And now, I also have to admit that it's robbed me for the past 3 years of enjoying an amazing book. 
The front cover has a picture of Afghanistan. The back cover says the book is about a boy coming of age before the Russian invasion. Nothing about this book said, yelled, whispered, "Read Me!!"
So many people told me what a great book it was. I smiled and nodded and went back to reading whatever Amy Tan book I was on at the time (last year I was compelled to read everything she wrote...including her personal memoir).
The cover just looked boring and the title made me imagine money runners (ie. when you "kite" checks with different banks). What interest did I have in that??? None.
I WAS WRONG!!!
This summer Sarah gave me A Thousand Splendid Suns to read. 
Actually I forced it out of her, because she owed me about 845 books over the past year that I'd recommended and lent to her. One evening when Sawyer and I were over for dinner, I made her pay up. She found two books I hadn't read yet (and that weren't mine), so I carted them home with me. I really enjoyed the main character with her struggle of haunting memories and unfulfilled dreams.
Actually I forced it out of her, because she owed me about 845 books over the past year that I'd recommended and lent to her. One evening when Sawyer and I were over for dinner, I made her pay up. She found two books I hadn't read yet (and that weren't mine), so I carted them home with me. I really enjoyed the main character with her struggle of haunting memories and unfulfilled dreams.Three days ago I took a list of books that my friend Molly had recommended to me and went to the used bookstore on Edgewater. I did not find even one of the books Molly had recommended to me. But next to A Thousand Splendid Suns, I did find The Kite Runner.
I began reading it while Sawyer went to her second class of ballet, and was hooked from the opening line...
"I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975."
Can something happen to you at such a young age to define the adult you become? I was intrigued.
And still am...I've only made it half way through the book. I trained 3 classes since Monday, and have always promised myself that I would never place reading a book in front of spending time with my child. And because of this promise, I have only been reading while she's at school and/or in bed.
I can't wait to finish. Sarah tells me the end is sad...and this is one of those books that I just don't want to end.
1 comment:
This book haunted me like nothing I've ever read. As a whole I love the characters, the voice of the narrator, the emotion it evokes and especially learning the Afghan culture, but that scene the day of the kite fighting... it still kills me. In some ways it is the best and worst book I've ever read. I can't bring myself to recommend it to anyone even though I loved it.
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