"Wasnt that the definition of home? Not where you are from, but where you are wanted?"This book is both brilliant and breathtaking. I absolutely loved it. Abraham Verghese is not only a distinguished physician, but an extremely talented writer. The prose is some of the very best I have encountered in a novel, and the story itself is hugely compelling. Verghese takes his time setting up the story and introducing the cast of characters that will be thoroughly developed throughout the course of the novel. I gobbled this stuff right up! Its a book about home and belonging both to your country and to your loved ones. Family is defined by those people to whom we feel the greatest connection, whether through blood or through the fulfillment of our greatest needs in life, including love, loyalty and dependability. In Addis Ababa, near the soaring heights of the Entoto Mountains in Ethiopia, Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born to an Indian who is both nun and nurse and a British surgeon working together within the walls of Missing, a missionary hospital. Literally joined at birth, the twins also share a bond of brotherhood and loss that will be both strengthened and painfully tested throughout their lives. As the boys grow, they also learn the practice of medicine, both in its clinical form as well as its very compassionate service to human beings. This knowledge is gleaned through the most admirable of characters, Hema and Ghosh. I loved these two, but in particular Ghosh who is possibly one of my favorite literary personalities of all time! There is a plethora of medical descriptions here that I found quite fascinating. One is not required to have a medical-related degree to enjoy this book, but a curiosity and appreciation for the field of medicine will go a long way here. Having worked in clinical research, I did not have any difficulties as long as my handy e-dictionary was close by for those terms unfamiliar to me. I have to issue a little word of warning here for those that may feel a bit squeamish when presented with some of the more graphic details of medicine. Although I may have flinched once or twice, that didnt stop me from reading!Due to family social ties to some very powerful forces within Ethiopia, Marion and Shiva find that they are not exempt from the effects of the political upheaval during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. When catastrophe lands on their own doorstep, the twins will learn even more about the true meaning of family. I found that I learned quite a lot about Ethiopian history and current events and it was all very illuminating. I gained a better understanding of the geography of this African country and absorbed some very vivid images like this one: "I stepped out to the lawn. I remember the air that night, and how it was so brisk that it could revive the dead. The fragrance of eucalyptus stoking a home fire, the smell of wet grass, of dung fuel, of tobacco, of swamp air, and the perfume of hundreds of roses this was the scent of Missing. No, it was the scent of a continent."Heartbreaking and uplifting, Cutting for Stone is a treasure that I highly recommend. Medicine, foreign cultures, politics, coming-of-age, abandonment, betrayal, and love are all elements woven together to construct a real masterpiece of writing. The ending was both poignant and astonishing. I loved it."The world turns on our every action, and our every omission, whether we know it or not."

This is the one that started me. I read a galley and it will be published February 2. It was a sublime reading experience, the best novel I have read in several years. Back in the old days of Just Books, I probably would not have let a customer out of the store without the book in hand. In some places that might be considered pushy. In Greenwich, it was a gushing "Thanks Warren for putting this book in my hands."Anyway, this is the story of twin doctors separated at their birth in a hospital in Ethiopia. The mother who had been an Indian nurse/nun died as a result of denying the pregnancy's existence and not getting any prenatal care. The twins are raised by two Indian doctors who bring them up as their own children. The mother is a very independent woman who will marry her colleague only on condition they will renew their vows every year. The twins grow up to be a physician (what else) and a medical researcher. Their journey as a family and as individuals envelops you more and more every page. This too was outstanding

3.5 of 5 stars to Abraham Verghese's novel, Cutting for Stone, which was a book club selection about 7 years ago. At first, I wasn't sure I'd like the book, as I expected it to be quite sad. And back then, I wasn't interested in reading sad or emotional books; however, this one was quite good and I waffled between a 3 and a 4. I settled on a 3 only because I felt it was a little too formal / stiff for the type of book it felt like it should have been -- still above average to me, as far as books go.The basics: Twin brothers born in Ethiopia, Africa. The mother dies during childbirth and the father will need to raise them, but fate intervenes and they are separated. The book chronicles the separate life of the two boys and the connections between them. It's about the differences between America and Africa, love and fear, focus and desire. There are many surprises in the book, all leading you to root for certain things to happen in each of the relationships throughout the story.I had never heard of the author before, and this is the only read I've tackled by him, so far. But he's got several other books and short stories. For me, it was a little too focused on the medical side of their personalities / careers / activities. Not in a bad way, just enough that it didn't burst at its seams as a superstar book. I also felt like it was a little light in the action at some points, but it certainly makes up for it in some major ways in the last third.If you are interested in other cultures, different ways of doing things and what happens to twins when they aren't always near one another... it's a great read. I'd suggest reading a lot of reviews to decide if it's for you... as it's different than most books of its genres or sub-genre.About MeFor those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.[polldaddy poll=9729544][polldaddy poll=9719251]