Abraham Verghese at a Glance

Full Name: Abraham Verghese

Pronunciation: AY-bruh-ham vur-GHEES

Born: May 30, 1955

Nationality: United States

Education:

• Madras University (Bachelor of Medicine)
• University of Iowa (MFA, Creative Writing)

Genres:

• Memoir
• Contemporary fiction
• Historical fiction

Biography & Background

Abraham Verghese Biography

Abraham Verghese is a best-selling American author and practicing physician. He is currently the Linda R. Meier and Joan F. Lane Provostial Professor of Medicine at Stanford University Medical School, where he also serves as the internal medicine clerkship director.

Verghese was born on May 30, 1955, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where his Indian parents worked as teachers. He began studying medicine in Ethiopia but emigrated to the United States during a period of civil unrest following the overthrow of Emperor Halie Selassie. After working for a year as a hospital orderly, he moved to India to complete his medical training at Madras University. He then returned to the US, where he practiced medicine in East Tennessee and Boston in the early 1980s, a period that coincided with the beginnings of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States. His experiences as a physician in this era inspired his second career as a writer, and he took a hiatus from medicine to attend the prestigious Iowa Writer’s Workshop at the University of Iowa. His first book, the memoir My Own Country: A Doctor’s Story (1994), details his experiences working with patients with HIV/AIDS.

Verghese continues to practice medicine while pursuing his career as a writer. In 1999, he published a second memoir, The Tennis Partner: A Story of Friendship and Loss. He went on to publish two acclaimed novels: Cutting for Stone (2009) and The Covenant of Water (2023). The first describes 1974 Ethiopian revolution that forced Verghese to leave the country of his birth, while the second spans most of the 20th century in Kerala, India, where Verghese’s parents were born and lived much of their lives. Both books were bestsellers, and The Covenant of Water was an Oprah’s Book Club selection.

Fun Facts About Abraham Verghese

• Verghese cites W. Somerset Maugham’s Of Human Bondage as a key reason for his choice to pursue a medical career.
• Verghese based the architecture of the Parambil house in The Covenant of Water on his own childhood home in Kerala.
• The title of Cutting for Stone comes from the Hippocratic oath taken by all new doctors: “I will not cut for stone.” In the middle ages, traveling surgeons performed invasive surgery to remove kidney and gall stones, often leading to life-threatening complications.
• Verghese has six honorary degrees, including from Harvard University, Swarthmore College, and the College of the Holy Cross.

Abraham Verghese’s Awards & Honors

• 1995 — Lambda Literary Award for Gay Men’s Biography/Autobiography (My Own Country)
• 2011 — Member of the Institute of Medicine
• 2014 — Heinz Award in the Arts and Humanities
• 2015 — National Humanities Medal
• 2023 — Guggenheim Fellowship

Interviews & Podcasts

Hear from Abraham Verghese in his own words.

Interviews with Abraham Verghese

_{THE NEW YORK TIMES}

The Novel That Led Abraham Verghese to a Medical Career (April 27, 2023)

Verghese discusses how reading Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham inspired his decision to become a doctor and, later, a writer. He reflects on the intersection of literature and medicine, offering insights into how storytelling shapes patient care.

_{OPRAH DAILY}

Oprah’s Interview with Author Abraham Verghese (July 15, 2023)

In this candid discussion with Oprah Winfrey, Verghese talks about The Covenant of Water and his personal connections to the novel’s setting in Kerala, India. He also breaks down his writing process and emphasizes the importance of representing the human side of medicine in fiction.

Podcasts with Abraham Verghese

_{HOUSE CALLS WITH DR. VIVEK MURTHY}

Abraham Verghese: When There Is No Cure, How Can We Heal? (June 11, 2024)

Verghese joins US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy to discuss the role of compassion in medicine, the limitations of modern healthcare, and storytelling’s potential as a tool for healing. This episode is a must-listen for those interested in the philosophy behind patient care.

_{LIBRO.FM PODCAST}

Interview with Abraham Verghese (January 30, 2024)

Verghese reflects on the challenges of writing fiction while practicing medicine, how he balances both careers, and what drew him to historical fiction. He also offers advice for aspiring writers looking to blend personal experience into their work.

Abraham Verghese Quotes

The key to your happiness is to own your slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own the talents you have, and own the ones you don’t. If you keep saying your slippers aren’t yours, then you’ll die searching, you’ll die bitter, always feeling you were promised more. Not only our actions, but also our omissions, become our destiny.

— Cutting for Stone (2009)

Fiction is the great lie that tells the truth.

— interview with The New York Times (The Novel That Led Abraham Verghese to a Medical Career, 2023)

I think novels are always a form of atonement, and they’re also a form of instruction.

— interview with All Things Considered (The Covenant of Water Is the Story of an Indian Family Haunted by a Medical Mystery, 2023)

Fiction is the great lie that tells the truth about how the world lives!

— The Covenant of Water (2023)

We don’t have children to fulfill our dreams. Children allow us to let go of the dreams we were never meant to fulfill.

— The Covenant of Water (2023)

Notable Books by Abraham Verghese

My Own Country (1994)

Verghese’s debut book, My Own Country is a memoir detailing the author’s experiences as an infectious disease specialist in rural Tennessee during the early years of the HIV/AIDS crisis. He examines the social stigma, medical challenges, and personal relationships affected by the epidemic, resulting in a poignant personal account and broader reflection on compassion and medicine in marginalized communities.

The Tennis Partner (1998)

With his signature empathy and keen observational style, Verghese’s second memoir is a moving account of the relationships that shape and define us. The book chronicles his friendship with David Smith, a medical resident and gifted tennis player recovering from addiction. As their bond deepens over the sport, Verghese confronts his own struggles, weaving a reflective narrative about human connection, addiction, and resilience.

Check out SuperSummary’s study guide.

Cutting for Stone (2009)

Verghese’s first novel, Cutting for Stone is a sweeping saga that follows twin brothers, Marion and Shiva Stone, born to a British surgeon and an Indian nun in Ethiopia. After a tragic birth and their mother’s death, the brothers are raised by two doctors in Addis Ababa. The novel spans continents and decades, weaving themes of medicine, betrayal, and forgiveness. Verghese’s background as a physician enriches the novel’s detailed medical scenes, making it an immersive read.

Check out SuperSummary’s study guide.

Authors Like Abraham Verghese

Marilynne Robinson

Recommended Read: Gilead (2004)

Robinson’s Gilead is an introspective novel written as a letter from an aging minister to his young son. It explores themes of faith, family, and reconciliation, mirroring Verghese’s meditative style. Both authors weave deeply personal narratives set against expansive historical backdrops, making Gilead an excellent pick for fans of Verghese’s thoughtful prose and humanistic themes.

Want to explore more? Check out SuperSummary’s study guide.

Min Jin Lee

Recommended Read: Pachinko (2017)

Like Verghese, Min Jin Lee crafts multigenerational sagas that ponder displacement, identity, and perseverance. Pachinko follows a Korean family’s journey across several decades as they navigate the challenges of immigration and cultural survival in Japan. Readers who appreciate Verghese’s ability to balance intimate character studies with sweeping historical narratives will find Pachinko equally engrossing.

Uncover more with SuperSummary’s study guide.

Arundhati Roy

Recommended Read: The God of Small Things (1997)

The God of Small Things is a lyrical and emotionally rich novel about twin siblings navigating love, tragedy, and political turmoil in Kerala, India—the same setting as Verghese’s The Covenant of Water. Both authors share a poetic style and a keen eye for the impact of historical forces on deeply personal lives, making Roy an excellent recommendation for Verghese’s readers.

Uncover more with SuperSummary’s study guide.

Follow Abraham Verghese

Connect with Abraham Verghese on the following platforms:

• Author Website: www.abrahamverghese.org
• Instagram: @abraham.verghese.official
• X: @abe_verghese