A sweeping, emotionally riveting novel with over one million copies sold—an enthralling family saga of Africa and America, doctors and patients, exile and home.Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon. Orphaned by their mother’s death and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and … preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution.
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 miracles—and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined.
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I read this book about 2 years ago and it still stays with me. It is remarkably poignant with strong characters. The prose is lyrical at times, almost magical. It should be on the must read list for anyone who loves great literature.
I owned this book for a time before cracking it open. Once I did, I devoured it in a single sitting. Beautifully written, it is a book that I plan to return to.
This is one of the rare books that I’ve read more than once. I’ve read it 3 times. The story pulls me in and fascinates me every time. Each time, I see (or hear) something I didn’t the first time. This book took me places I have never been. Wonderful writing.
A fantastic book. All of us in my book club loved it. I have already planned the movie in my head with all the actors. Loved it all.
I didn’t expect to like this book nearly as much as I did. When I read the premise, illegitimate twin brothers born in Ethiopia, fascinated with medicine, revolution, miracles and fate, it did not really appeal to me. But we read it in my book club and it was really well written and a great story. Although I still don’t like the title.
I have a particular interest in books written by phycians and this is one of the best literary medical novels I’ve read–ever. Abraham Verghese is a professor of medicine at Stanford who also happens to have attended the Iowa Writers Workshop. His novel did not disappoint, in fact it is stunningly beautiful. The story is told through the point of view of Marion Stone, who along with his conjoined twin brother Shiva, were orphaned at birth at Missing Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The boys are adopted by two marvelous people who also happen to be doctors, Hema, an OB/GYN, and Ghosh, an internal medicine specialist who develops into an accomplished surgeon. Marion eventually becomes a surgeon and the book is Marion’s life story about healing, not his patients, but himself. It is his journey to find out what became of his parents and how these events shaped his, and Shiva’s lives. The novel is touching and brilliant. The technical medical and surgical details are all accurate and perfectly rendered so as not to be overwhelming to readers not familiar with medical terms.
This was probably one of the best books I have ever read.
The first fifty pages were tedious but I was reading for book club so I ploughed through it. The rest of the book was so rewarding that I was sorry to see it end
The first 2/3 of the book was slow. The last portion was compelling.
Long book but great read
Now realizing that this book has been out for several years, I may be posting way past the tremendous impact of the initial release date. The debth of research and fact based historic accounting of a truly possible situation was pure painful reality and joy as the story unfolds…and then doubles back again. Truly unexpected ending and I am generally way ahead of where things are going. As I have only now found this author and this book slipped by me several years ago, I can only hope he has continued to write and a new book might be near! Having worked as an International Program Coordinator for an amazing adoption agency for many years, this telling of Ethiopia’s deep historic roots and sense of family cemented all my passions for children, history, culture and the true gift of sacrificial love!
No more spoilers! Don’t miss this book! I was only half way through when I ordered a copy be sent to my sister on the East Coast. Make sure you can stay up all night as this is a hard one to put down!
This book has everything: a large cast of distinct characters, a complex and unpredictable plot, an exotic setting, and a spiritual thread. I like learning while reading, and Cutting for Stone taught medicine and Ethiopian history in a fascinating way. My favorite character was Hema, the powerful mother.
I loved it, so did our book club.
Great contemporary fiction, set in Addis Ababa in a Mission hospital, during the revelution. A must read
One of my favorite books of all time! It transported me to a different place and time. I fell in love with the characters and will never forget this story
Having traveled to Ethiopia several times, we just loved this book. Understanding the history of this amazing country helped us connect with the places and customs described in the book. So interesting and inspiring.
It was amazing. Great read!
This book was magical. I loved everything about it!
This is one of my all time favorites. So interesting to learn the culture and history of a country that I knew little about. The characters were fascinating as to choices made and consequences suffered.
One of the rare books I ever gave a 5 star rating. Such real characters in such an unusual setting. The love story was unique and its hard to believe such a tragic subject matter has remained hidden. I have recommended this many times and I will read it again soon. Thought provoking, especially vivid story of the treatment of women in certain cultures.