A Thousand Splendid Suns ~ Khaled Hosseini

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Khaled Hosseini

Hosseini's first novel, The Kite Runner, became more than a success, it became a classic in the art of storytelling. In his second novel, Hosseini proves that he, indeed, has the gift of storytelling.

Set in the Afghanistan of the Soviet invasion, the rule of the Taliban and the current reconstruction of a war torn land, this is a story of generations of strong women who struggle to survive, to raise their children and perhaps find a moment or two of happiness in a world that sees no reason for women to be thought of as human.

Hosseini creates characters of strength and perserverance. Their lives are intertwined due to the cruelty of life. Through it all, they become friends and family.

This is a magnificent read. It is timely and helps one to understand the struggles faced in Afghanistan today.

I would urge you to go to Hosseini's web page and view his interview videos....

The Kite Runner ~ Khaled Hosseini

The Kite Runner

by Khaled Hosseini

This is one of the best fiction books I have ever read. Khaled Hosseini takes us into the culture, life and war in the troubled land of Afghanistan. It gives a deep insight into the tribal culture, the quality of life, the difficulty the Taliban created.

The narrator tells the story of his childhood and the servant's boy that he shared it with. With continual warfare, his family immigrates and eventually arrives in the United States. He is educated and marries and has a life that Afghans can only dream of. Yet, he is still haunted by a childhood lie he told which caused a severe beating and exile for his childhood friend. He goes on a quest to right this wrong and finds a world that even he can not understand.

It is an intense tale of two friends, their opposite lives and the struggles in this war torn land.

It also tells of the tradition of kite flying and the importance of it in the community. It is a theme that goes throughout the book and becomes the symbol of hope for the future.