The Kite Runner

Version: Unabridged (Abridged version available here)
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Narrator: Khaled Hosseini
Genres: Literature
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published In: February 2005
# of Units: 11 CDs
Length: 12 hours
Ratings:
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Overview

A Stunning Novel of Hope and Redemption

Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the present, "The Kite Runner" is the unforgettable and beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara -- a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them. When Amir and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him.

"The Kite Runner" is a novel about friendship and betrayal, and about the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of fathers over sons -- their love, their sacrifices, and their lies. Written against a backdrop of history that has not been told in fiction before, "The Kite Runner" describes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But through the devastation, Khaled Hosseini offers hope: through the novel's faith in the power of reading and storytelling, and in the possibilities he shows us for redemption.

Reviews (92)

Enriching

Written by Anonymous on June 11th, 2013

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This story, while sad, was ultimately triumphant, opening up the Afghan culture to understanding and enriching my life. The book gave me a connection to a way of life I knew nothing about previously. I am looking forward to reading other books by this author.

Written by james dawes on October 6th, 2012

  • Book Rating: 5/5

As a father of three boys, reading this book impacted my thoughts and emotions like no other book has before. Amazingly heart wrenching and thought provoking. You must read this book.

Written by amit arora on August 15th, 2012

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This one is a real good read/listen. It keeps you engrossed in the story, and you don't know what's coming until you actually read/listen to it. It will definitely make you sad at points and you will get attached to the characters. I highly recommend it.

GREAT Book

Written by Anonymous on July 25th, 2012

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This is a great book. It gives you a glimpse into life in Afghanistan and both the warm and terrible experiences of two little boys. Wonderful to hear it read by the author with the right accent and pronunciation of words. Would definitely recommend.

Written by Leah Burns on July 20th, 2012

  • Book Rating: 4/5

Really enjoyed this book and miss the characters already, since I have finished! A very touching story.

Written by Quincy Williams on May 13th, 2012

  • Book Rating: 4/5

This is a very good book. It gives a picture of both pre- and post- Taliban Afghanistan from an Afghan's perspective. Very insightful. Great story.

Bitterly sweet

Written by Anonymous on July 17th, 2011

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Although this book is one of my favorites thus far, at one point, I almost stopped listening to it- because it made me so mad. I think once I got past the most heartbreaking (and emotion provoking points in the story), it just made you love the story even more. I definitely recommend.

Beautiful

Written by Andy on December 28th, 2010

  • Book Rating: 5/5

I lost myself completely in this story. It's beautiful, gut-wrenching, and wonderfully written. The author's narration is terrific, it was nice to hear it read by someone with the correct accent for the mind of the main character..

Heartbreakingly good

Written by Anonymous from Austin, TX on October 13th, 2010

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Loved the book, I did not want it to end. It will tear your heart out and replace it with an unbelievable experience. After I read it, I wanted to look up more books like it.

THE KITE RUNNER

Written by Anonymous on September 3rd, 2010

  • Book Rating: 5/5

I DIDNT KNOW IF I WOULD LIKE THIS BOOK. ANOTHER COUNTRY,ANOTHER CULTURE I DIDNT WANT TO WASTE MY TIME. i AM GLAD I DID. THIS BOOK WOKE ME UP AS TO THE HARDSHIPS AND LIFE OF THESE PEOPLE IN THIS HOSTILE COUNTRY. IT WAS SO MOVING AND THE WRITER / READER WAS SO SUPERB. HIS LANGUAGE ADDED SO MUCH TO THIS BOOK. IT IS SO SAD HOWEVER, IT ALSO SHOWS THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE TRULY THE SAME. WE HAVE TO FACE THE ENEMY NO MATTER WHO OR WHAT IT REALLY IS.

Author Details

Author Details

Hosseini, Khaled

Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. His father was a diplomat with the Afghan Foreign Ministry and his mother taught Farsi and History at a large high school in Kabul. In 1976, the Afghan Foreign Ministry relocated the Hosseini family to Paris. They were ready to return to Kabul in 1980, but by then Afghanistan had already witnessed a bloody communist coup and the invasion of the Soviet army. The Hosseinis sought and were granted political asylum in the United States. In September of 1980, Hosseini's family moved to San Jose, California. Hosseini graduated from high school in 1984 and enrolled at Santa Clara University where he earned a bachelor's degree in Biology in 1988. The following year, he entered the University of California-San Diego's School of Medicine, where he earned a Medical Degree in 1993. He completed his residency at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Hosseini was a practicing internist between 1996 and 2004.

While in medical practice, Hosseini began writing his first novel, The Kite Runner, in March of 2001. In 2003, The Kite Runner, was published and has since become an international bestseller, published in 48 countries. In 2006 he was named a goodwill envoy to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. His second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns was published in May of 2007. Currently, A Thousand Splendid Suns is published in 25 countries. He lives in northern California.