Cutting for Stone

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• The novel traces many years of Marion’s life. Which parts of his life did you find most compelling? Did the book successfully hold your interest through his journey?
• Did Cutting for Stone change your understanding of the medical industry and community? Discuss the most effective ways the book delves into this topic.

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Which character did you connect with the most? Why did you find them the most engaging? 
• The novel moves through important historical events, cultural institutions, and even through different countries. Which section of the novel resonated most with you, or did you find the most compelling? 
• Marion often feels like an outsider. Could you relate to this feeling? 
• How did you feel about the novel’s depiction of faith? Do you think faith is something confined to religious practice, or does it underpin the human experience more broadly?
• ShivaMarion’s storyline can be read as an allegory for the loss of childhood innocence. Do you think coming-of-age necessarily entails a measure of loss? Why or why not?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• Explore the roles of women in the novel and the challenges they face. Consider, in particular, the roles women play in medicine in the novel. 
• What issues faced by doctors does the novel comment on? Do these issues still resonate today? How do you see them manifest in our society?
• Discuss the novel’s exploration of the immigrant experience in the United States. 

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Discuss Verghese’s decision to set the novel amid the significant events of 20th-century Ethiopian history. How does this setting amplify the meaning of the novel?
• Analyze the role that religion plays in the novel and in Marion’s development. 
• Cutting for Stone spans decades and continents. Discuss Verghese’s use of such a broad span of time and place. How does this epic structure deepen the thematic meaning of the novel?
• Analyze the role that Shiva plays in the novel. How does his story contribute to Marion’s journey?
• In the novel, highly personal scenes are often juxtaposed with graphic medical procedures. How does this imagery work to amplify the meaning of the very personal revelations of the novel?
• How does the relationship between Marion’s parents, Sister Mary Joseph Praise and Thomas Stone, resonate throughout the lives of all the characters?

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Rewrite a chapter of the novel from another character’s point of view (consider Shiva, Ghosh, Hema, etc.). How does it change the story?
• If you were adapting this novel for film, whom would you cast in the lead roles? Where would you film?

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