"Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese

While many people write books, novels and stories set in fictional universes where the characters undertake epic journeys to accomplish grandiose goals, there aren’t too many out there who are willing to examine the most important thing in most people’s lives: family. 

Nobody wants to see or hear about some family is going through internal conflicts because deep down, we do not even like to think of such things. Three years ago Abraham Verghese, a doctor and a writer, rolled up his sleeves and decided to write a fictional autobiography titled Cutting for Stone, in part based on his own life and experiences. 

At first, it was simply meant to be a somewhat light drama with a bit of everything in it as the unusual life and thoughts of a doctor are explored. However, it seems that as the novel was progressing, more and more complex dynamics came into play as the relationships between the characters developed in ways even Abraham didn’t expect.

After all, a story is like any work of art; once complete, it obtains a world of its own in which life runs by certain, specific rules that cannot be broken, just like some rules are unbreakable in the real world (at least until further notice). But I am straying from the topic here.

In the end, Cutting for Stone ends up being an epic love story mixed with numerous elements of the medical world, on top of which it is also a family saga in which relationships between family members are constantly changing, with some being destroyed and others being renewed. What exactly does the majority of people think about this novel? Well, an overwhelming majority of people describe this book as being very compelling, filled with various bits of wisdom. 

In the end, all Abraham Verghese is trying to do is explore what really matters in life, what we are all trying to achieve, and how we go about achieving it. While this is definitely not a book you will want for a light read, it remains quite entertaining while still having very thoughtful segments, making it perfect for those who see books as more than just a pastime.

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Abraham Verghese Abraham Verghese is an author, a physician and a Professor for the Theory and Practice of Medicine at Stanford University Medical School. So far he has written three bestsellers, two memoirs and a novel, and the better-known ones include My Own Country, The Tennis Partner and his Cutting for Stone (which is the first novel he wrote)