Abraham Verghese

I think that this phrase pretty much sums up this book -- Life stinks and then you die.

Three generations on two continents with so much sadness and tragedy. This story was almost unbearable to read. When it all comes together in the last several chapters, I admit I found it almost overwhelming to imagine the lives of those characters and all they suffered. I don't think this book is for everyone, and certainly at 736 pages requires an investment, but I am glad I finished it.

"It's the water show more that connects them all in time and space... This is the covenant of water: that they're all linked inescapably by their acts of commission and omission, and no one stands alone."

What a cast of characters -- all lovingly drawn in larger-than-life descriptions that make them real in the mind of the reader. You can't help but feel for them throughout their trials and ordeals with only the briefest moments of happiness. Spanning decades from 1900 to the 1970s, life in these parts of India is full of many contradictions. Religion, family, love, land, water, caste, politics, medicine, and leprosy are just a few of the themes that make up the narrative. It's an epic and truly a literary novel written by a master storyteller.

Do I recommend it -- yes. I will be thinking about this book for a long time and look forward to discussing it with my book buddies. show less

Audiobook performed by Sunil Malhotra
5***** and a HEART

This is an epic story of twin boys, born of an Indian nun and a British surgeon working side-by-side in an Ethiopian hospital, but raised by two other Indian physicians and the staff of Missing Hospital. The tale is told by Marion, one of the twins, and describes not just their insular lives in the hospital compound, but the issues of poverty and political unrest in Ethiopia which so affect their ability to fulfill their show more mission.

Verghesse is a masterful storyteller, who wields his pen with surgical precision. The landscape and characters come to life on the page, letting the reader experience the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures of Ethiopia and the hospitals both there and in New York where Marion finishes his training.

There are several themes throughout – betrayal, forgiveness, and compassion. At its core is the central question … can you forgive a betrayal from those closest to you? Whether it is a father who abandons his sons, a lover who betrays you with another, or a brother who never seems to recognize the consequences of his actions – how do you find it in yourself to forgive? Who is hurt when you cannot / will not forgive? Who benefits most when you DO?

But we also deal with the issue of compassion and responsibility to those around us. Am I my brother’s keeper? Verghesse, I think, would answer “yes.” Whether it is a family member, an orphaned child, a neighbor in distress, even a stranger – each person deserves care and compassion.

The crisis that leads to the final resolution had me in tears. I wanted to read faster to find out what happens. I wanted to read more slowly to avoid what was coming. I had to finish; I was afraid to finish.

Some reviewers have said that the book was slow … not for me. I was engaged and enthralled from beginning to end. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time.

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UPDATE - Nov 6, 2011
I read this in April for my F2F book club # 1. Now two other book clubs are discussing it in November and December, so I decided to refresh my memory by listening to the audio. This review is confined to the audio experience.
Malhotra is pitch perfect in performing this book. He shows the right emotion or restraint depending on which character he is voicing. Shiva is maddeningly flat – this came across in the text but is even more evident in the audio – which adds to Marion’s frustration and anger. The only character’s voice that truly surprised me was that of Thomas Stone; I was expecting a more “cultured” and obviously British accent.
I typically listen to audio books during my daily commute. I had to laugh at myself, because despite knowing the outcome, I found myself riveted by the story, and at times driving “the long way” so that I could listen to more of the book before stopping for the day. It was the same reaction I have when listening to a particularly compelling story when I have NOT previously read it.

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Update: 26March2021
Nearly ten years later, I re-listened to the audio, and once again was transported and fully engaged in this marvelous novel. It made no difference that I knew what was coming. Verghese is an incredibly talented writer. show less

Verghese is an engaging writer with a fascinating story that touches on much more than just AIDS and its devastating effect on people and their families. The heart of the book is, of course, Verghese's relationship with his patients. Some we see for only a short time, but others are woven throughout the book, along with their families, and the reader becomes just as tied up in their lives and their pain as Verghese. Beyond a few criticisms, this is a good book. It provides a snapshot of show more not-that-long-ago America where neither AIDS nor homosexuality were understood by the general population at all. Verghese confronts some of his own biases and misconceptions about gay people through the course of the book, and while he doesn't get everything right, his journey and his effort come off well. While this book is definitely a downer, there is a bright side in looking at how much the conversation has changed in the past 25 years, and how much doctors and researchers like Verghese have helped people living with HIV and AIDS.

[ full review here: http://spacebeer.blogspot.com/2016/02/my-own-country-doctors-story-by-abraham.ht... ] show less

But it was only now, near the end, and far too late, that the pieces suddenly - dreadfully - clicked into place. Like a long Tetris piece slamming down, making a whole block of mystery blink and vanish. Only now did he realize what suddenly seemed so obvious: everyone who had suggested this book to him – every single one – was a middle-aged woman. This book…it was about the importance of family.

A wave of cold horror washed over him.

It would take months of porn and comic books to show more counteract this book’s effect. Months. show less