Khaled Hosseini

"Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy through the horrific rule of the Taliban, "The Kite Runner" is the heartbreaking story of the unlikely and inseparable friendship between a wealthy Afghan boy and the son of his father's servant, both of whom are caught in the tragic sweep of history. Published in the aftermath of America's invasion of Afghanistan, Khaled Hosseini's haunting writing brought a part of the world to vivid life that was previously unknown."




"A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love. Born a generation apart and with very di fferent ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival."


I can't say enough how much I love this author's writing. He is by far my favorite modern day author. His style is so easy and effectively pulls the reader into the story so completely. He makes such good use of imagery and foreshadowing and all the stuff of good literature. The content is poignant for today and yet the truths are timeless. It's not easy, mindless reading. Both The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns deal with very difficult subjects: betrayal, guilt, abuse, and war to name a few. Both books are excellent for a good cry. I would be remiss if I didn't warn those of you with a more sensitive nature that there is some strong language- it's very little and only used to accentuate very intense situations- but it is there. My favorite thing is that the author always ends the book in a satisfying way- not always in the most happy way- but in a meaningful way that feels "right". If I were an English teacher I would totally use these books. So, five stars for both books.