For our meeting on April 2 we all read "Cutting for Stone" by Abraham Verghese. Reactions were mixed! One member thought the author was a "terrific story teller". The book begins with the tale of a very devout nursing nun from India, who finds her way to a hospital in Ethiopia. There she becomes devoted to a brilliant but emotionally damaged surgeon. They become involved, she becomes pregnant, but conceals this until the day she gives birth to twin boys and dies in childbirth. The surgeon, traumatized, disappears. This is high drama, wonderfully told!
In the continuing story, narrated by one of the twins, the boys are raised in Ethiopia by two doctors from India. The contrasting characters of the two parents are fully portrayed, within the background of the culture of Ethiopia and the culture of the medical profession, which is an integral part of the novel.
One of our members found this book out of step with her values and views, and the story itself too drawn out. Another shared with us quotes which she--and we--found amusing. Especially in anecdotes about the twins adoptive father.
We had a good discussion!
For our May meeting we will be reading books by Jodi Picoult. Your choice. New members always welcome!
