Discuss The Kite Runner

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Katherine E Wall
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Re: Discuss The Kite Runner

Post by Katherine E Wall »

One of my favorite parts of this book was learning about a new culture steeped in history. It gives us a better understanding of life from the perspective of someone who has lived through the turmoil in a country rife with problems. Too often, we are blind to the richness of history in other countries and cultures, and we buy into a mindset that they are 'different' to us, but when it comes down to it, we all have similar feelings - love, hate, embarrassment, fear, courage, loyalty and betrayal.

It is a book which bears reading more than once to capture all the intricacies and as someone else mentioned really experience the layers.
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That's right, I have a muse. It is spelled MusE. My writing is influenced by the interactions of people I meet - us and ME.
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Post by Sveta »

I haven't read the book, but it has been staring and staring at me since October. I do hear its a pretty great book :)
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Reshmi
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Post by Reshmi »

The 'Kite Runner' by Khaled Hosseini is about the sweet bond of friendship between two boys Amir and Hassan. Although the book starts off at a slow pace, it becomes unputdownable after the first few chapters. The story based in tumultuous Afghanistan and in America, tracks the life of Amir who is the protagonist. Amir's love for his father almost bordering on hero worship is really heart rendering. The book starts of with Amir and Hassan's childhood and how an incident during the annual kite fighting tournament changes their friendship. These events happen during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and Amir and his father flee to America. Later on Amir returns to Afghanistan and his connection with Hassan is renewed under very different circumstances and gives Amir a chance to redeem himself. Romance and action appear at appropriate times in the book.

'The Kite Runner', has been one of the best books that I read and it gives a new perspective about the people of Afghanistan. For e.g, I always associated the Taliban with Afghanistan and was surprised to learn that Afghanistan was a much more modern and liberated country before the Taliban came to power. I was also able to relate to the kite fighting tournament since, in many parts of India we have similar festivals where people fly kites and kids run after the fallen kites. The language used is quite simple and some of the dialogues will always be etched in memory. Like the time when Hassan tells Amir when he runs after the winning kite 'For you a thousand times over...'. This book is definitely an excellent read. I was so mesmerized by this book that I bought the second book from the author 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' and very recently I was fortunate enough to get his third book, 'And the Mountains Echoed' as a birthday gift. Hopefully you will get to read the reviews on them very soon.

P.S. For those who are more interested in the visual medium, there is a movie based on this book as well with the same title.
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Dando
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Post by Dando »

I read The Kite Runner in high school and absolutely loved it. Even though I have since forgotten the details, I was so moved by it that I still recommend it highly to others and consider it one of my all time favorites. I think this thread has inspired me to reread it soon!
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aaa1234
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Post by aaa1234 »

This story is interestingly set in Kabul which is quite fascinating. Also the characters seem interesting too.
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see_nicole_read
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Post by see_nicole_read »

I may be a little late here, but I am new to this site and just finished reading this book. At first, I was unsure of my feelings towards, I didn't love Amir. However, as this book progressed I could not put it down. I finished it a couple of days ago and these characters are haunting me! I started a book about American middle distance runners, totally different in every way, and I just keep thinking back to Amir and Sohrab. I will definitely be putting this authors other books on my to read list!
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Post by Rizbi »

The only book that made me cry in 2006 (when I first read it). This, despite the fact that I thought the latter part of the book is like a polished soap-opera.

After reading 3 of his books, I am truly convinced that Khaled Hosseini has an innate talent of making people cry :(
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Tharmini
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Post by Tharmini »

The Kite Runner was actually a book I had to read for my English Class back in High School. After numerous years of Shakespeare I think I was just relieved to read a book written in this century. Although it has been a few years since I read this book - I still recall liking this book a lot. We were assigned to only read a few chapters each week - but of once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. 10 years later, I still remember crying when "the incident" happened with Hassan. It was a wonderfully written book & it was touched me forever.
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airaza
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Post by airaza »

The Kite Runner was an amazing read for me. It actually became one of my favs. I read it because I wanted to see what the hype was about. It was recommended to me by so many people, but I just never found the time to read it. But one day, I picked it up and read it and couldn't put it down. Very well written and very great book. Definitely recommend this book to others!
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Malik_Diamond
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Post by Malik_Diamond »

Hassan is the definition of a loyal friend. We don't really see those around anymore. He reminds you of what friendship really is. Hassan is love, friendship and hope. While Amir on the other is fear, cowardliness and envy. This book is just Wow words cannot explain everything this book has to offer. I mean from the beginning we see Hassan being loyal, and real. Although they are not in the same class, Hassan was always the righteous one. While Amir was rich and had everything he was still empty and only had room for envy in his heart. Through out the book we see how much Hassan suffered. This book is about Amir's journey and how through out the years he made up for his mistakes. So much emotion laid out through some very important points in history. This book is the perfect combination.
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AllieSontag
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Post by AllieSontag »

This book was my favorite out of all the books I read in my literature class my senior year of high school, next to Life of Pi by Yann Martel. The Kite Runner is beautifully written and the overarching themes of forgiveness and redemption deeply resonated with me. I felt strongly connected to the characters and found the novel riveting to the last page.
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Post by CCtheBrave »

Bowlie wrote:After reading The Kite Runner, I wanted to pick up A Thousand Splendid Suns right away, but then thought better of it. I want to savor this book and think on it for a bit before I move onto his next book.
I'm not sure if you already picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns, but it's very different from The Kite Runner. So you don't have to worry, it won't infringe on the first, promise! I was more moved by The Kite Runner, but I still thoroughly enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns.
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Taylor Razzani
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Post by Taylor Razzani »

CCtheBrave wrote:
Bowlie wrote:After reading The Kite Runner, I wanted to pick up A Thousand Splendid Suns right away, but then thought better of it. I want to savor this book and think on it for a bit before I move onto his next book.
I'm not sure if you already picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns, but it's very different from The Kite Runner. So you don't have to worry, it won't infringe on the first, promise! I was more moved by The Kite Runner, but I still thoroughly enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns.
This just reinforces that I should read The Kite Runner again. I had to read it for one of my intro classes in college and loved it, despite how horrible some parts were (not the writing, just the situations the boys dealt with). But when I read A Thousand Splendid Suns I felt like it touched more of a nerve with me, though I admit I don't remember much from The Kite Runner. Good thing I kept my copy :)
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Post by MrsCatInTheHat »

Prior to reading The Kite Runner, I only knew what I heard on the news about Afghanistan. What I know now is that it is a place with a captivating, rich cultural history that has been destroyed by war. Unfortunately, war often destroys cultures in lasting ways. The story did help me to understand how points of view can be so different when you come from a place so different from the United States.
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Kourtney Bradley
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Post by Kourtney Bradley »

I had this book stored on a bookshelf for, oh, I don't know, maybe three years, before I actually picked it up. And after reading it, I have no idea why it took me so long to begin. One of my all time favorites, and I have recommended it to several of my reading friends. And they, like me before I read it, seem a little off-put by it.
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