Reading guide for cutting for stone by abraham verghese. The title of this book is cutting for stone and it was written by abraham verghese. Marion and shiva stone are born one dramatic afternoon in 1954 in addis ababa, the same day their mother a nun, sister mary joseph. The interest in the novel does not hinge upon the suspense created by dr. 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. Stone cutting is one step in the overall lapidary process. I will not cut for stone, runs the text of the hippocratic oath, even for patients in whom the disease is manifest. Sep 24, 2011 dennis carter, founder and owner of deer isle hostel in maine uses a 2pound hammer to cut a 26,000 pound block of lovely deer isle granite into two equal parts. A sweeping, emotionally riveting first novelan enthralling f. 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. The novel opens with sister mary praise leaving india to travel to africa as a. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy.
Every so often a book comes along that you just know will stay with you and this is one. 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. Indians, british, ethiopians, eritreans, americans, and more. Dec 06, 2011 cutting for stone has the power to evoke cathartic reactions, much like greek tragedies. Orphaned by their mothers death in childbirth and their fathers. The plot of this big, dense book is fairly straightforward. 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. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese reading guide. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese fantastic fiction. An epic novel that spans continents and generations, cutting for stone is an unforgettable story of. 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. Jan 26, 2010 this is a book to be read for the same joy one garners from listening to puccinis madame butterflyagain and again. In what ways is cutting for stone an oldfashioned storyand what does it share with the great novels of the nineteenth century.
The book includes a deep description of both medical procedures and explores the human side of medical practices. These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points if you have not read the book. This is a book to be read for the same joy one garners from listening to puccinis madame butterflyagain and again. Marion and shiva stone are twin brothers born of secret union between a beautiful indian nun and a brash british surgeon. The first edition of the novel was published in 2009, and was written by abraham verghese. The books climax unfortunately marks a further major misstep on vergheses part. 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 there are so many layers and themes to plumb in this intensely poignant and demanding book. Metaphors in cutting for stone take a stand on the claim. An indian nun and an english doctor have conjoined twin babies in ethiopia. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese, paperback barnes. To read the first page of cutting for stone is to fall hopelessly under the spell of a masterful storyteller. Feb 22, 2009 finally, cutting for stone is a novel of character of a family held together by love and split by betrayal. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese book club discussion. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. The book s climax unfortunately marks a further major misstep on vergheses part. Cutting for stone abraham verghese, 2009 knopf doubleday 541 pp. But beyond that, my single where does the title 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.
Lauded for his sensitive memoir my own country about his time as a doctor in eastern tennessee at the onset of the aids epidemic in the 80s, verghese tu. The story is a riveting saga of twin brothers, marion and shiva stone, born of a tragic union between a beautiful indian nun and a brash british. For not understanding the word melt here we have the literary sense, as the trace has the appearance of melted. Free download or read online cutting for stone pdf epub book. Find books like cutting for stone from the worlds largest community of readers. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. The washington post book world absorbing, exhilarating. 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 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.
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 indian nun, sister mary joseph praise, was a trained nurse who had met the british surgeon thomas stone on a sea voyage ministering to passengers dying of typhus. Take a stand on the claim below and make an argument for or against. Books similar to cutting for stone cutting for stone. Digital rights management drm the publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free software in order to unlock and read it. The book includes a deep description of both medical procedures and. On top of that, it spent more than two years on the new york times bestseller list. I would love to recommended cutting for stone wholeheartedly, such is the strength of vergheses writing, his vivid characters and brilliant settings. Sign me up to get more news about literary fiction books. Dennis carter, founder and owner of deer isle hostel in maine uses a 2pound hammer to cut a 26,000 pound block of lovely deer isle granite into two equal parts.
The story unfolds in hospital in a burgeoning town somewhere in ethiopia. This first novel was preceded by two nonfiction books. Cutting for stone kindle edition by verghese, abraham. Vergheses skill at intertwining so many stories is awesome and prohibits simple description of the novel as a whole. Goodreads members who liked cutting for stone also liked. Handson skill of cutting stone using a chisel and angle grinder with diamondtipped saw blade. 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. Beyond that there is a spiritual journey of a mystical nature that will not disappoint. Cutting for stone 2009 is a novel written by ethiopianborn indianamerican medical doctor and author abraham verghese. Lapidaries stone cutters or gemcutters cut, polish, and sometimes facet stones for use in gemstone jewelry. The tennis partner, about his distressing friendship with a drug addict and fellow doctor. Cutting for stone throughout the month of march, npr books will be running an online discussion about abraham vergheses novel cutting for stone. Cutting stone by janet burroway and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
The story takes place in countries scattered over three continents and involves a variety of ethnic and religious groups. A series of catastrophic events occur during their births, leading to their fathers abandonment and lifealtering changes to the staff of missing hospital. That turned out to be true and my first two books were written there. Was there a single idea behind or genesis for cutting for stone. Cutting for stone has the power to evoke cathartic reactions, much like greek tragedies. Stone cutting can refer to cutting and grinding rough rocks and raw stones into slabs or other workable segments or the act of cutting facets on stones also known as faceting. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese 9780375714368.
His characters are people you want to know more about. 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. I would give cutting for stone twenty stars if i could. Abraham verghese pulls the reader into the story at once. In what ways is cutting for stone an oldfashioned story and what does it share with the great novels of the nineteenth century. Poignant for its journey with love and loss and demanding for its medical language and historical themes. Cutting for stone by abraham vergese book club discussion. Jan 30, 2016 workers video technology of the ancients.
Cutting for stone is a sweeping family saga which draws you in and transports you to a small missionary hospital in ethiopia. Each character is so fully developed from start to finish that the reader becomes deeply involved with each and every one. Cutting for stone was one of amazons and publishers weeklys best books of the year in 2009, and it also won the indies choice book award in 2010. Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great god has made known to the king what will take place in the future. 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. A sweeping, emotionally riveting first novelan enthralling family saga of africa and america, doctors and patients, exile and home. 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. My ambition as a writer was to tell a great story, an oldfashioned, truthtelling story. Cutting for stone is a gorgeous epic tale, suffused with unforgettable grace, humanity and compassion. It is impossible to fully explore the incredible depth of cutting for stone within a few paragraphs.
Abraham verghese has said that his ambition in writing cutting for stone was to tell a great story, an oldfashioned, truthtelling story. Cutting for stone, this intriguing first novel by dr. 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. 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. Cutting for stone, abraham vergheses debut novel, is nothing less than. Cutting for stone is a novel written from the firstperson perspective of marion stone, one of the identical twins born of a secret affair between a beautiful indian nun and a british surgeon.
Pdf cutting for stone book by abraham verghese free. Cutting for stone free pdf, fb2, rtf, txt books library. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese book cover, description, publication. Cutting for stone follows the lives of two boys from birth to adulthood. The dream is true, and its interpretation is trustworthy. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese nook book ebook. Feb 08, 2009 the plot of this big, dense book is fairly straightforward. This summary of cutting for stone includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. It is a saga of twin brothers, orphaned by their mothers death at their births and forsaken by their father. At 500 pages it certainly is a long book, but worth every second, earning five stars rating from this reader.
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