The Kite Runner
13 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by mrsbridgewater from Holybourne, Hampshire United Kingdom on Saturday, January 22, 2005
One of my best friends 'phoned me during the week and said 'Toria - you have to read this book! I can't believe you haven't read it yet! Go out and get a copy so I can talk to you about it.' So, being a good girl I decided to do as I was told... I'll read it as soon as I can!
Now for the blurb from the back of the book:
'Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to gain the approval of his father and resolves to win the local kite-fighting tournament, to prove that he has the makings of a man. His loyal friend Hassan promises to help him - for he always helps Amir - but this is 1970s Afganistan and Hassan is merely a low-caste servant who is jeered at in the street, although Amir feels jealous of his natural courage and the place he holds in his father's heart. But neither of the boys could forsee what would happen to Hassan on the afternoon of the tournament, which was to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return, to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him; redemption.'
Now for the blurb from the back of the book:
'Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to gain the approval of his father and resolves to win the local kite-fighting tournament, to prove that he has the makings of a man. His loyal friend Hassan promises to help him - for he always helps Amir - but this is 1970s Afganistan and Hassan is merely a low-caste servant who is jeered at in the street, although Amir feels jealous of his natural courage and the place he holds in his father's heart. But neither of the boys could forsee what would happen to Hassan on the afternoon of the tournament, which was to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return, to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him; redemption.'
Journal Entry 2 by mrsbridgewater from Holybourne, Hampshire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 27, 2005
Fabulous book!
I read the first 20 pages thinking 'this isn't as good as I expected it to be,' but the next time I looked I was halfway through the book.
It is stunning! Shocking, heartbreaking, humourous and intriguing all at the same time. I really defy you not to find something that moves you in this tale. It was also a window on a culture that I knew nothing about - despite fairly extensive coverage of Afganistan in the media in recent years. There is a huge difference to be seen when looking at something from the inside to that which is seen from the outside.
Thank you Mrs T for recommending this one!
I read the first 20 pages thinking 'this isn't as good as I expected it to be,' but the next time I looked I was halfway through the book.
It is stunning! Shocking, heartbreaking, humourous and intriguing all at the same time. I really defy you not to find something that moves you in this tale. It was also a window on a culture that I knew nothing about - despite fairly extensive coverage of Afganistan in the media in recent years. There is a huge difference to be seen when looking at something from the inside to that which is seen from the outside.
Thank you Mrs T for recommending this one!
Journal Entry 3 by mrsbridgewater from Holybourne, Hampshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 1, 2005
Sending this out to my postal book group today.
After completion of the book group it will be going out on a ring to the following participants:
Winterson
Avoca
Decembermum
Lucycat
Hellie
PsychJo
angellica
dododumpling
jenatleisure
GlitterLover
If you are interested in joining this ring please PM me.
Book Ring Rules (Adapted from psychjo)
1) Everyody should leave a journal entry when receiving the book and after the read! Please let us all know what you think about it...
2) Also PM the next person on the list for a mailing address and when that person doesn't answer within 7 days MAX! please PM the one after...
3) Everybody should also try to read the book soon (max - one month?)- but in a joyful speed. It's not about how many books someone can read within a certain amount of time - it's about enjoying it...
4) You can send the book via first or second class post- that is completely up to you.
5) If you find you don't have the time to read it when it's your turn please PM and I'll move you to a later slot.
6) Any new members joining from now will be added to the end of the Ring
After completion of the book group it will be going out on a ring to the following participants:
Winterson
Avoca
Decembermum
Lucycat
Hellie
PsychJo
angellica
dododumpling
jenatleisure
GlitterLover
If you are interested in joining this ring please PM me.
Book Ring Rules (Adapted from psychjo)
1) Everyody should leave a journal entry when receiving the book and after the read! Please let us all know what you think about it...
2) Also PM the next person on the list for a mailing address and when that person doesn't answer within 7 days MAX! please PM the one after...
3) Everybody should also try to read the book soon (max - one month?)- but in a joyful speed. It's not about how many books someone can read within a certain amount of time - it's about enjoying it...
4) You can send the book via first or second class post- that is completely up to you.
5) If you find you don't have the time to read it when it's your turn please PM and I'll move you to a later slot.
6) Any new members joining from now will be added to the end of the Ring
Journal Entry 4 by Decembermum from Basingstoke, Hampshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Rats, illness has severely limited my reading time over the last couple of weeks and I haven't managed to read it. I'd really like to at some point though.
Sending on to Anfield.
Sending on to Anfield.
Ghost entry - just so that I can track this book that I recommended to MrsBridgewater.....
Wonderful book, moving and inspirational. I loved the main character's honesty about his own flaws. In fact I loved all the characters (with obvious exceptions, but even the baddies were well written). Like Mrs B. it was also an education in Afghani culture, a culture I am completely ignorant of. And there's the rub, without knowledge and undertsanding of other cultures we will never have peace on this planet. Right now I would settle for tolerance. Posting to Avoca today.
Just haven't had time to read this which is a great shame considering its rave reviews! Passing on to Camis today.
Received today - am looking forward to reading this.
What a great book! I will admit to finding it a bit difficult to get into at the start, but it soon had me gripped. I knew very little about the situation in Afghanistan and what the people ahd to contend with.
This is a very powerful and moving book - one which I would probably not have picked off a shelf, so thank you for sending this round.
Will post on to Happygran
This is a very powerful and moving book - one which I would probably not have picked off a shelf, so thank you for sending this round.
Will post on to Happygran
I loved this book. Thanks so much to the person who sent it round for the book club, I would never have picked it up otherwise as things about Afghanistan put me off. It told the story so simply and heart-wrenchingly. There was a bit of artifice in the way the story came round but it seemed terribly human and real as well.
Journal Entry 11 by mrsbridgewater from Holybourne, Hampshire United Kingdom on Friday, July 15, 2005
Does anyone know where this book is at the moment? Have had a query from one of the people on the book ring about it and just realised that it seems to be MIA!
sorry my fault...running really slow ATM...
a very moving book, thought provoking and interesting
sending to madmarchhare now, with profuse apologies
a very moving book, thought provoking and interesting
sending to madmarchhare now, with profuse apologies
Journal Entry 13 by mrsbridgewater from Holybourne, Hampshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 4, 2005
Book arrived here this morning and I am just about to contact Winterson for an address, so it can go on to the next stage of its journey.
Journal Entry 14 by Winterson from Peacehaven , East Sussex United Kingdom on Monday, October 10, 2005
Received safe and warm and ready to be read. Next on the pile. Good reviews so far, so looking forward to this one. Thanks MrsB.
Journal Entry 15 by Winterson from Peacehaven , East Sussex United Kingdom on Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Like a couple of other people here, at first I didn't think I'd get into this, but it soon reeled me in. I'll admit that there were times throughout the book that I wanted to shout 'get on with it', but I think that's just because some parts did seem a bit repetitive or forced. However, I really did enjoy this and ended up sitting up til 3am to finish it. It showed me elements of their culture that I was totally unaware of, and opened my eyes.
Another one I probably wouldn't have picked up without bookcrossing, so thanks again MrsB.
Will send on as soon as I have an address.
Update - 29th - Can't get hold of Avoca so am PMing Decembermum.
Another one I probably wouldn't have picked up without bookcrossing, so thanks again MrsB.
Will send on as soon as I have an address.
Update - 29th - Can't get hold of Avoca so am PMing Decembermum.
Journal Entry 16 by Decembermum from Basingstoke, Hampshire United Kingdom on Friday, November 25, 2005
Whoops, this arrived a while ago and I've just discovered it, still unopened, under a pile of stuff on my desk. Will read it as soon as I can.
Journal Entry 17 by Decembermum from Basingstoke, Hampshire United Kingdom on Monday, January 9, 2006
I'm very glad that I asked for a second chance at this one. What a brilliant book, the characters were so well drawn I kept wondering how much of it was autobiographical. A very heart-warming story without too gooey an ending.
Lucycat asked to be skipped and Hellie has another copy so I have sent to PsychJo.
Lucycat asked to be skipped and Hellie has another copy so I have sent to PsychJo.
Sorry for the delay in journalling this book - thought I'd done it already.... Thanks for sending this on to me.
Can't wait to read it as have heard so many good things, will read after current book.
Can't wait to read it as have heard so many good things, will read after current book.
Just finished this last night. Absolutely loved it and couldn't get back to it quickly enough - had to resist taking it with me when I visited my parents yesterday so I didn't sit and read and ignore everyone!
I didn't have the problem that others had it getting going, and yes occasionally I thought he'd repeated telling us something we didn't need to be reminded about, but I guess might have helped if you'd forgotten some details or not made the connections.
At times I was completely stunned by the directions things headed in and then at other points completely predicted what was going to happen next. As well as the gripping story it gave me an amazing picture of life in Afghanistan that I've never had before - a real insight into the everyday lives of people living through all these traumatic times.
Have Pmed next reader to pass on asap.
I didn't have the problem that others had it getting going, and yes occasionally I thought he'd repeated telling us something we didn't need to be reminded about, but I guess might have helped if you'd forgotten some details or not made the connections.
At times I was completely stunned by the directions things headed in and then at other points completely predicted what was going to happen next. As well as the gripping story it gave me an amazing picture of life in Afghanistan that I've never had before - a real insight into the everyday lives of people living through all these traumatic times.
Have Pmed next reader to pass on asap.
Journal Entry 20 by angellica from Worksop, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Received safely today. Thanks for sharing. I still have a pile of bookrings to read, so it could be a little while before I can get to this.
Please give me a nudge if I'm holding things up.
Please give me a nudge if I'm holding things up.
Journal Entry 21 by angellica from Worksop, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Wow! What can I say? I am totally speechless. It is books like this that make me wish I was better at writing what I thought. It is definitely one of my best reads of the year. Very thought provoking.
I am guilty of not taking much notice as to what is happening in Afghanistan - but I'll certainly be looking now.
This is probably another of those books that I would never have thought about reading without bookcrossing. I will be looking out for other books by the same author.
Thanks for letting me read this excellent book.
I have contacted both dododumpling and jenatleisure who now both have copies of this book so don't want to take part in the bookring.
I am guilty of not taking much notice as to what is happening in Afghanistan - but I'll certainly be looking now.
This is probably another of those books that I would never have thought about reading without bookcrossing. I will be looking out for other books by the same author.
Thanks for letting me read this excellent book.
I have contacted both dododumpling and jenatleisure who now both have copies of this book so don't want to take part in the bookring.
Journal Entry 22 by angellica from Worksop, Nottinghamshire United Kingdom on Thursday, November 23, 2006
Posted back to mrsbridgewater yesterday.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful book.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful book.
Journal Entry 23 by mrsbridgewater from Holybourne, Hampshire United Kingdom on Friday, November 24, 2006
This book has arrived back home safely. Just pondering whether I should re read it or release it.
I note that it will be Book of the Week on Radio 4 next week.
I note that it will be Book of the Week on Radio 4 next week.
Borrowed this from Mrs Bridgewater to read for my book group. Very much enjoyed it and thought the depiction of him as a boy and his jealousy and guilt was very real. However, I did find some of it quite predictable which was the only down side.
CAUGHT IN DORKING SURREY UK
CAUGHT IN DORKING SURREY UK
Oops! Annonymoue finder above was really me but forgot to sign in first! Have now given this back to Mrs Bridgewater.
Journal Entry 26 by Elizabeth390 from Alton, Hampshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Handed over by mrsbridgewater as an introduction to bookcrossing. I can't wait!
