randi bethel

Abraham Verghese's storytelling is captivating. As I listened to him read his story, I felt like I was there with his characters, watching and hearing everything first hand. His use of appropriate accents for his characters added to the realism. There are so many joys and so many tragedies in these lives. I felt the true roller coaster of life. Honestly, I wondered how these characters could continue with such positivity with everything they have undergone. Even though this is a work of fiction, I learned much about India's history. I didn't know about India's WWII involvement, nor about the Naxalites. Dr Verghese's detailed medical descriptions were fascinating (not all for the faint of heart). He weaves his extensive research and knowledge of many subjects artfully throughout the story, putting time and place into perspective, adding to its realism. I'm guessing reading this book would be a very different experience from listening to it. He reads it marvelously. I highly recommend listening to this book.