About Abraham

Abraham Verghese is a highly respected physician and a bestselling author, known for his ability to blend medicine and storytelling. Born in Ethiopia in 1955 to Indian parents, his medical studies were interrupted by civil unrest, leading him to move to the U.S. and eventually finish his medical degree in India. He specializes in infectious diseases and his experiences, especially working with AIDS patients in rural Tennessee in the 1980s, inspired his writing career. Abraham is a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he advocates for the importance of the physical exam and human connection in a world of advanced technology. He is the author of the memoirs My Own Country and The Tennis Partner, and the bestselling novel Cutting for Stone. His most recent novel, The Covenant of Water (2023), was also a massive success. He has been recognized for his work in both fields, including being an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and receiving the National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama in 2016. Abraham continues to teach, practice medicine, and write, focusing on the patient as the center of the medical experience.