Last week we had a good turn out at Uno's to discuss
Abraham Verghese's book "The Tennis Partner".
We had Diana, Carol, Sarah, Betsy, Nancy, Madeleine,
Donna R, and Nettie. We were familiar with the Author
who had written"Cutting for Stone" and we knew of his
doctoring philosophy and early training in Ethiopia.
Some of the things we discussed were the relationships in the
book between David the addict and his medical teachers,
and his girlfriends. Though everyone bent over backwards to
help him he chose to isolate himself. We also discussed Abraham's
relationship with his wife. It seems like doctoring sometimes
leaves little time for personal relationships as it is a noble yet
demanding career. A good doctor serves humanity and that
satisfaction alone should be enough for some.
There was a reference to Occam's razor which we had seen in
another book "The Straight Man". Occams razor is the simplest
way of connecting and explaining thing. This was mentioned
in relationship to a medical diagnosis.
David was such a likeable character who had just about everything
going for him yet he chose cocaine above all else. We had to agree
that addictions are so difficult to understand and maybe the chemical
force has a big part in causing addiction as well as the myriad
emotional aspects. It is a very mystifying thing to wrap your head
around as to why a person chooses the drug.
But at the end of the day the addict is responsible for himself and other
people are not. That is why it is so frustrating to deal with an addict.
Julie chose "The Lace Reader" by Brumonia Barry which is about a
woman who returns to Salem Massachussets to a quirky family
with old money. I started it and so far am loving it.
The next meeting is scheduled for August 10 which is a Wednesday.
