Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading cutting for stone. 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 2009 is a novel written by ethiopianborn indianamerican medical doctor and author abraham verghese. Feb 08, 2009 the plot of this big, dense book is fairly straightforward. Verghese is so attuned to the movements of the heart and of the mind, so adept at dramatizing the great themes of human existence, and he has filled this world with such richly drawn, fascinating characters, that cutting for stone becomes one of those rare books one wishes would never end, an alternate reality that both rivals and illuminates. The book includes a deep description of both medical procedures and explores the human side of medical practices. 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 study guide by bookrags goodreads. With a cultural backdrop of addis ababa, ethiopia, and a f ocus on the art of surgery, the reader is immersed into a different realm of medicine.
Books similar to cutting for stone cutting for stone. Throughout the book, the political unrest and upheaval of ethiopia is a constant backdrop. In what ways is cutting for stone an oldfashioned storyand what does it share with the great novels of the nineteenth century. A sweeping, emotionally riveting first novelan enthralling family saga of africa and america, doctors and patients, exile and home. Phyllis in the ancient greek hippocratic oath for physicians there was a line about not cutting for stone gall stone, kidney stone, etc because of themore in the ancient greek hippocratic oath for physicians there was a line about not cutting for stone gall stone, kidney stone, etc because of the danger to the patient. This first novel was preceded by two nonfiction books. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Cutting for stone this story is talking about two brothers marion and shiva stone, they were twins. 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. From the bestselling author of the circle and what is the what, a heartpounding true story that weaves together the history of coffee, the struggles of everyday yemenis living through civil war and the courageous journey of a young man a muslim and a u. 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. Books on letter cutting, carving letters in stone, slate. Feb 08, 2009 after eight months spent in the obscurity of our mothers womb, my brother, shiva, and i came into the world in the late afternoon of the twentieth of september in the year of grace 1954. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of cutting for stone by abraham verghese.
What was easy to like was the easy, accessibility of the medical jargon and hospital life that abraham verghese depictsthe boys live on a hospital campus in addis and are raised by two doctors. Cutting for stone there are so many layers and themes to plumb in this intensely poignant and demanding book. It is a saga of twin brothers, orphaned by their mothers death at their births and forsaken by their father. Marion stone and shiva stone timeline in cutting for stone. Abraham vergheses first novel, cutting for stone, with its huge cast of characters and exotic localesincluding the bronxhas a richness that recalls conrad or forster. The cover has some wear but the pages are well maintained. 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.
Reading guide for cutting for stone by abraham verghese. It is a beautiful novel because it succeeds in creating endearing personalities. Cutting for stone is a sweeping family saga which draws you in and transports you to a small missionary hospital in ethiopia. The book is a roller coaster ride of agonies and ecstasies that too often relies heavily on. Cutting for stone, abraham vergheses debut novel, is nothing less than an epic in prose. Abraham verghese was born in 1955 to welleducated, south indian, christian parents who migrated to ethiopia to teach.
In 2009 verghese published cutting for stone, bringing him both critical and popular acclaim. He grew up near addis ababa and began his medical training there. Cutting for stone by verghese, abraham paperback book the fast free shipping. Beyond that there is a spiritual journey of a mystical nature that will not disappoint. John burnham schwartz, author of the commoner and reservation road cutting for stone is a tremendous accomplishment. Feb 06, 2009 the emotionally repressed stone never declared his love for her. A simple guide to finishing rough stones by jim magnuson, val carver, et al. 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. I feel i changed forever after reading this book, as if an entire universe had been illuminated for me.
What this book really needs is some good editing cutting passages and getting down to basics. Cutting for stone resists easy categorization it is just as much the chronicle of a bond between twin brothers and family as it is a book about medicine, or a story of grace. A sweeping, emotionally riveting novel with over one million copies soldan enthralling family saga of africa and america, doctors. Cutting for stone follows the lives of two boys from birth to adulthood.
At the time when there were born, there was a union that didnt bring any good, positive site. The main characters of this fiction, historical story are thomas stone, sister mary joseph praise. Cutting for stone is the first straightforward novel set in and largely about africa that ive read in a good long timethe kind richard russo or cormac mccarthy might write, the kind that shows how history and landscape and accidents of birth and death conspire to create the story of a single life. Stone, who wants to remove the baby that is killing sister mary joseph praise. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese, paperback barnes. The first edition of the novel was published in 2009, and was written by abraham verghese. Abraham verghese is professor and vice chair for the theory and practice of medicine at the stanford university school of medicine. Cutting for stone march 8, 2011 throughout the month of march, npr books will be running an online discussion about abraham vergheses novel cutting for stone. 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. An epic novel that spans continents and generations, cutting for stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, compassion and redemption, exile 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.
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. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese reading guide. 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. Thats the professional promise that doctors make first do no harm when they first become legit doctors, and one of. Those words provide an epigraph partway through abraham vergheses first novel, cutting for stone, and also explain the surname of its. The books climax unfortunately marks a further major misstep on vergheses part. The entire staff goes above and beyond to ensure your order is correct and they package each item with care. Cutting for stone is abraham vergheses big, bloated panorama of 20th century ethiopia, where medicine and religion meet, and surgeons and carmelite nuns procreate. Marion and shiva stone are born one dramatic afternoon in 1954 in addis ababa, the same day their mother a nun, sister mary joseph. Haunting, moving, richly detailed summary from publisher. An indian nun and an english doctor have conjoined twin babies in ethiopia.
Pdf cutting for stone book by abraham verghese free. The tennis partner, about his distressing friendship with a drug addict and fellow doctor. Jan 26, 2010 cutting for stone is a work of literature as noble and dramatic as that ancient practice medicine that lies at the heart of this magnificent novel. The long narrative, setting, characters, conflicts, and quotations that read as invocations all set out to prove this. Cutting for stone abraham verghese, 2009 knopf doubleday 541 pp. 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. 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.
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. What comes off clearly from the pages throughout the novel is the authors love of medicine. In the womb, they were joined by a small stalk at the head, but during a rather traumatic birth this physical tie is severed, leaving behind an intimate relationship unique to such siblings. A gripping piece of fiction that follows the story of the stone family over the years. Poignant for its journey with love and loss and demanding for its medical language and historical themes. Cutting for stone abraham verghese paperback book ebay. After eight months spent in the obscurity of our mothers womb, my brother, shiva, and i came into the world in the late afternoon of the. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese book club discussion. 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. A sweeping, emotionally riveting first novel an enthralling. Free download or read online cutting for stone pdf epub book. 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.
The boys are born, and it is discovered that they are conjoined twins, tethered together at the head. 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. The book s climax unfortunately marks a further major misstep on vergheses part. This is one of those books you dont want to see end and that will leave you hungry for more. The writing is vivid and thrilling, and the story completely.
By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from shmoop and verify that you are over the age of. His writing and work continue to explore the importance of bedside medicine, the ritual of the physical examination in the era of advanced technology, where as he notes frequently in his writing, the patient in the bed is often ignored in favor of the. After the delivery, stone rejects the babies and leaves ethiopia. Hemalatha, the indian gynecologist, who becomes their surrogate mother and names them shiva and marion. The washington post book world absorbing, exhilarating.
Cutting for stone by abraham verghese nook book ebook. Cutting for stone, by abraham verghese the new york times. This is a book to be read for the same joy one garners from listening to puccinis madame butterflyagain and again. In cutting for stone, there is a strong connection between motherhood and compassion, even when were not talking about technical motherandchild relationships. 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. The plot of this big, dense book is fairly straightforward. An epic novel that spans continents and generations, cutting for stone is an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, compassion and redemption, exile and. The title cutting for stone is a pretty on the nose, but it can take a while to figure it out if youre not a doctor whos memorized the hippocratic oath. Sister mary joseph praise is far from her home, and matron has no children of her own, but her maternal instinct perks up, and she treats sister mary with the compassion of a mother.
Chapter two of cutting for stone, by abraham verghese, is titled the missing finger, and we learn how dr. Marion and shiva stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful indian nun and a brash british surgeon at a mission hospital in addis ababa. 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 kindle edition by verghese, abraham. At 500 pages it certainly is a long book, but worth every second, earning five stars rating from this reader. 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. The novel opens with sister mary praise leaving india to travel to africa as a.
Though the beginning was slow, after reading through the first few chapters, i couldnt put down vergheses novel. A sweeping, emotionally riveting novel with over one million copies soldan enthralling family saga of africa and america, doctors and patients, exile and home. Feb 03, 2009 abraham verghese is professor and vice chair for the theory and practice of medicine at the stanford university school of medicine. Cutting for stone by abraham vergese book club discussion. By different routes, both sister mary joseph and stone end up at a mission hospital in addis ababa, locally known as the missing hospital a mispronunciation of mission. These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points if you have not read the book. Dec 12, 2010 the book leads up to a dramatic ending which i cant give up here which challenges their need to be physically united again.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 541 pages and is available in hardcover format. In one of the characters, doctor ghosh the heros foster father. Marion pulls shiva to safety from higher up in the birth canal. Discussion of themes and motifs in abraham vergheses cutting for stone.
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