Abraham Verghese: On healing, writing and his memories of Kerala

Chapter 2 of Abraham Verghese’s latest novel, The Covenant Of Water, describes a wedding. The book remains on The New York Times and National Indie best-seller lists, half-a-dozen international editions are already out and, of course, American talk show host Oprah Winfrey’s enthusiastic promotion of her 101st book club pick has no doubt vastly expanded its fame and reach. The concept of the “iPatient” was clearly laid out in his 2008 article in The New England Journal Of Medicine, titled ‘Culture Shock: Patient As Icon, Icon As Patient’. So, in that sense we are all “Western readers.” It’s interesting that we get to know Big Ammachi’s actual name only half-way through the book. While reading the book I couldn’t help wishing that one could get to know some of the other major characters – especially Elsie – better.