Abraham Verghese Quotes, an Ethiopian-born American physician and author, has touched hearts with his bestselling novels Cutting for Stone (2009) and The Covenant of Water (2023), and memoirs like My Own Country (1994). As a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, he champions compassionate, patient-centered care, blending his medical expertise with a storyteller’s soul. A National Humanities Medal recipient (2015), Verghese’s words weave empathy, resilience, and the human experience into unforgettable insights. These 15 quotes—sourced from his books and interviews—center on his profound wisdom, “The key to your happiness is to own your slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own the talents you have, and own the ones you don’t,” alongside fresh reflections on medicine, life, and connection, offering a new perspective to inspire and uplift.
15 Abraham Verghese Quotes
- “The key to your happiness is to own your slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own the talents you have, and own the ones you don’t.” (Cutting for Stone, 2009, p. 351)
- “Wasn’t that the definition of home? Not where you are from, but where you are wanted.” (Cutting for Stone, 2009, p. 94)
- “You live it forward, but understand it backward.” (Cutting for Stone, 2009, p. 11)
- “We are all fixing what is broken. It is the task of a lifetime.” (Cutting for Stone, 2009, p. 121)
- “Fiction is the great lie that tells the truth about how the world lives!” (The Covenant of Water, 2023, p. 45)
- “God will judge us by what we did to relieve the suffering of our fellow human beings.” (Cutting for Stone, 2009, p. 182)
- “I’m a great believer in geography being destiny.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “Medicine, you see, is my first love; whether I write fiction or nonfiction, it’s still about medicine.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “The most important innovation in medicine to come in the next 10 years: the power of the human hand.” (InspiringQuotes.us, 2016)
- “We are trained to think that medicine is about science. It is also about compassion.” (Bookey.app, 2023)
- “The human face of medicine is what really matters.” (Bookey.app, 2023)
- “In writing, as in medicine, there are no short cuts. You need stamina.” (BrainyQuote, n.d.)
- “Literature is a beautiful way of keeping the imagination alive.” (InspiringQuotes.us, 2016)
- “I think we learn from medicine everywhere that it is, at its heart, a human endeavor.” (QuoteTab, n.d.)
- “There is a point when grief exceeds the human capacity to emote, and as a result one is strangely composed.” (Cutting for Stone, 2009, p. 274)
Abraham Verghese’s quotes are a soulful blend of empathy, wisdom, and a call to live with heart, inspiring doctors, readers, and dreamers to cherish human connection and purpose. His words remind us to heal, love, and tell stories that matter, urging us to embrace life’s depth. Which one gets you fired up to connect or create? Drop it in the comments and keep Verghese’s legacy of compassion alive!
Emma Thompson
Hi, I'm Emma Thompson, founder of MyLittleDesire. I share relationship advice, love quotes, and thoughtful gift ideas to help you express your feelings and strengthen your bonds. Let's celebrate love together!
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