I've heard to start this book with no preconceptions because the description doesn't do it justice. Suffice it to say that this novel has been recommended by fellow readers with great taste who describe it using my favorite adjectives: haunting, sweeping, gorgeous.

At 736 pages, the much-anticipated new novel from physician and author Verghese is the longest book in the guide. He puts every page to good use, portraying three generations of an Indian family who suffer from what they have come to call the “condition.” For each of the past seven generations, at least one family member has drowned unexpectedly, even though they avoid the water. But this family is determined to find meaning despite the suffering they experience and anticipate. Unfolding in 20th century rural South India (with one short trip to Scotland), this is a sweeping tale of love, family, faith, and medicine. For fans of Verghese’s Cutting for Stone and Nino Haratischwili’s The Eighth Life.

While Verghese is known for his fiction, his first book was this memoir about his time working at a rural hospital in eastern Tennessee when they treated their first AIDS patient. He specialized in infectious diseases and became their de facto local AIDS expert as more patients were diagnosed. He and his coworkers focus not only on the patients’ physical needs but their emotional needs and those moments of tenderness and connection make a difference for them all. Verghese is a gifted and gripping storyteller, writing with empathy, compassion, and understanding.