The Kite Runner

I found this book so shocking that I couldn’t put it down. I was so mad at Amir for betraying his friend Hasim that I didn’t believe he could possibly be redeemed. I didn’t think he deserved it. Yet, with skill and grace, the author takes us so deep inside Amir’s feelings and lingering shame that it reminded me of the times that I let someone down or said something I wish I hadn’t.

As much as I’d like to ignore my mistakes or pretend them away, this book shows me that there is always a way back to try… show more.

Afghanistan has been part of my life for a very long time. I have written a lot about Afghan history and have traveled to the country, too. And I have probably read several hundred books about Afghanistan in half a dozen languages. But Khaled Hosseini’s book managed something quite extraordinary that no one has achieved before or since: he turned the travails of modern Afghan history into a massive international bestseller. 

In doing so, I admired how Khaled Hosseini adopted the tools of the novelist—characterization, empathy, a plot driven by the inner conflicts of personality and the outer conflicts of… show more.

I found myself involved with the characters and came to care for them. Moreover, I was struck by the author's desire to inspire readers to encourage discussion of Afghanistan and so keep the nation in the wider public consciousness.

The book certainly did that for me and is unforgettable, even though I read it over 20 years ago! It brought me alive and helped me understand issues facing those in Afghanistan and in my own community of Sindhis from my country of origin, Pakistan (formerly British India when my family had to flee following the partition of British India in… show more.

It seems as if I’m consistently selecting novels set during war. But my former recommendation, and this one, is just too good to pass by plus it’s on the top shelf of my library, keeping other favorites company. This one is a love story between boyhood friends and I’m a hopeless romantic. Match my romantic soul with tragedy and I’m a goner. Now we’re in Afghanistan where a privileged young boy and his friend, the son of his father’s servant, live through their country’s revolution and are invaded by Russian forces that tear the country apart. The writing is so… show more.

I could relate to the character who witnessed something wrong and did nothing about it. Most of us encounter that kind of situation and we fail to act for a variety of reasons. Usually we find justifications for our failure to act, which are really excuses. The underlying reason for our failure is usually fear, which is hard for us to acknowledge. So we find ways of deflecting our guilt or covering it up, usually with lies that sooner or later will come back to haunt us. When we seek redemption, it’s always a challenge.

It has been a long time since I first read this book, but at its core this story is about friendship between a wealthy Pashtun boy and a poor Hazara boy, Hassan. Love, betrayal, hate, and a whole spectrum of emotions play out under the cruel regime of the Taliban. Like the kites the two friends fly so cleverly, your heart will leap with hope and break with its descent. The inferior way the Hazara clan is treated by Afghan society is forever tattooed in my mind, but the book is filled with history and deep insight into its culture.… show more.

This was a major tearjerker for me. The relationship between the young protagonist and his friend was one-sided and subtly abusive because they came from different social classes. 

This emotive story reminded me that as human beings we can be cruel if there are no perceived consequences and if we don’t keep our conscience in check. Although the protagonist somewhat redeems himself as an adult later in the story, I was tearful for days after reading this book.

Yes, it’s a novel, but it is a novel steeped in local lore, history, and the reality of life under the kite-banning Taliban. No book evokes daily life in the land of the Taliban better than The Kite Runner. Thank you, Khaled Hosseini!