- Hardcover: 560 pages
- Publisher: Chatto & Windus (2 April 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0701173831
- ISBN-13: 978-0701173838
- Product Dimensions: 15.9 x 4.5 x 23.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (106 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 152,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
`if comparisons with another writer have to be made, the writer who comes to mind is Shakespeare'
--Sunday Telegraph
--Sunday Telegraph
Review
"Verghese, a doctor, has an affinity for unstinting detail and unscientific intuition...a poetic perception of the outside world."
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have never been to Ethiopia, but such was the writing I felt that I was there. Verghese makes the characters in his book come completely alive, and you begin to really care about them. It is the tale of twins, born in unusual circumstances, not least because their mother is a nun. Their subsequent childhood, in which they are raised within a very loving family by Hema and Ghosh, not their natural parents, sets the scene for all that is to come. Marion falls in love with a childhood friend, as good as a sister, but is ultimately betrayed by the two people he least expected. The betrayal has deep ramifications that ring out through the rest of time. This is an extremely moving novel, and I was not surprised to learn that the author is himself a surgeon, as he gives some fairly detailed accounts of various operations that take place. Needless to say, all the key characters in this book are surgeons or become surgeons. The skilled writing made me feel very involved in these medical procedures, and it was a genuinely fascinating journey into an area I have never read about in any detail. All I can say, is this book was an incredibly moving one, well-written and stays with you long after you have turned the last page.
40 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
At 560 pages, this isn't a quick read but you won't regret investing your time in reading this immensely rewarding story. It is a very readable novel, almost family saga-like in its style and one which I was very sorry to finish.
Not for the squeamish, some sections are a bit like a busy night at ER, although obviously in a less Westernised setting. Ethiopia is vibrantly described and you really feel immersed in its culture and history. Somehow the story of the twins and their perhaps far fetched, almost Thorn Birds like conception doesn't impinge on the intense realism of this epic story which covers 50 years and several continents. The characters are all well developed and three dimensional and although the story is never overly sentimental you may need some tissues. The author doesn't overdo the twin theme but there is something so intriguing about twins and their relationships and I'm thinking more along the lines of Kane and Abel, Romulus and Remus rather than John and Edward of X Factor fame/infamy!
An intelligent and gripping story which will remain with you long after the final page has been turned - striking in its orginality and one which I will hope capture the imagination of a lot of readers.
Not for the squeamish, some sections are a bit like a busy night at ER, although obviously in a less Westernised setting. Ethiopia is vibrantly described and you really feel immersed in its culture and history. Somehow the story of the twins and their perhaps far fetched, almost Thorn Birds like conception doesn't impinge on the intense realism of this epic story which covers 50 years and several continents. The characters are all well developed and three dimensional and although the story is never overly sentimental you may need some tissues. The author doesn't overdo the twin theme but there is something so intriguing about twins and their relationships and I'm thinking more along the lines of Kane and Abel, Romulus and Remus rather than John and Edward of X Factor fame/infamy!
An intelligent and gripping story which will remain with you long after the final page has been turned - striking in its orginality and one which I will hope capture the imagination of a lot of readers.
153 of 156 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Verghese brilliantly brings to life the Addis Ababa of the 1960s,'70s and '80s,a time of horrific political convulsions that transformed the ancient hidden Christian African empire of Haile Selassie's day into a Stalinist revolutionary hell under Mengistu, and to his regime's final collapse. Yet this is just the background, to a convincing and beautiful saga of passions and of family upheavals and torments, woven well into accounts of how a group of doctors are connected by relationship, rivalry and skills into a collective of dedicated men and women fighting to save life in a poor and war-torn third world country. It held me to the last full stop. Surprisingly, the book has attracted less attention in Britain than in the US. It deserves better from UK readers.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Unputdownable!
Well! I am in mourning!! It has been ages since I have read a book that I was so loathe to finish! I was gripped from page one and found myself restricting myself about half way... Read more
Published 15 days ago by Peeve
Worth persevering
It took me a while to warm to this novel but when I did I couldn't put it down. The characters are engaging and well written and it is easy to get drawn into their lives. Read more
Published 1 month ago by JCW
No core theme - and painfully detailed
I'm really surprised at all the 5 star reviews this book receives. I struggled with it from the start and only finished it because I was reading it for a book club. Read more
Published 1 month ago by FunkyDunky
Cutting for Stone
This is in my opinion, one of the best books I have read in the last 5 years! Absolutely riveting and extremely educational which held my interest from Prologue till the last... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Chrissy C
Cutting for Stone
Our bookclub rated this the best book we have read. One of those "can't put it down, but don't want to finish". Excellent.
Published 3 months ago by Happy
wonderful book
My father in law, who spent much of his life in Africa, gave me this book. He said you must read it, I said I never read books, I'm too busy. Read more
Published 3 months ago by fatboygto
cutting for stone
A fantastic book which keeps you gripped with twists and surprises. A tale of real life and a very human story.
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. S. A. Penman
Cutting for Stone
Thank you Abraham Verghese for your gift of such a beautiful, compelling book. I was completely absorbed by the characters, the story and the whole atmosphere created by the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by MAN-S
An excellent read!
Verghese thoroughly enthralled me with his knowledgeable and nuanced storytelling. I learned a lot about a variety of different subjects: Ethiopia, Eritrea, transplants,... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jojo
the best book I read in 2011
I have never written a review on Amazon before but I enjoyed "cutting for stone" so much that I find myself logging on to write about it, hopefully to encourage others to enjoy... Read more
Published 4 months ago by cjw
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