Product Description

Mariam is only fifteen when she is sent to Kabul to marry Rasheed. Nearly two decades later, a friendship grows between Mariam and a local teenager, Laila, as strong as the ties between mother and daughter. When the Taliban take over, life becomes a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality and fear. Yet love can move a person to act in unexpected ways, and lead them to overcome the most daunting obstacles with a startling heroism.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Review
'In case you're wondering whether A Thousand Splendid Suns is as good as The Kite Runner, here's the answer: No. It's better' Washington Post 'Only the hardest of hearts could fail to be as moved' Glamour 'A masterful narrative He is a storyteller of dizzying power' Evening Standard 'Hosseini has that rare thing, a Dickensian knack for storytelling' Daily Telegraph

Synopsis
Mariam is only fifteen when she is sent to Kabul to marry Rasheed. Nearly two decades later, a friendship grows between Mariam and a local teenager, Laila, as strong as the ties between mother and daughter. When the Taliban take over, life becomes a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality and fear. Yet love can move a person to act in unexpected ways, and lead them to overcome the most daunting obstacles with a startling heroism.

About the Author
Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan and moved to the United States in 1980. His first novel, The Kite Runner, was an international bestseller, published in thirty-four countries. In 2006 he was named a US goodwill envoy to the United Nations Refugee Agency. He lives in northern California.

Customer Reviews

brilliant
This is one of the best books I have ever read. The story of two women brought together in the most awful, despicable circumstances which are totally out of their control. The husband Rasheed is probably one of the most hateful, violent characters I have ever come across and Hosseini's writing is so powerful that you believe these people really exist and I hated Rasheed with a passsion. This book had my heart thumping at a failed escape and crying at one of the most poignant chapters set in the Ghaza Stadium. Like the Kite Runner this book does end with a sense of hope but again, getting to that end still fills you with sadness. This is one book I will remember for along time.

Couldn't put it down!
I don't normally write reviews but I had to comment on A Thousand Splendid Suns which I have just finished. I couldn't put it down. It is written with understanding and feeling for the women of Afganistan. What they have had to go through is unthinkable in our western society but the author has managed to make it upbeat and shows that good overcomes evil eventually. This book will stay with me for a long time and I would thoroughly recommend it.

Highly Recommended
Each generation throws us a curveball of literacy genius; this is the one for this generation. Rarely is there a book that is so compelling that it reaches into the depth of your soul and make you reflect long after you have finished it. This book was given to me whilst deployed to Afghanistan but not read until my return. It is the only book that I have recommended to many people but would not share my copy. My daughter has now started reading it and interesting to see both the computer and mobile are off. This is a must read for all generations.