Information Madness

One of the most honest books we will ever read. No one will ever expect Khaled Hosseini, an Afghani settled in America, to write such brilliant stuff. He is so honest in his expression that sometimes we feel like strangling the protagonist of the story ourselves. If a writer can achieve this, then he is a good writer.

There are passages in the book that will make us cry. This book revolves around Amir, a twelve year old who is fighting with his feelings to gain favor in his father's eyes and he is mighty jealous of anyone else who shares that favor with him. He is an ordinary boy, a coward and a weakling but possesses enough talent to win the local kite fighting tournament in Kabul. The depiction of peaceful nineteen seventies' days in Kabul and the post Russian and Talibani regime passages are brillianly written.

More than Amir, it is Hassan who is 'The Kite Runner' and his boy Sohrab who tugs at our heart strings. Hassan is younger to Amir, hare-lipped, a low caste Shia Hazara servant who is mocked in the streets. This story is about these two boys who could not see what was going to hit them on the afternoon of the kite flying tournament. That incident shatters their lives. This is one of the greatest tales of redemption that we will read. It is full of haunting images. It is lively, engaging and will definitely bring a tear or two to your eyes.

 Khaled Hosseini was born in Afghanistan and his family received political asylum in the United States in 1980. He is a doctor and lives in California now. This is his first novel and richly deserving of the San Fransisco Chronicle Award and being declared Bestseller by the New York Times.

People living in the subcontinent would identify with the importance of kite flying and kite running during Tilsankrat and other days of the year.