The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini
Summary
Amir, a privileged boy in 1970s Kabul, betrays his loyal servant's son Hassan during a kite fighting tournament, a moment of cowardice that haunts him for decades after his family flees the Soviet invasion for life as refugees in California. Hosseini weaves personal guilt and redemption through the backdrop of Afghanistan's transformation under Soviet occupation, civil war, and Taliban rule, introducing many Western readers to Afghan history and culture for the first time. The novel became an enormous international bestseller and was later adapted into a feature film.
Historical Context & Significance
The 2003 National Book Award for fiction went to Edward P. Jones's The Known World, which went on to win the Pulitzer Prize the following year as well. Hosseini's debut novel received no major literary prize despite selling millions of copies worldwide.