Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese


Jul 19, 2011

Abraham Verghese uses a fictional setting to explore medicine in a third-world country going through revolution and change.  Twin boys are born to a resident doctor and Catholic nun.  Cutting for Stone tells a very lyrical story covering a span of 60 years; it describes the lives of the twins, essentially abandoned at birth, the doctors who raised them, and the father who could not deal with their birth or the loss of their mother.  This is a beautiful story that explores parental love, sibling love, and first love. It's also a must read for new and tenured doctors alike, reminding us of the human aspect of the patients.  Some graphic descriptions.

Reviewed by Jennifer W.M.
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