A couple of good books

A few years ago, my well-read friend Julie recommended a book called "My Own Country" by Abraham Verghese. It is the true story of a young Indian doctor who travels to America and begins his medical career in rural Tennessee where he becomes, by sad necessity, the local specialist for the treatment of HIV/AIDS when it first emerges there in 1985. His compassionate and realistic writing won numerous book awards. Not surprisingly, this young doctor went on to to a brilliant career, and founded the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics at the University of Texas.

Now he has written a remarkable first novel called "Cutting for Stone." The setting for this book is Ethiopia, where apparently he lived and trained as a surgeon. The plot is too complex to describe here, and if you are squeamish about watching "ER"you may want to skip it, as some of the medical descriptions and surgeries in the mission hospital are graphic! But I thoroughly enjoyed the unusual story about twin boys, and the fine, fine writing.

I'm ashamed to admit how little I knew about the rich history and culture of Ethiopia, other than eating those tasty pancake things with my hands in an Ethopian restaurant.


"Border Songs" by Jim Lynch couldn't be more different, but if you love birds just one look at this dust jacket makes you want to read it. The novel takes place not far from Seattle, on the rural (and rapidly changing) border between Washington state and British Columbia. We have driven merrily along here many times on our way to Harrison Hot Springs in BC, oblivious to what a busy place this is for pot growing, illegal drugs, and human smuggling! The unusual "hero" of this book is 6' 8" and severely dyslexic. His father pushes him off the dairy farm and into the Border Patrol, where he puts his strange mental gifts to work and at the same time indulges his compulsion for bird-watching. (Dave, you will like this book.)

John keeps me generously supplied with brand-new hardcover books like these, that I'm too cheap to buy for myself. I usually just take them to the book exchange when I'm finished, but I'd rather pass along to friends-- so let me know if you're interested.