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Review: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Book 11 of 2022

Start Reading Time: 21 May 2022

Finish reading Time: 30 May 2022

Page Count: 371

TRIGGER WARNINGS: RAPE, SUICIDE, CHILD ABUSE, VIOLENCE, WAR, RACISM, BULLYING

This is the spoiler-free part of the review. I will put up a spoiler alert before going into the review that contains spoilers.

No amount of warning in the world could have warned and prepared me for the waterfalls and waterfalls of tears I'd shed as a result of reading this book. No, I was not just crying; but sobbing. I was sobbing, and it was really embarrassing to see. Thankfully, no one saw me. So, maybe that's one of the important things to know before you read this book, especially if you're a crybaby like me; don't read this in public, and it is important to have tissues at arm's reach while reading it, other than that, my tip is just be prepared to read one of the saddest stories you'll ever read.

I'm a lover of good poignant stories, I love it when authors make me cry with the stories they tell because it means the book and the story is doing a good job of making me invested in the story. Also, because I'll be crying about something other than my life for once. And in the last week I had been crying about Hassan, the childhood best friend of Amir, the narrator of this book. I had been crying about their friendship, and how it ended. I had been crying about Sohrab. I had been crying about the situation in Afghanistan. I had been crying a lot, and now I can't even read or hear the words "For you, a thousand times over," without getting teary eyed.

This book is about friendship & brotherhood. It's about a son who's desperate for his father's approval and love. It's about the war and it's impacts on civilian lives, but especially children. It's about a family secret. It's about an unconditional love and loyalty that's unrequited. But, ultimately, it's about regret and redemption.

I love this book. It's definitely not an easy read, but the story's incredible, heartbreaking, and poignant. It is told beautifully by the author, and it definitely left a strong impression on me.

To give you a brief non-spoilery synopsis, the story is about Amir, the narrator of the book, during his childhood in Afghanistan, before the war, in the 1970s. When Amir's not in school, he spends most of his time playing with Hassan, the son of his family's housekeeper Ali, who's been with them since Amir's Dad was a little kid. Amir's Dad thinks of Ali as his brother, because they grew up and played together like brothers, and now Amir and Hassan are also growing up and playing together like brothers, just like their fathers. Amir's Dad is a successful business man and respected in their community, and they live in the most beautiful house in their neighborhood. Ali and Hassan, although they're thought of as family by Amir's dad, they are essentially servants working for Amir's Dad. Ali and Hassan live in a modest hut in Amir's family's house's garden, and that's also where Hassan was born. Also, Ali and Hassan are Hazara, an ethnic group in Afghanistan that's looked down on by some people there, and Ali has some physical flaws that were the reminders of the polio he suffered in his childhood, that made him a target of bullying from the children in their neighborhood. Yes, the children straight up calling him names to his face. But he never once retaliated against them.

Hassan is one year younger than Amir and he's illiterate, due to lack of education. However, Hassan loves hearing the stories that Amir read to him from books. Hassan looks up to Amir and is extremely loyal to him, that whenever Amir is being pushed around by other kids, Hassan will bravely defend Amir and take the punches for him. Hassan loves Amir and will do anything for him. But for Amir, he's not even sure if he can honestly call his relationship with Hassan a friendship, as he's never thought of Hassan as a friend, but more of someone who would do anything he wants him to do. And, for Amir, nothing's more important than earning the love and approval from his Dad, who always seems to be too busy to talk to him, or disappointed by him. So, in little Amir's head, he was determined to do anything to be able win his Dad's love and approval, at any cost.

Then, on one winter day, the opportunity to earn that love and approval arises. Amir knew that winning the kite fighting tournament and getting the last fallen kite would make his Dad proud of him, and thus, he’ll win his Dad’s love and approval. So, he promised himself he's gonna be the first winner and he's going to get the last fallen kite. What happens on that winter day will forever change not only Amir's life, but also Hassan's. Amir would learn that getting what he wanted is not always as sweet as he imagined it to be, and he would learn that the cost would be too high, and it will haunt him for the rest of his life.

🚨 SPOILER ALERT 🚨

From this point forward in the review, i will mention spoilers, plot twist and the ending, so if you don’t wish to be spoiled, you can skip the rest of the review and come back once you’ve finished reading this book

Here are my favorite things about the book:

Hassan. I may be biased, but I'm convinced that he's an angel. Despite all of his shortcomings, he still goes through life with a smile, and a pure and kind heart. Hassan is the most precious character with the most heartbreaking life story since Jude from "A little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara. We all go through life wanting to be or have someone as pure, loyal, loving, brilliant, hardworking, kind and precious as Hassan, and I think one of the reasons most of us don't become or have someone like Hassan in our lives is because most of us are more like Amir; cowardly, selfish, always looking for approvals from others. Their tragic story taught me an important lesson, it made me question myself about the kind of person I choose to be, and whether I like that person, or if I would regret being that person, later in my old age. My heart broke for him, and again for his son. But oh, how thankful I am to have come to know and love these characters, because they've inspired me to be stronger and be kinder despite this cruel world slowly crushing my soul.

Amir. He is the most frustrating character I've read in a while, although he does get a great redemption arc, and by the end of the book, I think he's redeemed himself. But what makes me like him is because, as much as I hate to admit it, I can see a little bit of myself in him. I hate him because he's such a coward and selfish, but he knows that, and he hated himself for being that way. I think he just didn't possess the courage to do the right thing, at the time. But his conscience is screaming at him for years, and even decades later, ever since that winter day, that he must do the right thing. Regret is a powerful thing, I think all of us can agree. And finally, he did the right thing with Sohrab, although at that point it was too late to apologize to Hassan. I like that Amir is depicted so realistically; he is incredibly flawed, and he made irreparable mistakes, and he's immensely regretful and ashamed of his mistakes. Also, knowing that he got a second chance to do right by Hassan by rescuing and raising his son as his own (even though it doesn't make what he did to Hassan right) is incredible and it gives me a lot of hope. Also let's not forget the fact that he was just a child when he acted selfishly and decided to not help and defend Hassan that day, he thought his father hated him for a long time because he was weak and his mother died giving birth to him, he blamed himself for his mother's death, and he was kept in the dark for decades by his own father about the truth about his relationship with Hassan, or as his own father would put it, he was robbed of the truth by his own father. It brings forth the realization that the father that he has looked up to and idolized his whole life, is only a human who made mistakes, just like him. I agree with Rahim Khan, that Amir should also forgive himself, as we humans can only live, do our best and when we make inevitable mistakes along the way, we try to learn and do better.

Sohrab. This amazing, resilient and strong little man tugs at my heartstrings and I love him with all my heart. I was so heartbroken because of all of the horrible things he had to go through and endure, and when THAT scene at the hotel bathroom happened, I legit almost threw my phone across the room and scream into my pillow, because I'M NOT READY FOR ANOTHER SAD ENDING SUCH AS JUDE ST. FRANCIS'. THAT scene was so freaking real, I was gonna DNF the book at that point. But oh God, was I RELIEVED when I kept reading and found out the ending. However, I still do NOT appreciate that scare, MY POOR HEART IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH FOR THAT. And, even though the ending is bittersweet, I love that it's an open ending, i think it's believable and it gives me hope that Sohrab will be alright, after all.

Rahim Khan. I think he's so underrated in the book, but so much of the story was able to progress the way it did because of his interventions. I love that he was the one who encouraged and supported Amir to become a writer, I love that he found Hassan and his family and asked them to join him to live in Amir's family's house, I love that he's the one who told Amir the truth about his father and his relation with Hassan, and I love that he's the one who helped Amir to right his wrongs, even in his dying days. I think he's the voice of reason and truth, and I'm just so thankful for his existence in this story. Although, I do wish we got to see and know that he died peacefully and among his loved ones, but I'll make peace with his mysterious ending that the book gave me. I'd like to imagine that he'd find Homaira and die peacefully beside her.

Afghanistan. This book taught me about Afghanistan better than my Geography teacher. Through this book, I have fallen in love with the culture and the people of Afghanistan, and it opened my eyes to the cruelty and suffering that the war brings to the innocent civilians, but especially the children of Afghanistan, and to say that I'm devastated is an understatement. I can honestly rant for hours here but I won't. Instead, I would encourage you to make a donation, if you're available to do so, to any legitimate charities for Afghanistan. Or, in any small ways you can help, maybe through prayers if you're a religious person, or in any other positive ways you can.

The writing style. The pacing. The message. The storytelling. I think I have found my new favorite author and I am beyond excited to read more of his works.

Usually, I would mention the things I don't like in the book here, but honestly, I think there's not one thing I can criticize about this book. I'm not saying it's perfect, as I know other people will find a lot of flaws with it, but for me, this book is just simply beautiful, and I personally don't have any critics. Well, if I really have to give any criticism, I think I'd say that it has a little of torture porn in it that makes it hard to read at times. But I think that the author didn't include it in the book just for the fun of it, I think it's appropriate given the context of the country being under the tyranny of Taliban, and it depicted the true cruelty of Taliban. Although, I do agree that it's a little too convenient that Assef, the childhood sociopath bully, grew up to be an important figure in the Taliban, and then comes face to face with Amir again, just like in their childhood. But that's just as far as my criticism goes for this book. Otherwise, I think this book hits all the right spots, and I love it.

Here are my favourite moments from the book:

When Amir & Hassan were celebrating, and hugging each other after winning the kite competition, and when Hassan told Amir "For you, a thousand times over".

When Hassan told Amir the story he made up was the best story he'd ever told him, without knowing that Amir had made it up to fool Hassan, but Hassan ended up sincerely loving the story, and Amir kissed Hassan on the cheek, and he told Hassan that he's a prince, and then Amir wrote his first ever short story that same night.

When Amir promised he would buy Hassan a TV with colours.

When Amir's Dad stood up to protect that lady from the Russian officer.

When Amir graduated from High School and his Dad was taking pictures of him, and surprised him with a new used car for him.

When Amir was having a heart to heart talk with Sohrab for the first time.

When Sohrab was trying to talk in English and he said, "Tank you wery match." (this is so adorable, i just wanna squeeze him)

When Amir said “For you, a thousand times over,” to Sohrab, and Sohrab smiled for the first time in a long time, and Amir was running for the kite for Sohrab, just like Hassan did to Amir decades ago, that winter day.

Here are my favourite quotes from the book, but WARNING: these quotes contain "onions" and will most likely make you cry:

"Ali never retaliated against any of his tormentors, I suppose partly because he could never catch them with that twisted leg dragging behind him. But mostly because Ali was immune to the insults of his assailants; he had found his joy, his antidote, the moment Sanaubar had given birth to Hassan. It had been a simple enough affair. No obstetricians, no anesthesiologists, no fancy monitoring devices. Just Sanaubar lying on a stained, naked mattress with Ali and a midwife helping her. She hadn’t needed much help at all, because, even in birth, Hassan was true to his nature: He was incapable of hurting anyone. A few grunts, a couple of pushes, and out came Hassan. Out he came smiling."

"Then he would remind us that there was a brotherhood between people who had fed from the same breast, a kinship that not even time could break.

Hassan and I fed from the same breasts. We took our first steps on the same lawn in the same yard. And, under the same roof, we spoke our first words.

Mine was Baba.

His was Amir. My name.

Looking back on it now, I think the foundation for what happened in the winter of 1975—and all that followed—was already laid in those first words."

"With me as the glaring exception, my father molded the world around him to his liking. The problem, of course, was that Baba saw the world in black and white. And he got to decide what was black and what was white. You can’t love a person who lives that way without fearing him too. Maybe even hating him a little."

"“When you kill a man, you steal a life,” Baba said. “You steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness. Do you see?”"

"“Children aren’t coloring books. You don’t get to fill them with your favorite colors.”"

"The curious thing was, I never thought of Hassan and me as friends either. Not in the usual sense, anyhow. Never mind that we taught each other to ride a bicycle with no hands, or to build a fully functional homemade camera out of a cardboard box. Never mind that we spent entire winters flying kites, running kites. Never mind that to me, the face of Afghanistan is that of a boy with a thin-boned frame, a shaved head, and low-set ears, a boy with a Chinese doll face perpetually lit by a harelipped smile.

Never mind any of those things. Because history isn’t easy to overcome. Neither is religion. In the end, I was a Pashtun and he was a Hazara, I was Sunni and he was Shi’a, and nothing was ever going to change that. Nothing."

"But his favorite story, and mine, was “Rostam and Sohrab,” the tale of the great warrior Rostam and his fleet-footed horse, Rakhsh. Rostam mortally wounds his valiant nemesis, Sohrab, in battle, only to discover that Sohrab is his long-lost son. Stricken with grief, Rostam hears his son’s dying words:

If thou art indeed my father, then hast thou stained thy sword in the life-blood of thy son. And thou didst it of thine obstinacy. For I sought to turn thee unto love, and I implored of thee thy name, for I thought to behold in thee the tokens recounted of my mother. But I appealed unto thy heart in vain, and now is the time gone for meeting . . .

“Read it again please, Amir agha,” Hassan would say. Sometimes tears pooled in Hassan’s eyes as I read him this passage, and I always wondered whom he wept for, the grief-stricken Rostam who tears his clothes and covers his head with ashes, or the dying Sohrab who only longed for his father’s love? Personally, I couldn’t see the tragedy in Rostam’s fate. After all, didn’t all fathers in their secret hearts harbor a desire to kill their sons?"

"One day, in July 1973, I played another little trick on Hassan. I was reading to him, and suddenly I strayed from the written story. I pretended I was reading from the book, flipping pages regularly, but I had abandoned the text altogether, taken over the story, and made up my own. Hassan, of course, was oblivious to this. To him, the words on the page were a scramble of codes, indecipherable, mysterious. Words were secret doorways and I held all the keys. After, I started to ask him if he’d liked the story, a giggle rising in my throat, when Hassan began to clap.

“What are you doing?” I said.

“That was the best story you’ve read me in a long time,” he said, still clapping.

I laughed. “Really?”

“Really.”

“That’s fascinating,” I muttered. I meant it too. This was . . . wholly unexpected. “Are you sure, Hassan?”

He was still clapping. “It was great, Amir agha. Will you read me more of it tomorrow?”

“Fascinating,” I repeated, a little breathless, feeling like a man who discovers a buried treasure in his own backyard. Walking down the hill, thoughts were exploding in my head like the fireworks at Chaman. Best story you’ve read me in a long time, he’d said. I had read him a lot of stories. Hassan was asking me something.

“What?” I said.

“What does that mean, ‘fascinating’?”

I laughed. Clutched him in a hug and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“What was that for?” he said, startled, blushing.

I gave him a friendly shove. Smiled. “You’re a prince, Hassan. You’re a prince and I love you.”

That same night, I wrote my first short story."

"But he’s not my friend! I almost blurted. He’s my servant! Had I really thought that? Of course I hadn’t. I hadn’t. I treated Hassan well, just like a friend, better even, more like a brother. But if so, then why, when Baba’s friends came to visit with their kids, didn’t I ever include Hassan in our games? Why did I play with Hassan only when no one else was around?"

"“Please leave us alone, Agha,” Hassan said in a flat tone. He’d referred to Assef as “Agha,” and I wondered briefly what it must be like to live with such an ingrained sense of one’s place in a hierarchy."

"And that’s the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too."

"“I’ll buy you one someday,” I said. Hassan’s face brightened. “A television? In truth?” “Sure. And not the black-and-white kind either. We’ll probably be grown-ups by then, but I’ll get us two. One for you and one for me.”

“I’ll put it on my table, where I keep my drawings,” Hassan said. His saying that made me kind of sad. Sad for who Hassan was, where he lived. For how he’d accepted the fact that he’d grow old in that mud shack in the yard, the way his father had."

"“I’m not sure I want to fly a kite today,” I said.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Hassan said.

I shifted on my feet. Tried to peel my gaze away from our rooftop. “I don’t know. Maybe we should go home.”

Then he stepped toward me and, in a low voice, said something that scared me a little. “Remember, Amir agha. There’s no monster, just a beautiful day.” How could I be such an open book to him when, half the time, I had no idea what was milling around in his head? I was the one who went to school, the one who could read, write. I was the smart one. Hassan couldn’t read a first-grade textbook but he’d read me plenty. That was a little unsettling, but also sort of comfortable to have someone who always knew what you needed."

"Then I was screaming, and everything was color and sound, everything was alive and good. I was throwing my free arm around Hassan and we were hopping up and down, both of us laughing, both of us weeping. “You won, Amir agha! You won!”

“We won! We won!” was all I could say. This wasn’t happening. In a moment, I’d blink and rouse from this beautiful dream, get out of bed, march down to the kitchen to eat breakfast with no one to talk to but Hassan. Get dressed. Wait for Baba. Give up. Back to my old life. Then I saw Baba on our roof. He was standing on the edge, pumping both of his fists. Hollering and clapping. And that right there was the single greatest moment of my twelve years of life, seeing Baba on that roof, proud of me at last."

"“Hassan!” I called. “Come back with it!”

He was already turning the street corner, his rubber boots kicking up snow. He stopped, turned. He cupped his hands around his mouth. “For you a thousand times over!” he said. Then he smiled his Hassan smile and disappeared around the corner. The next time I saw him smile unabashedly like that was twenty-six years later, in a faded Polaroid photograph."

"I had one last chance to make a decision. One final opportunity to decide who I was going to be. I could step into that alley, stand up for Hassan—the way he’d stood up for me all those times in the past—and accept whatever would happen to me. Or I could run. In the end, I ran.

I ran because I was a coward. I was afraid of Assef and what he would do to me. I was afraid of getting hurt. That’s what I told myself as I turned my back to the alley, to Hassan. That’s what I made myself believe. I actually aspired to cowardice, because the alternative, the real reason I was running, was that Assef was right: Nothing was free in this world. Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba. Was it a fair price? The answer floated to my conscious mind before I could thwart it: He was just a Hazara, wasn’t he?"

"I thought about Hassan’s dream, the one about us swimming in the lake. There is no monster, he’d said, just water. Except he’d been wrong about that. There was a monster in the lake. It had grabbed Hassan by the ankles, dragged him to the murky bottom.

I was that monster."

"I hit him with another pomegranate, in the shoulder this time.

The juice splattered his face. “Hit me back!” I spat. “Hit me back, goddamn you!” I wished he would. I wished he’d give me the punishment I craved, so maybe I’d finally sleep at night. Maybe then things could return to how they used to be between us. But Hassan did nothing as I pelted him again and again. “You’re a coward!” I said. “Nothing but a goddamn coward!”

I don’t know how many times I hit him. All I know is that, when I finally stopped, exhausted and panting, Hassan was smeared in red like he’d been shot by a firing squad. I fell to my knees, tired, spent, frustrated.

Then Hassan did pick up a pomegranate. He walked toward me. He opened it and crushed it against his own forehead.

“There,” he croaked, red dripping down his face like blood. “Are you satisfied? Do you feel better?” He turned around and started down the hill.

I let the tears break free, rocked back and forth on my knees. “What am I going to do with you, Hassan? What am I going to do with you?”"

"“It was Homaira and me against the world. And I’ll tell you this, Amir jan: In the end, the world always wins. That’s just the way of things.”"

"Then I saw Baba do something I had never seen him do before: He cried. It scared me a little, seeing a grown man sob. Fathers weren’t supposed to cry. “Please,” Baba was saying, but Ali had already turned to the door, Hassan trailing him. I’ll never forget the way Baba said that, the pain in his plea, the fear."

"I was sorry, but I didn’t cry and I didn’t chase the car. I watched Baba’s car pull away from the curb, taking with it the person whose first spoken word had been my name. I caught one final blurry glimpse of Hassan slumped in the backseat before Baba turned left at the street corner where we’d played marbles so many times."

"That was when Baba stood up. It was my turn to clamp a hand on his thigh, but Baba pried it loose, snatched his leg away. When he stood, he eclipsed the moonlight. “I want you to ask this man something,” Baba said. He said it to Karim, but looked directly at the Russian officer. “Ask him where his shame is.”

They spoke. “He says this is war. There is no shame in war.” “Tell him he’s wrong. War doesn’t negate decency. It demands it, even more than in times of peace.”

Do you have to always be the hero? I thought, my heart fluttering. Can’t you just let it go for once? But I knew he couldn’t—it wasn’t in his nature. The problem was, his nature was going to get us all killed."

"“Tell him I’ll take a thousand of his bullets before I let this indecency take place,” Baba said. My mind flashed to that winter day six years ago. Me, peering around the corner in the alley. Kamal and Wali holding Hassan down. Assef’s buttock muscles clenching and unclenching, his hips thrusting back and forth. Some hero I had been, fretting about the kite. Sometimes, I too wondered if I was really Baba’s son."

"That summer of 1983, I graduated from high school at the age of twenty, by far the oldest senior tossing his mortarboard on the football field that day. I remember losing Baba in the swarm of families, flashing cameras, and blue gowns. I found him near the twenty-yard line, hands shoved in his pockets, camera dangling on his chest. He disappeared and reappeared behind the people moving between us: squealing blue-clad girls hugging, crying, boys high-fiving their fathers, each other. Baba’s beard was graying, his hair thinning at the temples, and hadn’t he been taller in Kabul? He was wearing his brown suit—his only suit, the same one he wore to Afghan weddings and funerals—and the red tie I had bought for his fiftieth birthday that year. Then he saw me and waved. Smiled. He motioned for me to wear my mortarboard, and took a picture of me with the school’s clock tower in the background. I smiled for him—in a way, this was his day more than mine. He walked to me, curled his arm around my neck, and gave my brow a single kiss. “I am moftakhir, Amir,” he said. Proud. His eyes gleamed when he said that and I liked being on the receiving end of that look."

"“It may be unfair, but what happens in a few days, sometimes even a single day, can change the course of a whole lifetime, Amir,” he said."

"Afghan men, especially those from reputable families, were fickle creatures. A whisper here, an insinuation there, and they fled like startled birds. So weddings had come and gone and no one had sung ahesta boro for Soraya, no one had painted her palms with henna, no one had held a Koran over her headdress, and it had been General Taheri who’d danced with her at every wedding. And now, this woman, this mother, with her heartbreakingly eager, crooked smile and the barely veiled hope in her eyes. I cringed a little at the position of power I’d been granted, and all because I had won at the genetic lottery that had determined my sex."

"Listening to them, I realized how much of who I was, what I was, had been defined by Baba and the marks he had left on people’s lives. My whole life, I had been “Baba’s son.” Now he was gone. Baba couldn’t show me the way anymore; I’d have to find it on my own.

The thought of it terrified me."

"I have been dreaming a lot lately, Amir agha. Some of them are nightmares, like hanged corpses rotting in soccer fields with bloodred grass. I wake up from those short of breath and sweaty. Mostly, though, I dream of good things, and praise Allah for that. I dream that Rahim Khan sahib will be well. I dream that my son will grow up to be a good person, a free person, and an important person. I dream that lawla flowers will bloom in the streets of Kabul again and rubab music will play in the samovar houses and kites will fly in the skies. And I dream that someday you will return to Kabul to revisit the land of our childhood. If you do, you will find an old faithful friend waiting for you."

"“I’m a dying man and I will not b e insulted! It has never been about money with me, you know that. And why you? I think we both know why it has to be you, don’t we?”

I didn’t want to understand that comment, but I did. I understood it all too well. “I have a wife in America, a home, a career, and a family. Kabul is a dangerous place, you know that, and you’d have me risk everything for . . .” I stopped.

“You know,” Rahim Khan said, “one time, when you weren’t around, your father and I were talking. And you know how he always worried about you in those days. I remember he said to me, ‘Rahim, a boy who won’t stand up for himself becomes a man who can’t stand up to anything.’ I wonder, is that what you’ve become?”"

"Here is another cliché my creative writing teacher would have scoffed at; like father, like son. But it was true, wasn’t it? As it turned out, Baba and I were more alike than I’d ever known. We had both betrayed the people who would have given their lives for us. And with that came this realization: that Rahim Khan had summoned me here to atone not just for my sins but for Baba’s too."

"There is a way to be good again, he’d said. A way to end the cycle.

With a little boy. An orphan. Hassan’s son. Somewhere in Kabul."

"I looked at the round face in the Polaroid again, the way the sun fell on it. My brother’s face. Hassan had loved me once, loved me in a way that no one ever had or ever would again. He was gone now, but a little part of him lived on. It was in Kabul.

Waiting."

"It was on this soil that my grandfather had gone on a hunting trip with King Nadir Shah and shot a deer. My mother had died on this soil. And on this soil, I had fought for my father’s love."

"Somewhere over those mountains in the west slept the city where my harelipped brother and I had run kites. Somewhere over there, the blindfolded man from my dream had died a needless death. Once, over those mountains, I had made a choice. And now, a quarter of a century later, that choice had landed me right back on this soil."

"Zaman dropped his hands. “I haven’t been paid in over six months. I’m broke because I’ve spent my life’s savings on this orphanage. Everything I ever owned or inherited I sold to run this godforsaken place. You think I don’t have family in Pakistan and Iran? I could have run like everyone else. But I didn’t. I stayed. I stayed because of them.” He pointed to the door. “If I deny him one child, he takes ten. So I let him take one and leave the judging to Allah. I swallow my pride and take his goddamn filthy . . . dirty money. Then I go to the bazaar and buy food for the children.”"

"“WHAT’S SO FUNNY?” Assef bellowed. Another rib snapped, this time left lower. What was so funny was that, for the first time since the winter of 1975, I felt at peace. I laughed because I saw that, in some hidden nook in a corner of my mind, I’d even been looking forward to this. I remembered the day on the hill I had pelted Hassan with pomegranates and tried to provoke him. He’d just stood there, doing nothing, red juice soaking through his shirt like blood. Then he’d taken the pomegranate from my hand, crushed it against his forehead. Are you satisfied now? he’d hissed. Do you feel better? I hadn’t been happy and I hadn’t felt better, not at all. But I did now. My body was broken—just how badly I wouldn’t find out until later—but I felt healed. Healed at last. I laughed."

"You were right all those years to suspect that I knew. I did know. Hassan told me shortly after it happened. What you did was wrong, Amir jan, but do not forget that you were a boy when it happened. A troubled little boy. You were too hard on yourself then, and you still are—I saw it in your eyes in Peshawar. But I hope you will heed this: A man who has no conscience, no goodness, does not suffer. I hope your suffering comes to an end with this journey to Afghanistan."

"When he saw you, he saw himself. And his guilt. You are still angry and I realize it is far too early to expect you to accept this, but maybe someday you will see that when your father was hard on you, he was also being hard on himself. Your father, like you, was a tortured soul, Amir jan."

"And this is what I want you to understand, that good, real good, was born out of your father’s remorse. Sometimes, I think everything he did, feeding the poor on the streets, building the orphanage, giving money to friends in need, it was all his way of redeeming himself. And that, I believe, is what true redemption is, Amir jan, when guilt leads to good."

"“Your father and I were nursed by the same woman.”

“I know.”

“What . . . what did he tell you about us?”

“That you were the best friend he ever had,” he said.

I twirled the jack of diamonds in my fingers, flipped it back and forth. “I wasn’t such a good friend, I’m afraid,” I said. “But I’d like to be your friend. I think I could be a good friend to you. Would that be all right? Would you like that?”"

"Found the Polaroid snapshot of Hassan and Sohrab. “Here,” I said. He brought the photo to within an inch of his face, turned it so the light from the mosque fell on it. He looked at it for a long time. I thought he might cry, but he didn’t. He just held it in both hands, traced his thumb over its surface. I thought of a line I’d read somewhere, or maybe I’d heard someone say it: There are a lot of children in Afghanistan, but little childhood. He stretched his hand to give it back to me.

“Keep it,” I said. “It’s yours.”

“Thank you.”"

"“But why did people hide it from Father and you?”

“You know, I asked myself that same question the other day. And there’s an answer , but not a good one. Let’s just say they didn’t tell us because your father and I . . . we weren’t supposed to be brothers.”

“Because he was a Hazara?”

I willed my eyes to stay on him. “Yes.”

“Did your father,” he began, eyeing his food, “did your father love you and my father equally?”

I thought of a long ago day at Ghargha Lake, when Baba had allowed himself to pat Hassan on the back when Hassan’s stone had outskipped mine. I pictured Baba in the hospital room, beaming as they removed the bandages from Hassan’s lips. “I think he loved us equally but differently.”

“Was he ashamed of my father?”

“No,” I said. “I think he was ashamed of himself.”"

"I remembered something I had read somewhere a long time ago: That’s how children deal with terror. They fall asleep."

"I throw my makeshift jai-namaz, my prayer rug, on the floor and I get on my knees, lower my forehead to the ground, my tears soaking through the sheet. I bow to the west. Then I remember I haven’t prayed for over fifteen years. I have long forgotten the words. But it doesn’t matter, I will utter those few words I still remember: La illaha il Allah, Muhammad u rasul ullah. There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger. I see now that Baba was wrong, there is a God, there always had been. I see Him here, in the eyes of the people in this corridor of desperation. This is the real house of God, this is where those who have lost God will find Him, not the white masjid with its bright diamond lights and towering minarets. There is a God, there has to be, and now I will pray, I will pray that He forgive that I have neglected Him all of these years, forgive that I have betrayed, lied, and sinned with impunity only to turn to Him now in my hour of need, I pray that He is as merciful, benevolent, and gracious as His book says He is. I bow to the west and kiss the ground and promise that I will do zakat, I will do namaz, I will fast during Ramadan and when Ramadan has passed I will go on fasting, I will commit to memory every last word of His holy book, and I will set on a pilgrimage to that sweltering city in the desert and bow before the Ka’bah too. I will do all of this and I will think of Him everyday from this day on if He only grants me this one wish: My hands are stained with Hassan’s blood; I pray God doesn’t let them get stained with the blood of his boy too.

I hear a whimpering and realize it is mine, my lips are salty with the tears trickling down my face. I feel the eyes of everyone in this corridor on me and still I bow to the west. I pray. I pray that my sins have not caught up with me the way I’d always feared they would."

"Then I realized something: That last thought had brought no sting with it. Closing Sohrab’s door, I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night."

"It would be erroneous to say Sohrab was quiet. Quiet is peace. Tranquillity. Quiet is turning down the VOLUME knob on life.

Silence is pushing the OFF button. Shutting it down. All of it.

Sohrab’s silence wasn’t the self-imposed silence of those with convictions, of protesters who seek to speak their cause by not speaking at all. It was the silence of one who has taken cover in a dark place, curled up all the edges and tucked them under."

"“Do you want me to run that kite for you?”

His Adam’s apple rose and fell as he swallowed. The wind lifted his hair. I thought I saw him nod."

“For you, a thousand times over,” I heard myself say.

Then I turned and ran.

It was only a smile, nothing more. It didn’t make everything all right. It didn’t make anything all right. Only a smile. A tiny thing. A leaf in the woods, shaking in the wake of a startled bird’s flight.

But I’ll take it. With open arms."

"Because when spring comes, it melts the snow one flake at a time, and maybe I just witnessed the first flake melting.

I ran. A grown man running with a swarm of screaming children. But I didn’t care. I ran with the wind blowing in my face, and a smile as wide as the Valley of Panjsher on my lips.

I ran."

This is now officially one of my favorite books of all time, Khaled Hosseini is my new favorite author, and this story and its characters will stay with me for a long, long time. This book is only the 2nd book that I rated 5 stars this year so far (the 1st one was A Little Life), and I think it shows just how much I love this book and how great it is (if this long-ass rave review didn't already). It also shows that my rating is much more serious this year compared to last year when I rated so many books with 5 stars. This book reminds me how much I love reading, and how good it feels to let a book break your heart, then slowly pick up the pieces and put it back together, and make it whole again.

PLOT - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WRITING STYLE - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

ENTERTAINMENT LEVEL PAIN LEVEL- 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔

BOOK COVER DESIGN - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

OVERALL BOOK RATING - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#book review #the kite runner

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fanofsports · 6 months

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ISIL claims Kabul bus attack targeting Shia Muslims | ISIL/ISIS News

The attack is the second in weeks against Afghanistan’s historically oppressed Shia Hazara community. The ISIL (ISIS) group has claimed responsibility for a deadly bus attack targeting the Shia Hazara community in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul. The blast in the Dasht-e-Barchi district, a Hazara stronghold, killed seven people and wounded 20, police said on Tuesday. The attack was the second…

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brookston · 7 months

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Holidays 9.25

Holidays

Acne Day

Armed Forces Day (Mozambique)

Binge Day

Bruderklausenfest (Obwalden, Switzerland)

Crocus Day (French Republic)

Day of National Recognition for the Harkis (France)

Dominion Day (New Zealand)

Flag Day (Cape Verde)

Franco-Ontarian Day (Canada)

Global Day of Climate Action

Haustmanuour (Iceland)

Hazara Genocide Memorial Day

International Ataxia Awareness Day

International Coaches Day

International Day for Dreamers

Join A Cabal of International Bankers Today Day

Kamarampaka Day (Rwanda)

Math Storytelling Day

Mediterranean Coast Day

National Comic Book Day

National Day of Non Violence (UK)

National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims

National Emergency Medical Services Suicide Awareness Day

National Homage Day of Harkis (France)

National ‘If You See Something, Say Something’ Awareness Day

National John Day

National Math Storytelling Day

National 9 to 5 Day

National Open the Magic Day

National Psychotherapy Day

National Roadkill Day

National Research Administrators Day

National Schnauzer Day

National Tune-Up Day

National Wade Day

National YogaFit Day

National Youth Day (Nauru, Turks and Caicos Islands)

Old Holy Rood Eve

One-Hit Wonder Day

Open the Magic Day

Origin of Life Day

Revolution Day (Mozambique)

Salute the Sun Day (China)

Sandra Day O’Connor Civics Celebration Day (Arizona)

Santa Cruz Day (Bolivia)

Sir Hammer DeRoburt Day (Nauru)

Uno Day

World Ataxia Awareness Day

World Dream Day

World Lung Day

World Pharmacists Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

German Butterbrot Day

National Bakery Day

National Cooking Day

National Crabmeat Newburg Day

National Food Service Employees Day

National Lobster Day [official, also 6.15]

National Quesadilla Day

World’s Biggest Coffee Morning (UK)’

4th & Last Monday in September

American Indian Day (Tennessee) [4th Monday]

CASAColumbia Family Day [4th Monday]

Family and Community Day (ACT, Australia) [Last Monday]

Family Day — A Day To Eat Dinner With Your Children [4th Monday]

National Eat Dinner with Your Family Day [4th Monday]

Independence Days

Canterbury South Province Day (New Zealand)

Dracul (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Present House (Declared; 2011) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Abadir and Iraja and Companions (Coptic Church)

Albino Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Any Port & Lemon in a Storm Day (Pastafarian)

Aunarius (a.k.a. Aunacharius; Christian; Saint)

Anathalon (Archdiocese of Milan; Christian; Saint)

Captain Beefheart Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Cadoc (Christian; Saint)

Ceolfrith (a.k.a. Colfrid; Christian; Saint)

Cleopas (Christian; Saint)

Day of Mercury (Travel Blessing; Pagan)

Euphrosyne of Alexandria (Christian; Saint)

Feast of Nmmu (Sumerian Goddess of Primeval Sea)

Feast of Nariwiinyapah (God of Immortal Water)

Finbarr (a.k.a. Barr; Christian; Saint)

Fermin of Amiens (a.k.a. Firmin; Christian; Saint)

Lancelot Andrewes (Church of England)

Mark Rothko (Artology)

Mme. de Motteville (Positivist; Saint)

Nicholas of Flüe (Christian; Saint) [Switzerland]

Robert Brackman (Artology)

Rudy the Spider (Muppetism)

Samvatsari (Forgiveness Day; Jain)

Sergius of Radonezh (Christian; Saint)

Vincent Strambi (Christian; Saint)

Yom Kippur began last night (Day of Atonement) [10 Tishrei]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Arctic Splashdown (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #2; 1964)

Ava (Film; 2020)

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Pt. 1 (WB Animated Film; 2012)

The Beatles (Animated TV Series; 1965)

Beaucoup of Blues, by Ringo Starr (Album; 1970)

Chariots of Fire (Film; 1981)

Crash Drive or Oedipus Wrecks (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 57; 1960)

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead (Documentary Film; 2015)

Evita (Broadway Musical; 1979)

Fender Benders ir The Asphalt Jungle (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 58; 1960)

FIshin’ Around (Disney Cartoon; 1931)

Freaks and Geeks (TV Series; 1999)

Get Off of My Cloud, by The Rolling Stones (Song; 1965)

Going Postal, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 2004) [Discworld #33]

Heroes (TV Series; 2006)

Hotel Transylvania 2 (Animated Film; 2015)

The Hustler (Film; 1961)

I’m a Slave 4 U, by Britney Spears (Song; 2001)

The Intern (Film; 2015)

Intruder in the Dust, by William Faulkner (Novel; 1948)

I Wanna Be a Sailor (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

The Last of the Mohicans (Film; 1992)

Magic, by Bruce Springsteen (Album; 2007)

Me and Bobby McGee, recoded by Janis Joplin (Song; 1970)

The Mindy Project (TV Series; 2012)

Monstrous Regiment, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 2003) [Discworld #31]

Mr. Saturday Night (Film; 1992)

My Girl, recorded by The Temptations (Song; 1964)

The Partridge Family (TV Series; 1970)

The Princess Bride (Film; 1987)

Ramblin’ Man, by The Allman Brothers (Song; 1973)

A Raw Deal or Two Aces and a Pair of Kings (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 163; 1962)

The Rebel, by Albert Camus (Essay; 1951)

Rocky Draws the Line or Who’s Got My Ruler? (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 164; 1962)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Film; 1975)

Ronin (Film; 1998)

Roseanna, by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö (Novel; 1965)

Shark Jaws (Video Game; 1975)

Silver Spoons (TV Series; 1982)

The Story About Ping, by Marjorie Flack (Children’s Book; 1933)

Story of O, by Pauline Réage (Novel; 1954)

Strange Days, by The Doors (Album; 1967)

Stumptown (TV Series; 2019)

Those Were the Days, by Mary Hopkins (Song; 1968)

Utopia (US TV Series; 2020)

The Vanishing Private (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

X, by INXS (Album; 1990)

Young Sheldon (TV Series; 2017)

Today’s Name Days

Irmfried, Nikolaus, Serge (Austria)

Sergei (Bulgaria)

Firmin, Kleofa (Croatia)

Zlata (Czech Republic)

Cleophas (Denmark)

Ago, Agu, Agur, Ako, Koido, Koit (Estonia)

Kullervo, Oivi (Finland)

Hermann (France)

Irmfried, Klaus, Serge (Germany)

Evfrosyne, Evfrosyni (Greece)

Eufrozina, Kende (Hungary)

Aurelia, Caterina, Sergio (Italy)

Rauls, Roderiks, Rodrigo, Vingra (Latvia)

Aurelija, Kleopas, Ramvydė, Vaigintas (Lithuania)

Ingvar, Yngvar (Norway)

Aureli, Aurelia, Aurelian, Franciszek, Gaspar, Herkulan, Kamil, Kleofas, Kleopatra, Ładysław, Piotr, Rufus, Świętopełk, Wincenty, Władysław, Władysława, Włodzisław (Poland)

Vladislav (Slovakia)

Aurelia (Spain)

Signild, Tryggve (Sweden)

Rostyslava, Thekla, Thecla, Volodyslav (Ukraine)

Barrie, Barry, Braxton, Moriah (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 268 of 2024; 97 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 39 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Muin (Vine) [Day 21 of 28]

Chinese: Month 8 (Xin-You), Day 11 (Bing-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 10 Tishri 5784

Islamic: 10 Rabi I 1445

J Cal: 28 Aki; Sevenday [28 of 30]

Julian: 12 September 2023

Moon: 80%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 16 Shakespeare (10th Month) [Mme. de Motteville]

Runic Half Month: Ken (Illumination) [Day 14 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 3 of 89)

Zodiac: Libra (Day 3 of 30)

#calendar #Holidays

0 notes

brookstonalmanac · 7 months

Text

Holidays 9.25

Holidays

Acne Day

Armed Forces Day (Mozambique)

Binge Day

Bruderklausenfest (Obwalden, Switzerland)

Crocus Day (French Republic)

Day of National Recognition for the Harkis (France)

Dominion Day (New Zealand)

Flag Day (Cape Verde)

Franco-Ontarian Day (Canada)

Global Day of Climate Action

Haustmanuour (Iceland)

Hazara Genocide Memorial Day

International Ataxia Awareness Day

International Coaches Day

International Day for Dreamers

Join A Cabal of International Bankers Today Day

Kamarampaka Day (Rwanda)

Math Storytelling Day

Mediterranean Coast Day

National Comic Book Day

National Day of Non Violence (UK)

National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims

National Emergency Medical Services Suicide Awareness Day

National Homage Day of Harkis (France)

National ‘If You See Something, Say Something’ Awareness Day

National John Day

National Math Storytelling Day

National 9 to 5 Day

National Open the Magic Day

National Psychotherapy Day

National Roadkill Day

National Research Administrators Day

National Schnauzer Day

National Tune-Up Day

National Wade Day

National YogaFit Day

National Youth Day (Nauru, Turks and Caicos Islands)

Old Holy Rood Eve

One-Hit Wonder Day

Open the Magic Day

Origin of Life Day

Revolution Day (Mozambique)

Salute the Sun Day (China)

Sandra Day O’Connor Civics Celebration Day (Arizona)

Santa Cruz Day (Bolivia)

Sir Hammer DeRoburt Day (Nauru)

Uno Day

World Ataxia Awareness Day

World Dream Day

World Lung Day

World Pharmacists Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

German Butterbrot Day

National Bakery Day

National Cooking Day

National Crabmeat Newburg Day

National Food Service Employees Day

National Lobster Day [official, also 6.15]

National Quesadilla Day

World’s Biggest Coffee Morning (UK)’

4th & Last Monday in September

American Indian Day (Tennessee) [4th Monday]

CASAColumbia Family Day [4th Monday]

Family and Community Day (ACT, Australia) [Last Monday]

Family Day — A Day To Eat Dinner With Your Children [4th Monday]

National Eat Dinner with Your Family Day [4th Monday]

Independence Days

Canterbury South Province Day (New Zealand)

Dracul (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Present House (Declared; 2011) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Abadir and Iraja and Companions (Coptic Church)

Albino Appreciation Day (Pastafarian)

Any Port & Lemon in a Storm Day (Pastafarian)

Aunarius (a.k.a. Aunacharius; Christian; Saint)

Anathalon (Archdiocese of Milan; Christian; Saint)

Captain Beefheart Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Cadoc (Christian; Saint)

Ceolfrith (a.k.a. Colfrid; Christian; Saint)

Cleopas (Christian; Saint)

Day of Mercury (Travel Blessing; Pagan)

Euphrosyne of Alexandria (Christian; Saint)

Feast of Nmmu (Sumerian Goddess of Primeval Sea)

Feast of Nariwiinyapah (God of Immortal Water)

Finbarr (a.k.a. Barr; Christian; Saint)

Fermin of Amiens (a.k.a. Firmin; Christian; Saint)

Lancelot Andrewes (Church of England)

Mark Rothko (Artology)

Mme. de Motteville (Positivist; Saint)

Nicholas of Flüe (Christian; Saint) [Switzerland]

Robert Brackman (Artology)

Rudy the Spider (Muppetism)

Samvatsari (Forgiveness Day; Jain)

Sergius of Radonezh (Christian; Saint)

Vincent Strambi (Christian; Saint)

Yom Kippur began last night (Day of Atonement) [10 Tishrei]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Arctic Splashdown (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #2; 1964)

Ava (Film; 2020)

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Pt. 1 (WB Animated Film; 2012)

The Beatles (Animated TV Series; 1965)

Beaucoup of Blues, by Ringo Starr (Album; 1970)

Chariots of Fire (Film; 1981)

Crash Drive or Oedipus Wrecks (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 57; 1960)

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead (Documentary Film; 2015)

Evita (Broadway Musical; 1979)

Fender Benders ir The Asphalt Jungle (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 58; 1960)

FIshin’ Around (Disney Cartoon; 1931)

Freaks and Geeks (TV Series; 1999)

Get Off of My Cloud, by The Rolling Stones (Song; 1965)

Going Postal, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 2004) [Discworld #33]

Heroes (TV Series; 2006)

Hotel Transylvania 2 (Animated Film; 2015)

The Hustler (Film; 1961)

I’m a Slave 4 U, by Britney Spears (Song; 2001)

The Intern (Film; 2015)

Intruder in the Dust, by William Faulkner (Novel; 1948)

I Wanna Be a Sailor (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

The Last of the Mohicans (Film; 1992)

Magic, by Bruce Springsteen (Album; 2007)

Me and Bobby McGee, recoded by Janis Joplin (Song; 1970)

The Mindy Project (TV Series; 2012)

Monstrous Regiment, by Terry Pratchet (Novel; 2003) [Discworld #31]

Mr. Saturday Night (Film; 1992)

My Girl, recorded by The Temptations (Song; 1964)

The Partridge Family (TV Series; 1970)

The Princess Bride (Film; 1987)

Ramblin’ Man, by The Allman Brothers (Song; 1973)

A Raw Deal or Two Aces and a Pair of Kings (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 163; 1962)

The Rebel, by Albert Camus (Essay; 1951)

Rocky Draws the Line or Who’s Got My Ruler? (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 164; 1962)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Film; 1975)

Ronin (Film; 1998)

Roseanna, by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö (Novel; 1965)

Shark Jaws (Video Game; 1975)

Silver Spoons (TV Series; 1982)

The Story About Ping, by Marjorie Flack (Children’s Book; 1933)

Story of O, by Pauline Réage (Novel; 1954)

Strange Days, by The Doors (Album; 1967)

Stumptown (TV Series; 2019)

Those Were the Days, by Mary Hopkins (Song; 1968)

Utopia (US TV Series; 2020)

The Vanishing Private (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

X, by INXS (Album; 1990)

Young Sheldon (TV Series; 2017)

Today’s Name Days

Irmfried, Nikolaus, Serge (Austria)

Sergei (Bulgaria)

Firmin, Kleofa (Croatia)

Zlata (Czech Republic)

Cleophas (Denmark)

Ago, Agu, Agur, Ako, Koido, Koit (Estonia)

Kullervo, Oivi (Finland)

Hermann (France)

Irmfried, Klaus, Serge (Germany)

Evfrosyne, Evfrosyni (Greece)

Eufrozina, Kende (Hungary)

Aurelia, Caterina, Sergio (Italy)

Rauls, Roderiks, Rodrigo, Vingra (Latvia)

Aurelija, Kleopas, Ramvydė, Vaigintas (Lithuania)

Ingvar, Yngvar (Norway)

Aureli, Aurelia, Aurelian, Franciszek, Gaspar, Herkulan, Kamil, Kleofas, Kleopatra, Ładysław, Piotr, Rufus, Świętopełk, Wincenty, Władysław, Władysława, Włodzisław (Poland)

Vladislav (Slovakia)

Aurelia (Spain)

Signild, Tryggve (Sweden)

Rostyslava, Thekla, Thecla, Volodyslav (Ukraine)

Barrie, Barry, Braxton, Moriah (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 268 of 2024; 97 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 39 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Muin (Vine) [Day 21 of 28]

Chinese: Month 8 (Xin-You), Day 11 (Bing-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 10 Tishri 5784

Islamic: 10 Rabi I 1445

J Cal: 28 Aki; Sevenday [28 of 30]

Julian: 12 September 2023

Moon: 80%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 16 Shakespeare (10th Month) [Mme. de Motteville]

Runic Half Month: Ken (Illumination) [Day 14 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 3 of 89)

Zodiac: Libra (Day 3 of 30)

#Holidays

0 notes

pdj-france · 9 months

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En direct Un train a déraillé dans le sud du Pakistan, tuant 30 personnes et en blessant plus de 90 autres, par contre les opérations de sauvetage sont terminées, d'après des responsables. Dix wagons d'un train à destination de Rawalpindi ont déraillé et certains se sont renversés dimanche, près de la ville pakistanaise de Nawabshah, piégeant de nombreux passagers, a affirmé l'officier supérieur des chemins de fer Mahmoodur Rehman Lakho. La télévision locale a montré des équipes de secours extrayant des femmes, des enfants et des passagers âgés de véhicules endommagées et renversées. Certains des blessés gisaient sur le sol en criant à l'aide tandis que les habitants distribuaient de l'eau et de la nourriture. L'officier supérieur de police Abid Baloch a affirmé depuis les lieux dimanche soir que l'opération de sauvetage était terminée : des dizaines de blessés avaient été mis en sécurité et la dernière voiture renversée dégagée. Il a également ajouté que des femmes et des enfants figuraient parmi les morts et les blessés. Exprimant son chagrin face à la perte de vies humaines, le Premier ministre Shahbaz Sharif a prié lors d'un rassemblement politique au Pendjab pour les âmes des défunts et pour le rétablissement rapide des blessés. "Nous prions tous, qu'Allah accorde une place au paradis à ceux qui sont décédés et je souhaite un prompt rétablissement aux blessés", a-t-il déclaré. Lakho, responsable des chemins de fer dans la zone de l'accident, a affirmé que le malheureux Hazara Express était en route de Karachi à Rawalpindi quand 10 voitures ont déraillé près de la gare de Sarhari au large de Nawabshah. Ihtesham Ali a perdu des membres de sa famille et les recherchait dans la situation chaotique. "Sept membres de ma famille et 22 de mon quartier étaient portés disparus et jusqu'à dernièrement nous n'en avons trouvé que quatre, les autres sont toujours portés disparus." Mohsin Sayal, un autre officier supérieur des chemins de fer, a affirmé que le trafic ferroviaire avait été suspendu sur la ligne de chemin de fer principale tandis que des trains de réparation étaient envoyés sur les lieux. Sayal a affirmé que des arrangements de voyage alternatifs et des soins médicaux seraient mis à la disposition des passagers du train. Tous les trains dans les deux sens ont été retenus dans les gares les plus proches jusqu'à ce que les voies puissent être dégagées, tandis que tous les départs ont été retardés. Le ministre des Chemins de fer Khwaja Saad Rafiq a affirmé que l'accident serait peut-être dû à une panne mécanique ou à un sabotage. Il a précisé qu'une enquête était en cours. Il a affirmé que des troupes militaires et paramilitaires de même que des secouristes sont arrivés sur les lieux et ont aidé à secourir les passagers piégés. Les passagers les plus grièvement blessés ont été transportés vers des hôpitaux éloignés dans des hélicoptères militaires pour un meilleur traitement. Les accidents de train se produisent souvent sur des voies ferrées mal entretenues au Pakistan, où les systèmes de communication et de signalisation de l'ère coloniale n'ont pas été modernisés et les normes de sécurité sont médiocres. — AAP

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roamanddiscover · 9 months

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The Kite Runner Book Summary

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a captivating novel that takes readers on a journey through Afghanistan and the complex issues faced by its people. The story revolves around the protagonist, Amir, and his childhood friend Hassan who come from different social classes and have contrasting personalities. The book explores themes such as redemption, guilt, and betrayal, which are woven into the fabric of the story in a powerful and engaging way. Set in the 1970s, before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the novel unfolds against a backdrop of political turmoil and change. Amir, the son of a wealthy Pashtun businessman, is haunted by his past mistakes and struggles to find redemption. His relationship with Hassan, a Hazara boy from a lower social class, is fraught with tension and ultimately tragedy. The Kite Runner is a stunning literary achievement that portrays Afghan culture and tradition in an insightful and nuanced way. The author's use of language is masterful, and his descriptions of the landscape and people of Afghanistan are vivid and evocative. Hosseini's portrayal of the relationships between his characters is also deeply moving, and readers are sure to be emotionally engaged throughout the book. The Kite Runner is a thought-provoking and emotionally powerful novel that explores the complexities of human relationships and the impact of personal choices on our lives. Whether you are a fan of literary fiction, historical novels, or simply love a good story, The Kite Runner is a must-read book that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

Character Analysis

The Kite Runner provides a fascinating array of characters, each with their own backstory, personality traits and motivations. Amir, the protagonist and narrator, is a complicated character that the reader can both sympathize with and condemn. As a child, Amir is often overshadowed by his father's expectations and neglect, leading to feelings of inadequacy and a desire for redemption. His relationship with his best friend Hassan is also a central component of the novel, as the two navigate the complicated social hierarchy and ethnic tensions in Afghanistan. Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, is a loyal and brave character despite being marginalized by society due to his Hazara ethnicity. His friendship with Amir is tested throughout the novel, as Amir struggles with jealousy and betrayal and Hassan grapples with his own internal turmoil. Their fathers, Baba and Ali respectively, are also complex characters. Baba is a pillar of the Afghan community, but his past mistakes and shortcomings are revealed as the novel progresses. Ali, on the other hand, is a gentle and kind person, but his life is overshadowed by the trauma he experienced during his childhood. The secondary characters in The Kite Runner also play important roles in the story, including Assef, a bully with a penchant for violence; Rahim Khan, Amir's father figure and confidant; and Soraya, Amir's love interest and wife. The interactions between these characters reveal the complexities of human relationships and the impact of personal choices. - The characters in The Kite Runner are dynamic and multi-dimensional. - Amir's relationship with Hassan is a central component of the story. - Baba and Ali are complex characters whose past mistakes and trauma are explored. - The secondary characters provide unique perspectives on Afghan society and culture.

Analysis

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is a novel that delves into complicated themes of redemption, guilt, and betrayal. These universal themes are explored through the story of a young boy in Afghanistan, Amir. One of the significant themes in The Kite Runner is family dynamics. The complex relationship between Amir and his father, as well as the bond between Amir and Hassan, his friend, is explored in great detail. Another critical theme in the novel is political unrest in Afghanistan. The story is set in a tumultuous period in the country's history, following the Soviet invasion and the rise of the Taliban. Hosseini sheds light on the devastating impact of war on the lives of ordinary people and the brutal oppression under Taliban rule. Throughout the novel, Hosseini employs various literary devices to convey his themes, including symbolism, motifs, and foreshadowing. The kites in the story act as a potent symbol, representing freedom, innocence, and the friendship between Amir and Hassan. The motif of storytelling is also pivotal to the novel as it emphasizes the importance of sharing stories as a means of healing and redemption. The characters in The Kite Runner are well-developed and complex, with their motivations and personalities influenced by their experiences and circumstances. The protagonist, Amir, is a flawed character whose actions have significant consequences. Hosseini expertly weaves his characters' stories together to create a heartbreaking and insightful portrait of Afghanistan and the human condition as a whole. The Kite Runner is a thought-provoking novel that delves into complex issues and themes such as family dynamics, political unrest, and personal redemption. Hosseini's use of literary devices and well-developed characters creates a powerful and emotional story that resonates with readers long after the last page has been turned.

Reviews

The Kite Runner has received widespread acclaim from both critics and readers since its first publication in 2003. The novel's powerful storytelling and portrayal of Afghan culture have captivated the hearts of all who have read it. The New York Times called it a "beautiful and haunting novel" that "not only brings to life the landscape and history of a troubled land, but also explores the strength of family bonds and the possibility of redemption." Similarly, Publishers Weekly wrote that the book is a "sonorous, sensitive narrative" that "unfolds against the tumultuous backdrop of modern-day Afghanistan." In addition to these critical accolades, The Kite Runner has also been a hit with readers. On Goodreads, the novel has an impressive 4.3 out of 5-star rating, based on over 2 million ratings and reviews. Readers have praised the book for its emotional depth, superb writing, and memorable characters. The Kite Runner's reviews speak volumes about the book's impact and importance in modern literature. It is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring complex themes like guilt, redemption, and betrayal, all while gaining a greater appreciation for Afghan culture and history.

Details

The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini, is a fictional story set against the backdrop of tumultuous events in Afghanistan in the late 20th century. Hosseini, a former physician turned writer, drew heavily on his own experiences growing up in Kabul and his family's experiences with political upheaval, including the Soviet occupation in the 1980s and the rise of the Taliban in the 1990s, to write The Kite Runner. In interviews, Hosseini has credited his mother as a source of inspiration for the novel, particularly the character of Amir's mother. He has also spoken of his own guilt over leaving his homeland and his hopes that The Kite Runner can help to bridge gaps in understanding between Afghanistan and the rest of the world. The novel has been praised for its vivid depiction of Afghan culture and its exploration of universal themes such as loyalty, redemption, and betrayal. Hosseini's use of imagery and symbolism, from the kites of the title to the pomegranate tree in Amir's childhood home, has also been noted by critics. Since its publication in 2003, The Kite Runner has become a global phenomenon, with translations into dozens of languages and millions of copies sold worldwide. The novel has also been adapted into a successful stage play and a major motion picture. The Kite Runner is a powerful exploration of complex themes and personal relationships set against a backdrop of historical events that have shaped modern-day Afghanistan.

News about The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner is a novel that has garnered a great deal of attention since its publication. As a result, there is always news about the book and its author, Khaled Hosseini. One of the most significant pieces of news related to The Kite Runner is the film adaptation of the book. Directed by Marc Forster, the movie was released in 2007 and starred actors such as Khalid Abdalla and Homayoun Ershadi. In addition to the film adaptation, there have been interviews with Hosseini in which he discusses his inspiration for the novel and the impact it has had on readers. Hosseini has also released several other books, including A Thousand Splendid Suns and And the Mountains Echoed, which have also been critically acclaimed. The Kite Runner has also been the subject of numerous academic studies and discussions, particularly in relation to its portrayal of Afghan culture and themes of redemption and betrayal. The book's continued relevance today is testament to its lasting impact on readers and its enduring place in the literary canon. news about The Kite Runner is always of interest to its fans and readers. Whether it is updates on adaptations or interviews with the author, this section provides a comprehensive overview of what's happening in the world of The Kite Runner.

Ratings

The Kite Runner has received critical acclaim since its publication in 2003, and has garnered high ratings from both readers and literary critics. On Goodreads, the book has an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 based on over 2 million ratings. Readers have praised Hosseini's writing style and the emotional depth of the story, with many citing it as a favorite novel. On Amazon, The Kite Runner has over 9,000 customer ratings with an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Customers have called it a "must-read" and a "powerful and thought-provoking novel." Critics have similarly praised the book, with The New York Times calling it "an astonishing debut" and The Guardian stating, "Hosseini's narrative gifts have deepened over the years." The Kite Runner has also been a finalist for several prestigious literary awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Book-of-the-Month Club's First Fiction Award. In addition to critical acclaim, The Kite Runner has been widely read and recommended by book clubs and educators. It is frequently assigned as required reading in high school and college courses, and has been translated into over 40 languages. The Kite Runner's enduring popularity and critical success showcase its impact on readers and the literary community.

Book Notes

The Kite Runner is a novel written by Khaled Hosseini that tells the story of Amir, a young boy from Afghanistan, and his journey of friendship, betrayal, and redemption. This section aims to provide a brief summary of the novel's plot and characters, making it a helpful resource for students and casual readers who want to understand the book's key points. The novel is divided into three parts, and the first part introduces the main characters and their relationships. Amir is the son of a wealthy businessman, and his friend Hassan is the son of their family's servant. Despite their different social statuses, Amir and Hassan are close friends who share a love for kite-fighting. However, their relationship changes after a traumatic incident that alters their lives forever. Part two of the novel takes us to America, where Amir and his father flee after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Amir grows up, goes to college, and starts a new life, but he can never forget the past and the guilt he carries inside. He receives an opportunity to atone for his past mistakes when he receives a call from Rahim Khan, an old family friend who asks him to come back to Afghanistan and help him find Hassan's son, Sohrab. In part three, Amir returns to Afghanistan and finds a country torn apart by war and violence. He confronts his past, faces his fears, and risks everything to find Sohrab and bring him to safety. This section of the novel is full of powerful scenes and emotional moments that showcase the character's growth and development. The Kite Runner is a powerful novel that explores complex themes and offers a rich portrayal of Afghan culture and history. This section aimed to provide a brief summary of the book's plot and characters, but we encourage readers to dive into the novel and experience it for themselves. Read the full article

#TheKiteRunnerbookdescription #TheKiteRunnerbooknotes #TheKiteRunnerbookreviews #TheKiteRunnercharacteranalysis

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detentiontheplay · 10 months

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SBS interview

The Breadwinner film

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f0xd13-blog · 1 year

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sublimeobservationarcade · 1 year

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Understanding Afghanistan

Afghanistan has been a nation in the news for all the wrong reasons. Understanding Afghanistan begins at the most basic level by learning about its people. Afghanistan is a diverse country with various ethnic groups, each with its unique culture, history, and traditions. The country has been shaped by centuries of migrations, invasions, and political changes, resulting in a mosaic of identities and communities. In this article, we will explore the different people of Afghanistan and their characteristics. What is the Afghan story?

A Pashtun Understanding of Afghanistan

Pashtuns: The Pashtuns are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, comprising about 40% of the population. They are also the dominant group politically and culturally. Pashtuns are traditionally Sunni Muslims, and their language is Pashto. Pashtuns are known for their strong sense of tribal identity, which often supersedes national identity. They are also renowned for their code of conduct, known as Pashtunwali, which emphasizes hospitality, bravery, and honour.

The Tajik Afghanistan

Tajiks: Tajiks are the second-largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, accounting for around 25% of the population. They are predominantly Shia Muslims, and their language is Dari, which is a variety of Persian. Tajiks are known for their cultural contributions to Afghanistan, including literature, music, and architecture. They are also more urbanized than other groups, with a significant presence in the cities. Hazaras: The Hazaras are a Shia Muslim ethnic group that mainly lives in central Afghanistan. They are estimated to make up about 10-15% of the population. Hazaras have historically faced discrimination and persecution due to their ethnicity and religion, including the infamous Hazara genocide during the Taliban's rule in the late 1990s. Despite this, Hazaras have a unique culture and language, which distinguishes them from other Afghan groups. Uzbeks: Uzbeks are a Turkic-speaking Sunni Muslim ethnic group that mainly lives in northern Afghanistan. They are estimated to make up about 6-8% of the population. Uzbeks are known for their agricultural skills and trade, with many of them working as merchants or farmers. They have historically been politically and economically powerful in the region, and their language and culture reflect this influence.

Aimaks: The Aimaks are a Sunni Muslim ethnic group mainly residing in western Afghanistan. They are estimated to make up about 2-4% of the population. Aimaks are traditionally nomadic and pastoralist, with a strong culture of horse breeding and equestrian sports. They are also known for their handicrafts, such as weaving and pottery. Balochis: Balochis are a Sunni Muslim ethnic group mainly residing in southern Afghanistan. They are estimated to make up about 2-3% of the population. Balochis are known for their tribal identity, and they have a long history of conflict with the central government. They are also skilled in fishing, mining, and agriculture, and their language and culture reflect the influence of neighbouring Iran and Pakistan. Nuristanis: Nuristanis are a small ethnic group mainly residing in eastern Afghanistan. They are estimated to make up less than 1% of the population. Nuristanis are predominantly Sunni Muslim, with a unique language and culture that distinguishes them from other Afghan groups. They are known for their traditional architecture and for being one of the few groups in Afghanistan that practice polytheistic religion.

Understanding Afghanistan In conclusion, Afghanistan is a diverse country with many different ethnic groups, each with its unique history, culture, and traditions. These groups have coexisted for centuries, and despite occasional conflicts, they have also intermixed and influenced each other. Understanding the diversity of Afghanistan is essential for anyone seeking to understand its complex history and current situation. The educated class in Afghanistan is comprised of individuals who have received formal education beyond primary school level, either within the country or abroad. This group typically includes individuals who have completed secondary education, tertiary education, or vocational training programs. Historically, Afghanistan has had a small but educated class made up of the elite and the urban population. This group has typically been dominated by men, although there has been a growing number of educated women in recent years. During the Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, education was restricted for women and girls, leading to a significant decrease in the number of educated females in the country. However, since the fall of the Taliban, efforts have been made to rebuild the education system and increase access to education for both men and women.

Today, the educated class in Afghanistan includes professionals such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, and civil servants. Many of these individuals have studied in universities in Afghanistan, neighbouring countries, or further afield. In addition, there is a growing number of entrepreneurs and business people who have received education and training in business and management. Despite the progress made in recent years, there are still significant challenges to education in Afghanistan. Access to education is limited in rural areas, and many schools lack adequate resources and infrastructure. Additionally, security concerns and political instability have made it difficult for educators and students to operate in some parts of the country. In conclusion, the educated class in Afghanistan is made up of individuals who have received formal education beyond primary school level. This group includes professionals in various fields, as well as entrepreneurs and business people. Although progress has been made in recent years to increase access to education, significant challenges remain in the country, particularly in rural areas and in areas affected by conflict and instability. The educated class in Afghanistan includes individuals from various ethnic backgrounds. While historically, the educated class was dominated by the elite and the urban population, today there is a broader representation of ethnic groups within the educated class. Pashtuns, who make up the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, have traditionally had greater access to education and have been overrepresented in the educated class. However, in recent years, there has been a growing number of Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, and other ethnic groups among the educated class, particularly among the younger generation.

It is worth noting that the representation of different ethnic groups within the educated class may vary depending on the region of Afghanistan. For example, in some regions of the country, Tajiks may be more represented in the educated class, while in others, Pashtuns may be more represented. Additionally, access to education has historically been limited for certain ethnic groups, particularly for women and girls. For example, during the Taliban's rule, education was restricted for women and girls, leading to a significant decrease in the number of educated females in the country, particularly among the Pashtun population. However, efforts have been made since the fall of the Taliban to increase access to education for both men and women from all ethnic groups. In conclusion, the educated class in Afghanistan includes individuals from various ethnic backgrounds, although historically, Pashtuns have been overrepresented. However, in recent years, there has been a growing representation of other ethnic groups, particularly among the younger generation. The Taliban is predominantly made up of Pashtuns, which is the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. Pashtuns make up an estimated 42% to 60% of the population in Afghanistan, and many of the Taliban's key leaders and members are Pashtuns. The Pashtuns are an ethnic group with a rich cultural history and are traditionally concentrated in eastern and southern Afghanistan, as well as in parts of Pakistan. The Taliban emerged in the early 1990s from Pashtun groups who had fought against the Soviet Union's occupation of Afghanistan. The Taliban rose to power in the mid-1990s, and during their rule from 1996 to 2001, they imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law in the country. It is important to note that while the Taliban is predominantly Pashtun, not all Pashtuns support the group or its ideology. Additionally, there are members of other ethnic groups who have joined the Taliban, although they are thought to be a minority within the group. Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, there has been a growing effort to promote ethnic diversity and inclusivity in Afghanistan's political landscape. The current government of Afghanistan includes members from various ethnic groups, although there are still concerns about the representation and inclusion of certain groups, particularly those who have been historically marginalized. ©WordsForWeb Read the full article

#Afghanistan #Hazaras #Islamic #Muslim #Pashtun #Shia #Sunni #Tajik

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