The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

Nothing about Khaled Hosseini's critically acclaimed 2003 debut makes it seem a slam dunk for casual readers.

The Kite Runner details the tumultuous life of a young Afghan boy (including the rape of his best friend), set against the disintegration of his country and the rise of the Taliban.

But the book has still sold more than 10 million copies worldwide — putting it in an exclusive club that many of these other airport best sellers can't match.

这是一个关于背叛的代价、赎罪的可能的故事，也是一个关于父亲对儿子影响的故事——包括父亲对儿子的爱、奉献与谎言。

小说背景也涉及了阿富汗过去到目前的状况，读者也得以从本书一窥这个神秘国度。生命的节奏是这个故事的架构。这部小说以一九七○年代的阿富汗与之后的美国为背景，透过作者的文采，雅俗共赏。

小说的高潮如此残忍又如此美丽，令人不忍揭露，作者以恩典与救赎勾勒生命圆满循环的功力展露无遗。一部极具疗癒力量的恢宏文学作品。