The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
"The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption, and it is also about the power of fathers over sons-their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
The first Afghan novel to be written in English, The Kite Runner tells a sweeping story of family, love, and friendship against a backdrop of history that has not been told in fiction before, bringing to mind the large canvases of the Russian writers of the nineteenth century. But just as it is old-fashioned in its narration, it is contemporary in its subject-the devastating history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years. As emotionally gripping as it is tender, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful debut." (Publisher's notes)
Excerpt from a New York Times Book Review by Edward Hower, August 3, 2003:
"This powerful first novel, by an Afghan physician now living in California, tells a story of fierce cruelty and fierce yet redeeming love. Both transform the life of Amir, Khaled Hosseini's privileged young narrator, who comes of age during the last peaceful days of the monarchy, just before his country's revolution and its invasion by Russian forces.In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini gives us a vivid and engaging story that reminds us how long his people have been struggling to triumph over the forces of violence -- forces that continue to threaten them even today."
- Book Sense Bestseller List Sensation (156+ weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List)
- Boeke Prize
- Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers Award
- ALA Notable Book
- Alex Award
- Borders Original Voices Award 2003
- Entertainment Weekly's Best Book 2003
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year 2003
- Literature to Life Award
Paperback | 5.23 x 7.95in | 384 pages | ISBN 1594480001 | 27 Apr 2004 | Riverhead $14.00, discounted to $12.50 or less
Hardcover | 6.33 x 9.37in | 336 pages | ISBN 1573222453 | 02 Jun 2003 | Riverhead $24.95, discounted to 19.95 or less
PLEASE NOTE: Each student should have their own copy of this book for fall semester. It is readily available online or at retail bookstores, wholesale establishments such as Sam's Club and Costco. If you prefer, copies may be ordered at the textbook order section of the Westminster College Bookstore (724.946.7217).
