The Covenant of Water (Oprah's Book Club)

OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB SELECTION • INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • FEATURED IN A SIX-PART SUPER SOUL PODCAST SERIES HOSTED BY OPRAH WINFREY

The latest work from the bestselling author of Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese, unfolds as a remarkable and expansive tale of love, faith, and medicine. This narrative is set against the backdrop of Kerala, South India, traversing three generations of a family in pursuit of unraveling a mysterious secret.

Described as “one of the most captivating books I’ve ever read” by Oprah Winfrey on OprahDaily.com, The Covenant of Water is an eagerly awaited novel from Verghese, renowned for his immensely popular Cutting for Stone, a book that has sold over 1.5 million copies in the United States and maintained a position on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years.

Covering the period from 1900 to 1977, the story unfolds in Kerala, along the Malabar Coast, where an unusual affliction plagues a family for generations. In each era, at least one family member meets their end through drowning, and in Kerala, water is omnipresent. The narrative commences with a twelve-year-old girl, a member of Kerala’s long-established Christian community, sent by boat to her wedding while mourning her father's death. This sets the stage for an extraordinary life, marked by joy and triumph, as well as hardship and loss, with faith and love serving as unwavering constants.

The Covenant of Water beautifully captures the essence of a bygone era in India and the inexorable march of time itself. It stands as a tribute to medical progress, human understanding, and a poignant testament to the trials endured by previous generations for the sake of those who inhabit the present. This novel is a literary masterpiece, showcasing Verghese’s storytelling prowess and marking a significant contribution to contemporary literature.