This is the remarkable debut novel from Khaled Hosseini. Twelve year old Amir is desperate to win the approval of his father Baba, one of the richest ...Show synopsisThis is the remarkable debut novel from Khaled Hosseini. Twelve year old Amir is desperate to win the approval of his father Baba, one of the richest and most respected merchants in Kabul. He has failed to do so through academia or brawn, but the one area where they connect is the annual kite fighting tournament. Amir is determined not just to win the competition but to run the last kite and bring it home triumphantly, to prove to his father that he has the makings of a man. His loyal friend Hassan is the best kite runner that Amir has ever seen, and he promises to help him - for Hassan always helps Amir out of trouble. But, Hassan is a Shi'a Muslim and this is 1970s Afghanistan.Hassan is taunted and jeered at by Amir's school friends; he is merely a servant living in a shack at the back of Amir's house. So why does Amir feel such envy towards his friend? Then, what happens to Hassan on the afternoon of the tournament is to shatter all their lives, and define their futures. When Russia invades Afghanistan, Amir and Baba escape to San Francisco, where Baba fades but Amir feels that at last he can succeed. But, he is still haunted by guilt and he knows that his past will not let him go.The destructive rule of the Northern Alliance, followed by the even more terrifying and oppressive Taliban have destroyed the country that Amir knows, but the hearts of men cannot be suppressed. Amir must return to Afghanistan to search for salvation, and perhaps his life-altering mistakes can be redeemed. This is a moving, courageous story of love, loyalty, secrets and vengeance, and of a country and a boy whose footsteps cannot be retraced, as the events and decisions resonate and alter them for ever.Hide synopsis
Khaled Hosseini has woven a tale that takes its time being told. Kite Runner is the story of a boy becoming a man in Afghan culture. Amir and Hassan, living in Afghanistan as the novel begins, are raised in the same household, almost as cousins. They are not adversely affected by having no women ...
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This is a very sad and touching book about a little boy growing up in Afghanistan. It really made me stop and think about racism, how kids struggle with right and wrong, and there's some good history education in it too. Very good book.
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This book is a real find. It has heartache, and adventure, while really getting a look at what can happen to a man when regret runs his life. It is a look inside the culture of the afghan people. I find it truly captivating and hard to put down. I bought a copy for my sister-in-law who is also an avid ...
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The Kite Runner was a book I had to read for a World Literature course. It was a very good book, and I would recommend this book outside of a classroom setting as well.
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As we continue to support the fight against the Taliban in Afghanistan, I a glad I read this book to get a deeper sense of the experience of the people. Although it is fiction is has a lot of historical information and is a good depictions of life in the shadows of the Taliban. I want to recommend ...
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