Preview
  • The Tennis Partner

  • A Doctor's Story of Friendship and Loss
  • By: Abraham Verghese
  • Narrated by: Neil Shah
  • Length: 13 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (291 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Tennis Partner

By: Abraham Verghese
Narrated by: Neil Shah
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.19

Buy for $25.19

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

An unforgettable, illuminating story of how men live and how they survive, from Abraham Verghese, the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of Cutting for Stone and The Covenant of Water, an Oprah's Book Club Pick.

“Heartbreaking. . . . Indelible and haunting, [The Tennis Partner] is an elegy to friendship found, and an ode to a good friend lost.”The Boston Globe

When Abraham Verghese, a physician whose marriage is unraveling, relocates to El Paso, Texas, he hopes to make a fresh start as a staff member at the county hospital. There he meets David Smith, a medical student recovering from drug addiction, and the two men begin a tennis ritual that allows them to shed their inhibitions and find security in the sport they love and with each other. This friendship between doctor and intern grows increasingly rich and complex, more intimate than two men usually allow. Just when it seems nothing can go wrong, the dark beast from David’s past emerges once again—and almost everything Verghese has come to trust and believe in is threatened as David spirals out of control.

©2024 Abraham Verghese (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about The Tennis Partner

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    200
  • 4 Stars
    50
  • 3 Stars
    34
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    198
  • 4 Stars
    49
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    185
  • 4 Stars
    46
  • 3 Stars
    30
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful story about love and compassion

So well written about how you make friends but in the end you are always alone .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

an honest telling of the horror of addiction

it is a finely detailed account of deep friendship and its inability to overcome the slide to self destruction.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Heart Gripping

Abraham, you did it again another wonderful story. I could feel the main characters pain at the end. Loved it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Autobiographical

I love Verghese’s other books. I love how he winds his medical knowledge throughout his stories. This one was personal. About a friend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Characters

This is a deep dive into the overlapping cultures of medical education, tennis, southwest Texas, intravenous drugs, and AIDS. Difficult, sad, respectful and humble. It is beautifully and written and read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

ThiS man is an extraordinary writer.

A haunting tale that is told is a very straightforward manner. There is no attempt to over dramatize the story. Presenting it as it was- makes it all the more stirring and tragic. Verghese’s writing is masterful, touching, emotional- but no more than the story itself. He has a masterful touch- every word is there for a reason.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another great book by Abraham Verghese

Very good story with lots of details. Great narration. Dr. Virgies is such a talented writer, mixing his storyline with medical term and his personal story. Definitely a great read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

love all of his books

You never really know what can save an addict, or if it can be done. Family member, friend, you can only hold on, do your best, and let go when they pull you down.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

honesty

David voice was hard to hear. it should be louder on the audio as I had to turn the volumn up for his part.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Such a good story about friendship and dealing with drug abuse

Liked this a lot, preferred his other 2 books, but it was an interesting story with some insight into the author’s world. I always learn interesting things from reading his books about medical things, tennis and Indian culture. He explains things so well. I liked the narrator, but I wish that Abraham had narrated it himself.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful