking on his book cutting for stone. Reading guide for cutting for stone by abraham verghese. This is a novel sure to receive a great amount of critical attentionand attention from readers, too. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese book club discussion. Abraham verghese s most popular book is when breath becomes air. Time wise, this absorbing novel covers a period of at least 2530 years. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. The book includes a deep description of both medical procedures and explores the human side of medical practices.
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