Is it just me, or was this book thoroughly disappointing?

[Maureen]

Still to this day one of my favorite books

[Dorie - Cats&Books :)]

One of the best all time historical fiction novels of the past few years. Also a great audiobook!

[Marion]

Loved it! In my top 10. So beautifully written and engrossing. A+

[Alice]

"Cutting With Stone" was off to a wonderful start, but then the author began "showing off."

Writer's, with expertise in areas about which they write, need to be careful to keep their research in check. It can overwhelm the story, as I thought did Verghese's medical expertise. It is very easy to fall in love with one's own research or knowledge, which can make the narrative stilted and pretentious. There were numerous medical sections in "Cutting With Stone," which clogged the narrative and made him sound like a show-off.

Additionally I thought there were too many new characters that appeared in the last portion of the book, which dragged the story, muddled the plot and central motion of the story.

[Jojo]

I agree. And with such medical knowledge, the main character should have been able to diagnose his own illness. Wasn't he supposed to have been brilliant?!

[Raisa]

this is wonderful book, just not for everyone.

[Sally Atwell]

I liked this book very much.

[[deleted user]]

Even though I read it in 2010 it is still the best book I have read in forever! Actually I'm hard pressed to think of a book I've liked better...maybe as much, but not better. I cried like a baby at the end. I LOVED IT!!! I think I also fell a little in love with the author because I went and read everything else he had written.

[Jojo]

That's sweet. I have had experiences like that with authors such as Louise Penny, Elizabeth George, etc, but I haven't read anything else by this author. Any particular book you would recommend?

[[deleted user]]

Hello Jojo, Thanks for your message.

These are not fiction books so they are very different from “Cutting for Stone” but I ate up every word and became even more enamored of the author.

My Own Country: A Doctor's Story (there is also a movie)
The Tennis Partner is the second of Abraham Verghese's books.

I also went to his web site to read his biography which I found hugely impressive.

http://abrahamverghese.com/
http://abrahamverghese.mc2beta.com/ho...

And I listened to his talk on TED.com

https://www.ted.com/talks/abraham_ver...

Investigating the origin of the title “Cutting for Stone” I found that it was probably derived from a painting by Hieronymus Bosch entitled “Cutting the Stone” depicting a 15th century procedure.
If you are interested see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting...

This is probably more than you wanted, sorry, but it’s hard to stop when I start on this subject and this author.

[Maureen]

One of the best books I have ever read. Loved it.

[Jojo]

Lola wrote: "Hello Jojo, Thanks for your message.

These are not fiction books so they are very different from “Cutting for Stone” but I ate up every word and became even more enamored of the author.

My Own Co..."

Thank you. I will follow these links and search out the other titles.

[Alice]

Lisa wrote: "I think it's just you. I thought the book was brilliant! I loved it from start to finish."

No, it's not just you. I found it disappointing, as I wrote. "That's what makes horse racing," they say. So, that makes two of us!

[Richard]

I thought this book was one of the best books I have ever read...Can't understand what you didn't find wonderful about it.

[Alice]

Richard wrote: "I thought this book was one of the best books I have ever read...Can't understand what you didn't find wonderful about it."

Richard, It's wonderful to find a novel and feel it is "one of the best book you ever read." Yet, that you found that to be so, or that Lisa thinks the book is "brilliant" has little to do with what I think of a book.

It’s been a number of years since I read “Cutting For Stone,” which for the most part I remember enjoying. In my opinion, it is neither brilliant nor the one of the best books I have ever read. As a doctor, you most likely appreciated the medical passages, which I found tedious. As I always say, ‘that’s what makes horse-racing!”

In my opinion, the author was “showing off,” and the complicated medical passages stopped me in my reading tracks—like using a complicated word when a simple one would do.

William Faulkner said, "In writing, you must kill your darlings." In Stephen King’s book “On Writing" he wrote, “…kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.”

Fiction writers often do a great deal of research, or they may be experts in some area—such as in Verghese’s case—medicine. Using too much researched information is sometimes called 'info dumping,' because it removes us from the scene. Rather, it conveys facts, which slow down the story—primarily because it feels like ‘writing.’

I want to be swept along by a novel; as if I am standing beside the characters—as exciting things happen around them.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to consider and put into words what I didn't find wonderful about "Cutting For Stone."

[[deleted user]]

Hi Alice,
Funny you should say: "I want to be swept along by a novel; as if I am standing beside the characters—as exciting things happen around them."
That is EXACTLY how I felt about "Cutting for Stone" and why I loved the book so much.

[Alice]

Lola wrote: "Hi Alice,
Funny you should say: "I want to be swept along by a novel; as if I am standing beside the characters—as exciting things happen around them."
That is EXACTLY how I felt about "Cutting fo..."

It's wonderful when that happens!

[[deleted user]]

Boy! It sure is. I couldn't agree more!! :)

[Lynn]

Loved it!

[Rayna]

I loved this book....really interesting