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I think I will need to go back and read Cutting for Stone again. I read it when it was first released and everyone's posts are bringing back memories as well as some lapses of memory!
I mentioned that Abe Verghese was the keynote speaker at a meeting I attended. His talk was about the importance of the physician/patient relationship and the rituals that surround that relationship and preserve it's dignity. It really was a beautiful talk. However, he opened his remarks by laughingly saying that he was aware that he might get some angry comments about the conclusion of Cutting for Stone. I guess he meets up with a lot of unhappy readers out there!
Abe Verghese was the keynote speaker at a meeting I attended. ... he opened his remarks by laughingly saying that he was aware that he might get some angry comments about the conclusion of Cutting for Stone. I guess he meets up with a lot of unhappy readers out there!
Whatever for? Too much real for them? I cannot imagine what could bother someone about it.
I think I will need to go back and read Cutting for Stone again. I read it when it was first released and everyone's posts are bringing back memories as well as some lapses of memory!
I mentioned that Abe Verghese was the keynote speaker at a meeting I attended. His talk was about the importance of the physician/patient relationship and the rituals that surround that relationship and preserve it's dignity. It really was a beautiful talk. However, he opened his remarks by laughingly saying that he was aware that he might get some angry comments about the conclusion of Cutting for Stone. I guess he meets up with a lot of unhappy readers out there!
Oh my. Now I am afraid of the ending. But, honestly, the reader has lost several characters by half way through and I expect more to "pass on" in one way or another. Like Shiva, I am really hacked off about the puppies.
I have to remind myself on a regular basis that this is a work of fiction. Everyone and everything seems so real to me. Plus, after reading about the author I find that Verghese could have easily been writing about himself. It's taking me longer to read this book because I go off on tangents looking up various events and people. I simply love it for a complex of reasons.
I LOVED Chris Bohjalian's "The Double Bind," for so many reasons, so when I saw "Before You Know Kindness" and "Skeleton's at the Feast" I jumped to download them to my audio player. Unfortunately, I started with "Before ...." and I just could NOT finish it. I've tried going back to finish a few times, but I just doesn't hold me. It sort of put me off Chris's work. I guess now I will try the "Skeletons..."
Definitely give "Skeletons" a try, I really thought it was a good book, although it is a WW2 book and has some disturbing things in it.
I just went to the library and got two books on audio CD, something I haven't done in a while. I got "Still Alice" because everybody here says it was great, and I got Stephen King's "11/22/63." Neither of these is available on the downloadable library site, so I'm glad the library had them. "11/22/63" is on 30 CDs - yikes - I'll be ripping them for the next hour or so. Downloadable is soooo much easier.
The thing about "Cutting for Stone" that left the biggest impression on me was (I'm not sure if this is a spoiler, but it might be, so I'm hiding it)
Spoiler
the part dealing with female genital mutilation. I did a lot of reading about it afterward, and it is quite controversial. While I don't want to go off topic here, there was an article written in December on a site called Sociological Images where the author attempted to show a "balanced look at FGM" which drew a ton of criticism. If you're interested, here is the link: A Balanced Look at Female Genital “Mutilation” » Sociological Images It is the comments that are most interesting.
Definitely give "Skeletons" a try, I really thought it was a good book, although it is a WW2 book and has some disturbing things in it.
...
Downloadable is soooo much easier.
The thing about "Cutting for Stone" that left the biggest impression on me was ...
Ah, yes THAT. Strangely, it didn't even come to my mind. In my aging years, I have come to the conclusion that I have to allow others their own cultures and beliefs, and that falls under those categories to me. Societies are like children, they mature and evolve at different paces and in different directions.
I trust your judgment on "Skeletons" and will start listening to it while working on my current quilting and knitting projects. Thanks!
I am reading Kill DEcision by Daniel Suarez. It is a little creepy to say the least. I am down to the end! I didn't finish last night because I was trying to go to bed early. Now I have about 30 more pages to go!
I recently read "The Orphan Master's Son' by Adam Johnson which wet my appetite for more on North Korea. I just finished Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" and "Long Road Home: Testimony of a North Korean Camp Survivor". The Orphan Master's Son was the hardest reading, with the most graphic details....even though it's a novel, it does have a lot of truth to it.
Excellent books!
Last edited by caligirlz; 01-02-2013 at 09:02 PM..
I had such a hard time getting past the shark section. It took multiple attempts, but I'm so glad I did!! What an inspirational story of overcoming against all odds! I LOVE history, and especially inspirational history!
Happy New Year! May 2013 be a wonderful and most of all healthy year for all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Long time no see but I was a little busy reading books even though I must admit I didn't read any good books lately
Since everybody was talking about Shades of Grey I read the first two volumes. The first is quite okay but the second? Come on? Is everybody allowed to write a book these days? Boooooooooooorrrrrrrinnnnnnnnng!!!!!!!!!!!! I only ready 3-5 sentences on each page ...
I also read Beautiful Disaster - well it was a disaster. I gave up about 30 pages before the end
Now I'm nearly half through "Anna dressed in Blood" which is better than I expected even though it's teen fiction. I little like the Odd Thomas series.
I'm also reading a book called "The Castle" from a German Indie-Author. Okay but not overwhelmingly good.
Since I got a kindle for Christmas (see, Santa exists ) I downloaded a few classics and will get into them as soon as possible:
Robinson Crusoe - it's been ages since I read that the last time.
Alice Adventures in Wonderland.
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoi (I love the movie but didn't read the book yet)
Oliver Twist
and
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. The movie is said to be boring so I thought I might look into the book since they are mostly much better than the movies. Let's wait and see.
Definitely give "Skeletons" a try, I really thought it was a good book, although it is a WW2 book and has some disturbing things in it.
Ach! Disturbing is right. Sadly, I couldn't listen to the full five minutes of just the introduction. It still chills me to my bones to think of what the invading soldiers were described as doing to young girls and infants. I am just sick.
No, I don't even wish I could read/listen. Sorry. That just isn't for me. I will just take your word that it is a good story and let it go.
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Whatever for? Too much real for them? I cannot imagine what could bother someone about it. 
Downloadable is soooo much easier.
Sadly, I couldn't listen to the full five minutes of just the introduction. It still chills me to my bones to think of what the invading soldiers were described as doing to young girls and infants. I am just sick.
I will just take your word that it is a good story and let it go.