These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points if you have not read the book. Klingensmith leave a comment every now and then a book comes along that speaks to us in such a way that when we finish it, we want to flip right back to page 1 and start all over again. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese book club discussion. If you like cutting for stone you might like similar books hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, state of wonder, the invention of wings, the poisonwood. Verghese is a physician and an already accomplished author. Cutting the stone, also called the extraction of the stone of madness or the cure of folly, is a painting by hieronymus bosch, displayed in the museo del prado in madrid, completed around 1494 or later. If you like cutting for stone you might like similar books hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet, state of wonder, the invention of wings, the poisonwood bible, snow flower and the secret fan. Cutting for stone kindle edition by verghese, abraham. An epic novel that spans continents and generations, cutting for stone is an. Cutting for stone by abraham vergese book club discussion. This first novel was preceded by two nonfiction books. The books climax unfortunately marks a further major misstep on vergheses part. At 500 pages it certainly is a long book, but worth every second, earning five stars rating from this reader. His two nonfiction books, my own country, about aids in rural tennessee, and.
Cutting the stone, also called the extraction of the stone of madness or the cure of folly, is a painting by hieronymus bosch, displayed in the museo del prado in madrid, completed around 1494 or later the painting depicts the extraction, by a man wearing a funnel hat, of the stone of madness, a keye modern dutch. When first published, the novel was on the the new york times best seller list for two years and generally received well by critics. 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. Verghese has said that this line comes from ancient times, when bladder stones were epidemic and painful. Cutting for stone is a sweeping family saga which draws you in and transports you to a small missionary hospital in ethiopia. Complete summary of abraham vergheses cutting for stone.
About this guide the introduction, discussion questions, and suggested further reading that follow are designed to enhance your groups discussion of abraham vergheses acclaimed first novel, cutting for stone. Cutting for stone is the complex story of the praise family, focusing on twin brothers marion and shiva as they negotiate the hidden histories of their past while working hard to make medical advances for the future. An indian nun and an english doctor have conjoined twin babies in ethiopia. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese at the best online ebook storage.
Teresa with a note saying ghosh had it framed and wanted him to have it. Blood is thicker than water, and more copious, in this expansive novel. The plot of this big, dense book is fairly straightforward. Jan 26, 2010 this is a book to be read for the same joy one garners from listening to puccinis madame butterflyagain and again.
The author of many books take for granted that the reader understands terms like refractive index, dispersion, cleavage planes, birefringence, pleochroism, mohs hardness, toughness, crystallography, etc. Vergheses carefully drawn characters are compelling and unforgettable this is a book you will have to share with others, if you can bear parting with your copy. The novel opens with sister mary praise leaving india to travel to africa as a. Orphaned by their mothers death and their fathers disappearance, bound. He is the author of my own country, a 1994 nbcc finalist and a time best book of. Feb 03, 2009 a sweeping, emotionally riveting novel with over one million copies soldan enthralling family saga of africa and america, doctors and patients, exile and home. May 08, 2009 cutting for stone the phrase is from the hippocratic oath is about twins born joined at the head, in a mission hospital in addis ababa half a century ago. Cutting for stone quotes showing of 263 the key to your happiness is to own your slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own. But things do get a little more complicated than that, and heres what you need to know about deadbeatdadturnedlivertransplantpioneer. The boys, marion and shiva are identical twins orphaned at birth who are raised by a surrogate family and grow up on the grounds of missing hospital in ethiopia. From your search results, use the narrow search options on the lefthand side of the screen. I want to say first, i am the author of cutting for stone and this is not my book. This study guide consists of approximately 42 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of cutting for stone.
Verghese uses twice in his book the fragment of the hyppocratic oath i shall not cut for stone which puzzled me because it seemed to me something negative that a physician would not want to do. For most of the novel, there isnt much good to say about dr. It is impossible to fully explore the incredible depth of cutting for stone within a few paragraphs. As a bookseller, i live for novels like cutting for stone big, fat, beautiful novels as beguiling and enchanting as babies, as wise and as generous as old sages. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese is the tale of several lives, but in particular the narrators, marion stone, and the story of his identical twin brother, shiva stone. Dont be discouraged there are a few books out there that can guide you through the whole process and. Cutting for stone s medical content increases as marion goes on to an internship in new york, and robs the novel of a little of its magic. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese fantastic fiction. I would love to recommended cutting for stone wholeheartedly, such is the strength of vergheses writing, his vivid characters and brilliant settings. Cutting for stone the phrase is from the hippocratic oath is about twins born joined at the head, in a mission hospital in addis ababa half a. Abraham verghese, an indian, grew up in addis ababa, has lived in madras and various cities in america, and thus, regardless of temperament. To search other nova scotia public libraries, except halifax public libraries, start by performing a search in this catalogue.
Physician and author abraham verghese was born and raised in addis ababa to indian parents. He grew up near addis ababa and began his medical training there. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Time wise, this absorbing novel covers a period of at least 2530 years.
In what ways is cutting for stone an oldfashioned storyand what does it share with the great novels of the nineteenth century. The tennis partner, about his distressing friendship with a drug addict and fellow doctor. Marion and shiva stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful indian nun and a brash british surgeon. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese is the tale of several lives, but in particular the narrators, marion stone, and the story of his identical twin brother, shiva stone the story spans five decades and three continents. Thomas stones book with a bookmark inside that has a note from sister mary joseph praise. To read the first page of cutting for stone is to fall hopelessly under the spell of a masterful storyteller. It is a saga of twin brothers, orphaned by their mothers death at their births and forsaken by their father. Abraham verghese has said that his ambition in writing cutting for stone was to tell a great story, an oldfashioned, truthtelling story. The book s climax unfortunately marks a further major misstep on vergheses part. Thomas stone, other than that hes a dang fine surgeon. Dont be discouraged there are a few books out there that can guide you through the whole. For a medical professional, it is both interesting and informative as the author. For readers who like the length, depth, and strength of a true saga, cutting for stone by abraham verghese is your story. A sweeping, emotionally riveting novel with over one million copies soldan enthralling family saga of africa and america, doctors and patients, exile and home.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 541 pages and is available in hardcover format. As abraham verghese quotes it, the line from the oath reads i will not cut for stone, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest. Download and read online for free cutting for stone by abraham verghese. Reading guide for cutting for stone by abraham verghese.
Furthermore, the author alludes to the term cutting for stone when describing shivas fistula repair procedure. Marion and shiva stone are born one dramatic afternoon in 1954 in addis ababa, the same day their mother a nun, sister mary joseph. Cutting for stone is a gorgeous epic tale, suffused with unforgettable grace, humanity and compassion. Free download or read online cutting for stone pdf epub book. Each character is so fully developed from start to finish that the reader becomes deeply involved with each and every one. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese reading guide.
The hippocratic oath the title, cutting for stone, refers to a line in the hippocratic oath, and to the last name of the three main characters, all of them surgeons. Cutting for stone quotes showing of 263 the key to your happiness is to own your slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own the talents you have, and own the ones you dont. A sweeping, emotionally riveting first novelan enthralling f. It is a beautiful novel because it succeeds in creating endearing personalities.
Create an account and send a request for reading to other users. Cutting for stone by verghese, abraham and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Marion is the narrator of cutting for stone, and his voice carries the reader from well before his conception and birth through his life and trials. Pdf cutting for stone book by abraham verghese free. Cutting for stone is a novel written by ethiopianborn indianamerican medical doctor and author abraham verghese. The book includes a deep description of both medical procedures and explores the human side of medical practices. Cutting for stone and millions of other books are available for instant access. 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. In what ways is cutting for stone an oldfashioned story and what does it share with the great novels of the nineteenth century. Cutting for stone paperback 26 dec 2009 by abraham verghese author. The buttery books book club party page for cutting for stone has an wealth of ideas for your book club meetingsome of their suggestions include playing traditional ethiopian music i found one cd from the library with an ethiopian lullaby.
Crystal power, crystal healing michael gienger search tip. Moving from addis ababa to new york city and back again, cutting for stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miraclesand two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined. Vergheses skill at intertwining so many stories is awesome and prohibits simple description of the novel as a whole. The boys, marion and shiva are identical twins orphaned at birth who are raised by a surrogate family and grow up on the grounds of. To search this pdf in acrobat reader 8, choose search from the edit menu to open the full reader search. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese, paperback barnes. After hearing from too many readers how this book was listed on both amazon and good reads as if it was my book, i checked out the listing and i got the book. Abraham verghese was born in 1955 to welleducated, south indian, christian parents who migrated to ethiopia to teach. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese a story of ethiopias past halfcentury impresses aida edemariam. 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. Abraham verghese is professor and vice chair for the theory and practice of medicine at the stanford university school of medicine. The first edition of the novel was published in 2009, and was written by abraham verghese.
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. Abraham verghese has said that his ambition in writing cutting for stone was to tell a great. Cutting for stone is a novel written from the firstperson perspective of marion. Cutting for stone follows the lives of two boys from birth to adulthood. This is a first novel that reveals the authors willingness to show the. They are the breadandbutter novels i cant wait to sell, the books people talk about all year long, the books they buy for their sisters and fathers, the book they press into the hands of friends with insistent, almost violent. Most of the books on faceting that are available to the beginner are few at best. When emperor haile selassie was deposed, he completed his training at madras medical college in chennai, india and went to the united states for his residency as. I will not cut for stone, runs the text of the hippocratic oath, even for. Even bookended by flawed opening and closing sections, however, this remains an enthralling, rewarding read. Best books to read when getting started in faceting. The introduction, questions, and suggestions for further reading that follow are designed to enhance your groups discussion of abraham vergheses acclaimed novel, cutting for stone. Set primarily in addis ababa, ethiopia, during the midtwentieth century, cutting for stone opens at the missing hospital with the unexpected and miraculous birth of marion and shiva to sister.
332 1405 347 1148 1491 904 1212 902 573 793 384 736 1031 1309 1000 715 1212 1632 572 93 671 888 355 299 978 61 553 526 530 1420 551 166