Cutting for StoneCutting for Stone
Score Modern
What it's about
Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers, born in a mission hospital in Addis Ababa in the 1950s to an Indian nun who dies giving birth and a British surgeon who disappears. Raised by two doctors, they grow up in a country on the brink of revolution, bound by birth but different in temperament, until a betrayal splits them, and medicine brings them together again in a New York hospital.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 151 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. Written by a physician, it's a sweeping, moving novel about medicine, family and forgiveness.
You'll love it if you liked
The Covenant of Water
A Fine Balance
The Kite RunnerGood to know
It's long, with detailed medical scenes. The first section is slow, and the payoff is big.
By the numbers
- Readers82 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller64 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #56 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #256 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #508 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Abraham Verghese
The Covenant of Water
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Shuggie Bain
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Infinite JestExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Cutting for Stone worth reading?
Yes. It spent 151 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #508 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Cutting for Stone about?
Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers, born in a mission hospital in Addis Ababa in the 1950s to an Indian nun who dies giving birth and a British surgeon who disappears. Raised by two doctors, they grow up in a country on the brink of revolution, bound by birth but different in temperament, until a betrayal splits them, and medicine brings them together again in a New York hospital.
How long does it take to read Cutting for Stone?
About 14 hours (541 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Cutting for Stone?
If you liked it, try The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry or The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.