Cutting For Stone: The multi-million copy bestseller from the author of Oprah’s Book Club pick The Covenant of Water

The friend who recommended "Cutting for Stone" mentioned that `it is a bit medical'. Surely an understatement as this book is almost entirely medical and none the worse for that. I took a little time to get to grips with it all, particularly as the opening medical drama involves an exceptionally gruesome case of "Placenta Praevia" which was my own first, very frightening, experience of childbirth. The reader is rocket propelled into the gory, under equipped, Addis Ababa Operating Theatre No 3 (there is only one actually) with Dr. Thomas Stone, the Matron, Nurse Probationer and the horribly suffering mother-to-be, Sister Mary Joseph Praise. This baptism of fire sets the scene for a bystander's view of many further dramatic and sometimes terrifyingly pioneering operations.Well now having read this book, I at least, really am on rather different terms with my internal organs. Less mysterious, they feel like the old friends they truly are and I know where they live! The author who explains so comfortably and clearly the workings of the human body also wonderfully demonstrates the love of teaching, attributed especially to Ghosh in the story, making it easy for the layman to take on board new and important knowledge.Only such a widely experienced and completely dedicated surgeon could have credibly written like this. On the last pages his meticulous attribution of every beautiful phrase he chose to incorporate throughout his great work paid careful tribute to his sources but it was his human heart that recognised their worth and resonance. The poetic prose of "Cutting for Stone" lifts it all into the highest class. Even the clever title has two possible meanings.Abraham Verghese mentions his friendship and correspondence with the writer John Irving, acknowledging his influence. I can see the similarities, mainly in the generosity of the writing, their ability to fill such sheer, wide, ambitious canvas but most of all their affectionate observations of the human condition.I didn't realise that I needed to know so much more than I did about Ethiopia and Eritrea, `Abyssinia', the countries around and their varied peoples. As with Alexander McCall Smith and Botswana, it has taken a man who has lived there, loved it and taken its pulse (these medical references have got into me now) to educate the reader and coax us into recognising truly good and different ways of living. The political strife is brought to life so sharply; it made me feel ashamed that over the years I hadn't properly taken in the truth behind the news. The differing influences on the country's way of life of Emperor Haile Selassie, and later Mengistu, are detailed informatively. Day to day description of existence there during the second half of the twentieth century immerses you in the atmosphere. Scents, flowers, clothes, sounds, speech patterns, religions, the compromises and joys of living in Addis Ababa and that area really spring off the pages. There are also fascinating and inspiring descriptions of highly impressive yet perhaps undervalued immigrant doctors working in New York around the 1980's.A love of language flows through all this fable; the long and self- explanatory terms used by the medical profession. Warmly exhorted by Ghosh to wallow in the glory of such words, Shiva and Marion are initiated into the magic of thoughtful diagnosis and good common sense from their earliest days. Learning by observation throughout their childhood living at the creatively funded and heroically run "Missing" Hospital, they had the finest of `hands on' medical educations, collecting knowledge in stages and being allowed to absorb it at their own pace.The nature of `mirror twins', central to the book is one secret to its enthralling quality. Others are the undercurrents of unrequited love and separation, life long friendship, loss and over whelming guilt. It is a huge read and sometimes a challenging one, with detours and recollections along the way. All has its reason for being there, just be patient and hang on in as this book is well worth the time spent with it. The chosen poem at the beginning is truly very lovely and comforting. The eventual ending certainly had me in tears.

The writing particularly in the first third of the book is wonderful, but there on the plot is so good that the writing style doesn't matter and you are carried on to the finish in awe.The book is centered on Marion and his hunt for the truth about his biological parents. It is also about relationships: with his twin brother Shiva, a girl he is interested in Genet, and his adopted parents Ghosh and Hema. The book follows Marion from when he is a baby to a fully grown up adult when he becomes a surgeon, and tells of differences between working in America and Ethiopia. What comes off clearly from the pages throughout the novel is the author's love of medicine: and I guess he is basing the character of Ghosh on himself.Ghosh is an extroverted warm funny doctor who loves to teach Marion about medicine: how to perform physical exam correctly so to identify any abnormality if present. The writing of Verghese is so natural- (thinking about descriptions of liver physiology in the closing chapters) that I find far more absorbing than medical textbooks. Ghosh is the inspiration: and he came up with the legendary Ls: love, learning, legacy. There is a fascinating chapter when Ghosh writes to the editor of the New England Journal of Medicine: arguing how a clinical sign is not pretentious: and Ghosh becomes Professor so naturally (through his love of medicine). It is also this which he shares with Thomas.All the characters are so alive, and how Abraham does this is a mystery- but I'm given clues from reading the Acknowledgement section where he sends his work off to so many different people who know so much about a specific (talking to doctors who pioneered fistula surgery) which might explain why the book is so rich. The characters: Hema is a driven person who tries at all costs to avoid the herd life. Genet is mercurial. Thomas is shy brilliant surgeon wounded by the past. Shiva- probably favourite character- does not say much but doe not waste words- and is so different to Marion- but also inspired to greatness.The book can also be hilarious (descriptions of ShivaMarion as babies, Rectal exam story). And is a lovely full book. I don't know if any novel Abraham writes can surpass this.

A great book Very well written.Wonderful story.

Now, I have to read all his other books!!!! I wish though that they're not so expensive!

wonderful book, so thoughtful and classic in its poetic tackling of medical topics & terms. truly a lovely read. The book arrived in great condition and I am so happy that I bought this from amazon

Un des meilleurs livres que j'ai lus. Je l'achète constamment depuis pour l'offrir et mes ami(e) en sont aussi ravis.

Currently I am midway through the book and am enjoying it as its quite funny!