1.
In The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini explored the friendship of two boys from different social classes in Kabul, in the days before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. After the phenomenal success of this poignant debut novel, Hosseini delivers an equally piercing and memorable follow-up. Spanning 30 years of Afghan history, A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the story of Miriam and Laila, two women of different generations and backgrounds who are thrown together through dire circumstances. They develop a strong bond in the face of the tragedy that surrounds them outside, and the brutal, socially accepted misogyny they endure at home.
"[Hosseini] offers us the sweep of historic upheavals narrated with the intimacy of family and village life. - Los Angeles Times
I just watched a beautiful talk with Khaled Hosseini in Borders BookClub where he discusses about this novel and the extra-ordinary stories of Afghan Womens struggle. [>] Watch it here. Its a great one. Another talk by Khaled Hosseni and his social activism for Afghan refugees.
2.
The title of the novel is from a 17th century poem of the Persian poet Saib-e-Tabrizi called Kabul. The poem is translated by Josphine Davis.
Kabul Ah! How beautiful is Kabul encircled by her arid mountains
And Rose, of the trails of thorns she envies
Her gusts of powdered soil, slightly sting my eyes
But I love her, for knowing and loving are born of this same dust
My song exalts her dazzling tulips
And at the beauty of her trees, I blush
How sparkling the water flows from Pul-I Bastaan!
May Allah protect such beauty from the evil eye of man!
Khizr chose the path to Kabul in order to reach Paradise
For her mountains brought him close to the delights of heaven
From the fort with sprawling walls, A Dragon of protection
Each stone is there more precious than the treasure of Shayagan
Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye
Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass
One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls
Her laughter of mornings has the gaiety of flowers
Her nights of darkness, the reflections of lustrous hair
Her melodious nightingales, with passion sing their songs
Ardent tunes, as leaves enflamed, cascading from their throats
And I, I sing in the gardens of Jahanara, of Sharbara
And even the trumpets of heaven envy their green pastures.
In The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini explored the friendship of two boys from different social classes in Kabul, in the days before the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. After the phenomenal success of this poignant debut novel, Hosseini delivers an equally piercing and memorable follow-up. Spanning 30 years of Afghan history, A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the story of Miriam and Laila, two women of different generations and backgrounds who are thrown together through dire circumstances. They develop a strong bond in the face of the tragedy that surrounds them outside, and the brutal, socially accepted misogyny they endure at home.
"[Hosseini] offers us the sweep of historic upheavals narrated with the intimacy of family and village life. - Los Angeles Times
I just watched a beautiful talk with Khaled Hosseini in Borders BookClub where he discusses about this novel and the extra-ordinary stories of Afghan Womens struggle. [>] Watch it here. Its a great one. Another talk by Khaled Hosseni and his social activism for Afghan refugees.
2.
The title of the novel is from a 17th century poem of the Persian poet Saib-e-Tabrizi called Kabul. The poem is translated by Josphine Davis.
Kabul Ah! How beautiful is Kabul encircled by her arid mountains
And Rose, of the trails of thorns she envies
Her gusts of powdered soil, slightly sting my eyes
But I love her, for knowing and loving are born of this same dust
My song exalts her dazzling tulips
And at the beauty of her trees, I blush
How sparkling the water flows from Pul-I Bastaan!
May Allah protect such beauty from the evil eye of man!
Khizr chose the path to Kabul in order to reach Paradise
For her mountains brought him close to the delights of heaven
From the fort with sprawling walls, A Dragon of protection
Each stone is there more precious than the treasure of Shayagan
Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye
Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass
One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls
Her laughter of mornings has the gaiety of flowers
Her nights of darkness, the reflections of lustrous hair
Her melodious nightingales, with passion sing their songs
Ardent tunes, as leaves enflamed, cascading from their throats
And I, I sing in the gardens of Jahanara, of Sharbara
And even the trumpets of heaven envy their green pastures.
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