Cutting for Stone in ReadingGroupGuides.com

Aug 22, 2011 Deborah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: award-winning, men-would-enjoy, family-dynamics, favorite-male-authors, hardback-i-own, psychological, ethnic-content, angels-or-spirits, death-and-dying, new-author-for-me

Random House, Inc., announced today that President Obama's new Summer Reading List is revealed by a leading bookish newspaper out of NYC...guess who!

It seems that Obama is also a buyer from Indie bookshops which makes him a "good guy" in the eyes of many of us who want to see books kept alive and well in this crumbling economic market. ('though I have to say, I want to keep Amazon and Barnes & Noble and other such larger chains going, as well...we need them!)

One of the books in particular is a h ...more

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Dec 15, 2008 K rated it really liked it

well done...very well done. i'm exhausted...at 534 pages, i have been thoroughly engrossed in the lives of marion and shiva stone for close to a month. this book had tons of layers...lots of heart and love and warmth and heartbreak and squirm-inducing scenes. cutting for stone is the sort of book i love...crossing time and generations and taking me to places i've never been and will probably never go. and the title is great, too. even it contains tons of layers.

a few minor quibbles...i never fel ...more

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Feb 25, 2010 Stacie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club

I added this book to my to-read list shortly after it was republished in paperback in 2010. This is a novel that should be on your to-read list as well. But, maybe at a quiet/less busy time. This book is nearly 700 pages and is not what I would call a "quick read". Our book club chose it for our August book and then had to move it into September as well after only one of our members was able to finish it in that month. I am hoping that others were able to finish it, because they are lots of grea I added this book to my to-read list shortly after it was republished in paperback in 2010. This is a novel that should be on your to-read list as well. But, maybe at a quiet/less busy time. This book is nearly 700 pages and is not what I would call a "quick read". Our book club chose it for our August book and then had to move it into September as well after only one of our members was able to finish it in that month. I am hoping that others were able to finish it, because they are lots of great discussable topics!

With so many pages, you know this isn't going to be a fast-moving story. The writer takes his time by sharing history, detail, and gives great emphasis to the relationships in the story. At times, you are thinking, just get on with it. But most of the time, the detail is so beautiful and gives you a full picture of the moment he is sharing.

There were so many pages that I dog-earred due to wonderful quotes in the book. Here are some of my favorites and give you an example of the style Verghese used in his story-telling.

"Hema was told when she first came to Ethiopia that this strange haircut was so that if God chose to take that child (and He took so many), the tuft gave Him a handle by which to lift it to heaven."
Page 91
"Wasn't that the definition of home? Not where you are from, but where you are wanted?" Page 95

After the twins were born, Hema, the doctor dismisses the probationers request for circumcision by saying, "What have you been doing all the time, eh? You should have been worring about their swallowing ends, not their watering cans." Page128

After the twins were born... "Hema felt light-headed, giddy. I won the lottery without buying a ticket, she thought. These two babies plugged a hole in my heart that I didn't know had until now."
Page 130

After a disagreement over which Biblical doctrine was better, the Matron of the hospital in Ethiopia states, "God will judge us, Mr Harris, by what we did to relieve the suffering of our fellow human beings. I don't think God cares which doctrine we embrace." And then goes on to say, "We need medicine and food. But we get Bibles. I always wondered if the good people who send us Bibles really think that hookworm and hunger are healed by scripture? Our patients are illiterate." Page 188

"'Call me old-fashioned,' Deepak said, 'but I've always believed hard work pays off. My version of the Beatitudes. Do the right thing, put up with unfairness, selfishness, stay true to yourself....one day it all works out. Of course, I don't know that people who wronged you suffer or get their just desserts. I don't think it works that way. But I do think one day you get your reward.'" Page 508

There were many other parts of the book that made an impression on me. I was fascinated and learned so much about Third World medicine. I was amazed at what the doctors could accomplish with so little. Death has such a different tone in Ethiopia rather than in America and within America between rich and poor hospitals and one I had never thought about before reading this book.

There are so many discussable topics that this would be a great book club choice. I am looking forward to our discussion next week. I am sure we will hit on topics such as religion, forgiveness, grief, love, betrayal, and immigration.

This is a book that could be placed on a level with other classic literature. It should be read and talked about. ...more

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Aug 09, 2009 Elise rated it liked it

Maybe I'm ADD, but by the time I got to the end of this book, I'd forgotten a great deal about the beginning of it. While I enjoyed the tale of twin brothers raised by parents brought together by their birth, the tale went on too long. The premise of the story was interesting, but despite the length of the book, I felt Shiva was an underdeveloped character and couldn't keep track of the myriad minor characters. ...more

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May 27, 2012 Ellen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-group-selection, audio-book

I loved everything about this book---the characters, the setting, the spiritual sensibility that pervaded each character in different ways, and the story. The audio book was wonderful and made my trips seem shorter. This has to be one of my all-time favorites! (And to think, I would never have picked it up without having to read it for book club.)

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Mar 15, 2009 Chris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, discussion-books

This book was one of the best books that I've read in a long time. It was so easy to get wrapped up into the story and the character's lives that I had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed how the story was multi-generational and how dimentional the characters were. I also really enjoyed the setting of Ethiopia and learning about that country's history. And, of course, all the medical information was very interesting. A great read and a book I am sure I will often think about. ...more

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May 14, 2011 Robin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, kindle, abc-bookclub-list, 2011-list

First book to be downloaded on my Kindle! This book really kept me intrigued and although I didn't finish reading it on time to discuss with my book discussion group, I am certainly grateful that I read it. This is a book that I heard a lot about over the past year or so and it lived up to its hype. I did get my group talking about this one a little bit last week at our meeting which was good because I had just finished it and wanted to talk with someone about it. ...more

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Feb 21, 2010 Teresa rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2010

Finished! I really liked this book, even though it's a very long read. It's an epic tale, reminding me of Poisonwood Bible, but is set mostly in Ethiopia. ...more

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