In the world of literature, Khaled Hosseini hit the equivalent of a grand slam his first time at bat. Not only did his first novel “The Kite Runner” make the New York Times bestseller list, a movie based on his novel also is now in production.I have to admit when I first purchased this book it collected dust on my book shelf for months. I just couldn’t bring myself to start reading a book based on modern day Afghanistan, in spite of the accolades on the back cover. All I could picture were the same barren hillsides I’ve seen in newscasts, with men in turbans carrying AK-47’s.Then, Rosemary Martin recommended it to the book club, and the straightforward prose and compelling story line grabbed my attention. I quickly realized my knowledge of Afghanistan was severely lacking. Hosseini’s novel may be fiction, but it educates and enlightens the reader about the culture, religion and beauty of a country torn apart by war for the last 30 years. It is a story based on universal topics, including friendship, betrayal, forgiveness and redemption.”The Kite Runner” opens with Amir standing in Golden Gate Park in December 2001, shortly after receiving a phone call from an old friend in Pakistan. While reflecting on two kites sailing above San Francisco, he remembers the voice of his boyhood friend Hassan: “For you, a thousands times over.”From there, the reader is transported back to Kabul in 1964, a vibrant city where Amir’s father, Baba, owns a beautiful house in an affluent neighborhood. Hosseini’s description of cherry trees, busy market places and extravagant parties in juxtaposition to the city he returns to in 2001 is a stark reminder of the ravages of war.American readers gain an insight to the tensions between modern day Sunni and Shi’a Muslims as Hosseini describes the childhood friendship between Amir and Hassan. Amir, a Sunni, receives an education and all the trappings of a decent life, while Hassan, a Shi’a, is a servant with little chance to improve his status in life. Amir’s loyal friend, Hassan, must be ignored or treated like a slave when Amir is in the company of his peers. The cultural prejudice dividing the two sects is reinforced when Baba’s relationship to Hassan is revealed at the end of the story.Through Hosseini’s descriptive prose, readers experience the perils of escaping Soviet occupied Afghanistan, and the mental anguish of being penniless in a foreign land after being wealthy in your own country. But, the main theme of the novel applies to anyone who has lived a less-than-perfect life.In 1975, Amir abandons his friend after the two of them win a kite-flying contest in Kabul. He further compounds his betrayal by forcing Hassan and his father to leave the city. Out of a sense of guilt, Amir returns to Kabul in 2001 to save Hassan’s son, but the trip becomes a means of redemption for Amir.Guilt is the heavy burden Amir carried for 30 years. Some book club members thought it was the one aspect of the novel that was over exaggerated. However, every reader found this book engrossing and educational. Unless Americans grasp the chasm between Muslim sects, we will never understand the political world of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia or any other Muslim country. Reading “The Kite Runner” is an excellent way to begin your education.Note: On Thursday Jan. 26 at 6:30 p.m., the book club will tackle another classic, “The Red Badge of Courage,” by Stephen Crane. While you may have read it in high school, the classics often provide more wisdom when read in adulthood. Stop by Espresso Stratfords and join in the conversation.
