The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

An amazing memoir in the back drop of Afghanistan provides hair raising revelations of the life in Afghanistan . It presents an interesting contrast between the past and the current scenario in Afghanistan with the story of the author himself. I heard a lot about this book before I decided to grab a copy from the public library. I started reading the book and got busy. Finally, got an audio book version to listen in the car.

It would be really hard to believe that this was one of the books that I finished while driving back and forth to the office that is hardly 4 miles from my residence. The narrative and the story line is full of surprises and so gripping that I used to start off early for the office, drive slowly and sit in the parking lot for 5-10 minutes before heading to the office and the same on my way back.

Some of my friends did reveal that they had tears in their eyes many a times while reading this book. The language in the book is perfect and describes the background in a very lucid fashion. The author seems to be detailed oriented and did not leave any story unfinished. Every small story in this book has an end and is related to the main story.

The book largely caters to the western audience. However, having been born and raised in India and having heard stories about Afghanistan and Pakistan from my grandfather, I had a good understanding of the cultural aspects of the place. It is an emotional drama that scales from the childhood experiences of the author and his relationship with his servant from a lower caste Shia Muslim community (Hazara).

Although this is a work of fiction and I hardly like fiction, the personalities of characters described in the book seem so real that one starts to imagine the faces and what they would look like in the real world. The description of the impact of Taliban regime (Predominantly Sunni Muslims) on the economy and social structure of Afghanistan has a lot of truth in it. The implications of Sharia on the society at large was hair raising.

While the western societies have matured due to strict law enforcement and adequate justice availability, the part of the world that the book describes has a lot more power influence and religious divides although it is primarily an Islamic nation. The book reveals interesting facts about the Hazara community and the Taliban regime including the religious divide.

The author provides interesting contrast between his earlier life in Afghanistan, his US experience and his return to Afghanistan during the Taliban regime. It is a must read book for folks interested in the region and also for others who have always wondered about life back east. Wonderfully written and praiseworthy. Good Job, Khaled ! I am waiting for your next one "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Keep up the good work.