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The Kite Runner cover art

The Kite Runner

By: Khaled Hosseini
Narrated by: Khaled Hosseini
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Publisher's Summary

Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of its 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 for redemption.

©2003 Khaled Hosseini (P)2003 Simon & Schuster Inc. All Rights Reserved. AUDIOWORKS. is an imprint of Simon & Schuster Audio Division. Simon & Schuster Inc.

Critic Reviews

  • Alex Award Winner, 2004

"A beautiful novel...ranks among the best-written and most provocative stories of the year." (The Denver Post)
"Powerful first novel...tells a story of fierce cruelty and fierce yet redeeming love." (The New York Times)

What listeners say about The Kite Runner

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Excellent

An exceptional and moving tale. One that stays with you long after you've read it. A real gem.

Author does a very fine job of narrating also.

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An Amazing Story

This book will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions while providing an insight into the life of a young Afghani child. Amazingly written with a back drop to a world truly undiscovered in the Western World. It will make you laugh and cry in and instant

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Incredible

This was such a beautifully written book. So emotional. I cried a lot and enjoyed it so much.

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A must read

After listening to this it has gone on my must read list when recommending books.
When I heard the audio sample I wasn't sure if I was going to connect with the authors voice, but it couldn't of been read by anyone better. Completely ties everything together perfectly.
Some really hard themes in the book but the story is brilliant and I felt enriched after finishing it.

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Fantastic story

This is a gripping and harrowing insight into the plight of growing and living in Afghanistan at the end of the 20th century.

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Profound, emotional, poignant.

What a story! I have not been so moved by a novel for a long, long time. An extraordinary insight into a culture and life that is so far from anything I have ever known or experienced. Beautifully written and authentically narrated.

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Enlightening and Sorrowful

A story the unfolds to reveal the horror of war , the bitterness of life's injustice and the sweetness of forgiveness

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Beautiful story, didn't enjoy the narration

I read this book a few years ago and found it lived up to its awards and praise.
Listening to the story made my heart hurt just a little bit more than when I read it.
I found the narrator bland and lack emotion (it could have been far more powerful).

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Deeply moving

I was moved to tears many times. Its a fantastic story set in the background of real life events. thoroughly enjoyed myself. I felt like i was being brought on a journey with many ups and downs as well as moments of reflection.

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I think everyone should read this book!

The storyline was heartbreaking & absolutely perfect.

I finished listening just moments ago, but I know that this story will stay with me for a long time. I love the evolution of the characters & it was beautifully read by the author. I also loved hearing the author's pronunciation of words that I would've got wrong.

It's an emotional story & I'm typing this review with soggy shirt cuffs from wiping tears. But this book will go down as one of my favourites of all time.

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