The Kite Runner (2003) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 5 stars

“Really good book. Had to read it for school, but then become totally infatuated with it. Wonderful, interesting, dark and not what you expected. Amazing book.”

• Rated 5 stars

“The story begins when Amir is a young boy living in Afghanistan with his father Baba. He is friends with Hassan, who is the son of Ali, Baba's servant who lives with them. Ali and Hassan are Hazaras, and ethnic minority in Afghanistan, which leads to local bullies, led by Assef to attempt to beat up Amire. Hassan saves him with his expert slingshot. However, when Amir get a chance to try to save his friend from Assef's brutality after Amir and Hassan win a kite-fighting tournament he runs away instead and pretends he never saw anything. not wanting to deal with his shame, he makes it look like Hassan was stealing from the family and Hassan and his father leave. Amir and his father will also end up leaving years later when the Soviets invade Afghanistan and head to Pakistan and then California. After Baba dies, Amir is summoned back to Afghanistan by a family friend and told that Hassan and his wife were killed and left behind a son who had been kidnapped by the Taliban. Will Amir atone for the past attempt to rescue Hassan's son Sohrab from his abusing Taliban captors? Will Amir and his wife Soraya take Sohrab in if he survives? Two of this books most important themes, shame and courage can be explored in the context of this book and then applied to the students' lives. The Khaled Hosseni Foundation suggests high school students first determine the meaning of these two words through a brainstorming session that leads students to associate shame with silence and courage with speaking out. Then, students can use a graphic organizer to find evidence of each theme within the text, examine the impact on the events in the novel and how each situation leads to further development of the characters. Students may also write an essay about whether or not they agree that shame is a destructive force using citations from the book and their own experiences and observations. Students can discuss in the end if Amir redeemed himself by demonstrating courage. ”

• Rated 5 stars

“ This book is one of the best book I have ever read. It unveils the history of Afghanistan. For me, this story is beautifully written that carries blend of friendship and nationalism”

• Rated 5 stars

“Wow! What a great book. It's listed as "fiction" but OMGosh! I had to remind myself that it wasn't an memoir.”

• Rated 0 stars

“absolutely love this book!”

• Rated 0 stars

“Absolutely Excellent. This really showcases the plight of the Afghan people. It has real, clear cut, examples of good and evil. I also really related to the story of an immigrant trying to make it in this country. The story is so much an American story as well as an Afghan story. Sometimes it takes a personal account to cut through the headlines and spell out a situation to the general population. This book does that very well with what has, and is, happening to Afghanistan. ”

• Rated 0 stars

“Culture- This book shows the culture in an Arabic country. This is for older students.”

• Rated 0 stars

“cultural
this book is about the turmoil in afganistan and how one deals with it.”

• Rated 5 stars

“I don't know why I waited so long to begin this book. It was incredible. The writing kept me riveted; the characters so clearly defined, the places so easy to picture. The story and characters' behavior both heart-breaking and redeeming will stay with me.”

• Rated 0 stars

“Loved this book
”