The Kite Runner
3 journalers for this copy...
"The Kite Runner" written by Khaled Hosseini is one of those astounding books that opens up our hearts and minds. This book puts a name and face to the people of Afghanistan we are helping to free from the stronghold of Taliban. How could our soldiers in USA be fighting for freedom on other side of the world, Afghanistan, and not know or understand the people; their heritage, their land and what they lost? This book brings us to a very different time in the 1960's. The characters, Amir and Hassan who are friends, raised in the same household. Amir is the son of a wealthy businessman, and Hassan is the son of the servant, Hazara. There may be a difference in the lives they led, but they became fast and close friends. Amir attends the school and Hassan is not able to. Amir has the most beautiful toys and particularly kites, and Hassan participates with Amir playing with the toys and running (flying) his kite. Amir is the privileged, but spoiled son, Hassan is the intelligent and intuitive servant's son. Their lives is intertwined even when separated.
When the Russian army invaded, Amir and his father went on difficult journey to escape to the United States, California. Even though Amir grew up in a different land, Afghanistan culture remains with him and his father. He and his father became close unlike back in Afghanistan. Amir married, went to college, all the while wondering what happened to his childhood friend, Hassan, the one he betrayed before he arrived in United States.
As a few years passed, Amir lost his father to cancer and was summoned to Pakistan to meet with an old family friend. This turns out to be a life renewing event. Amir searches for news of his friend, Hassan. The search takes him back to Afghanistan, to an orphanage, a meeting with a member of the Taliban, a search for his lost city and culture and for a prize he will cherish, for the truth and for the life he regains. It is not without any difficult journey he undertakes.
This is a gritty book, the beauty and violence of this country, Afghanistan, comes to life. The customs and food and characters of the city; the hollowness of life and the loss of the country to fanatics who are running it with only their imagined crude needs and wealth in mind that destroys a culture so varied and rich. We can imagine we are there, and we can share in the sights, the smells, the utter disregard for human life. However, yet we can never know or even understand how much these people have lost. A book I will cherish forever, so will you.
When the Russian army invaded, Amir and his father went on difficult journey to escape to the United States, California. Even though Amir grew up in a different land, Afghanistan culture remains with him and his father. He and his father became close unlike back in Afghanistan. Amir married, went to college, all the while wondering what happened to his childhood friend, Hassan, the one he betrayed before he arrived in United States.
As a few years passed, Amir lost his father to cancer and was summoned to Pakistan to meet with an old family friend. This turns out to be a life renewing event. Amir searches for news of his friend, Hassan. The search takes him back to Afghanistan, to an orphanage, a meeting with a member of the Taliban, a search for his lost city and culture and for a prize he will cherish, for the truth and for the life he regains. It is not without any difficult journey he undertakes.
This is a gritty book, the beauty and violence of this country, Afghanistan, comes to life. The customs and food and characters of the city; the hollowness of life and the loss of the country to fanatics who are running it with only their imagined crude needs and wealth in mind that destroys a culture so varied and rich. We can imagine we are there, and we can share in the sights, the smells, the utter disregard for human life. However, yet we can never know or even understand how much these people have lost. A book I will cherish forever, so will you.
Journal Entry 2 by schwarzer-mann at Wedel, Schleswig-Holstein Germany on Thursday, October 28, 2010
Received from www.bookmooch.com, soon travelling to the next moocher !
Was sent the book via Bookmooch so I can read it for my Amnesty International Book Club. Can't wait to get my teeth into it!
