Is a sweeping historical novel by Abraham Verghese, set in Kerala, India, from 1900 to 1977, that follows three generationsof a family plagued by amysterious affliction: at least one family member drowns in every generation. The story begins with a young girl sent to be married and spans the life of the family matriarch, known as "Big Ammachi". It explores themes of love, loss, and family, while also depicting dramatic social and medical changes in India during this period including the advancements in medicine and the complexities of its history and culture
