Cutting for Stone

Return to Missing ( Original Title: Cutting for Stone) is the debut novel by Indian-American physician Abraham Verghese from 2009 Verghese can, as in its two nonfiction autobiographical personal experiences, his youth here in Ethiopia, included in the family saga, though. he also stressed that the work is not entirely autobiographical.

Action

In a mission hospital in Ethiopia Addis Ababa, called by the locals "Missing", 1954, the twin brothers Marion and Shiva are born, their Indian mother dies in childbirth. The British father has settled and they are adopted by the doctors Gosh and his wife, ethnic Indians. The protagonists experience a largely carefree childhood in the poverty-stricken country, Haile Selassie, but grow apart despite of common interest for medicine, their relationship goes because of their rivalry for the girl Genet then complete shipwreck. After the death of her adoptive father and forced emigration, they must agree again but of necessity.

Reception

• FAZ: " ... although the book about passages could easily pass as a medical textbook and the agglomeration of anatomical details sometimes the strained patience and pain threshold, the reader is for all indemnified: with great emotions, with clever thoughtfulness and with images of melancholy beauty. "
• The book sold very steadily over a long period and was two years after the release of # 2 in the NY Times bestseller list, over one million copies were sold.
• It was in the extended candidate list of the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and won the Indies Choice Book Award 2010.