I'm glad to report that the epic sweep of Abraham Verghese's Cutting for Stone includes a character from our own fair city, though he shows up in Addis Ababa. Mr. Eli Harris, a Baptist from Houston, is a friend and somewhat muddled supporter of Missing (Mission) Hospital, the essential scene of the early parts of the novel. He's a sympathetic character, "the sort of man who, even when he had the upper hand, didn't know how to press for his rights."

In other news, our friends over at the Brazos are hosting a major European writer this evening: Arthur Japin is one of Holland's leading novelists, and he'll be reading from his latest book to be translated into English: Director's Cut, set in the world of Italian cinema. The event starts at 7pm. For more details, please follow this link: http://www.brazosbookstore.com/event/arthur-japin