India Book Club: Kite Runner

So, I've been working really hard to read books about this part of the country. While "Kite Runner" (by Khaled Hosseini)doesn't take place in India, there are a lot of similarities between the two cultures (the book is set in Afghanistan).


The book revolves around the tumultuous relationship between a wealthy boy and his "servant brother". Amir (the wealthy boy) struggled for his father's acceptance and love, while Hassan (the servant boy) grew up with very little material comforts but lots of love. Amir's longing for his father's praise lead to devastating actions, and after a series of events the friendship between the boys becomes estranged.

As I write about the books I read, I really don't want to give away the plot line too much...because some of these (this one included) are SERIOUS page-turners! I actually read this book in one night (and was VERY tired the next day, I might add), because every time I got ready to put it down, something else crazy kept me going. SO, instead of writing about the book, I'm going to write about what I learned and will take away.

- One action (or lack of) can truly change an entire life.
- This part of the world embraces belief in the superiority/inferiority of various people groups. America has a sad past dealing with prejudice and inequality...but many countries have a very sad and real present.
- Things are NEVER as they seem.
- I definitely want to see a Kite Fight some time!
- I really enjoyed reading this book in particular, because a lot of the "foreign terms" are now familiar to me! They talked about Tandoori food...and we have a Tandoor (a big barrel filled with clay that's heated up and cooks food) outside the back of the school kitchen that cooks a lot of our bread and chicken.
- It's always best to try and deal with issues...don't let them fester.
- It's never too late to try and make up for a mistake.

That's what I remember learning from the book. You should definitely check it out, it really is a GREAT book...go read it!