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Sunday, August 2, 2009

A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseni


Undoubtedly one of the best books I have read in a long long time. Narrated in simple language, the book revolves around the life of two Afghani women and their fight for life's fundamental issues.

The story's background begins even before the days of the Soviet war in Afghanistan when the Mujahideen is seen as a nationalistic group, out there to oust the foreign enemies, to the rise of the Talibans and finally to the aftermath of the September 11 attacks and the current coalition government. The story feeds at periodic intervals, the troubled history of the country and the injustices of war - the people killied, the families torn apart and most of all the apathy of the women in their country.

Amidst all this are two women - Mariam, to whom the only thing life has ever taught is to endure and Laila who's surprisingly liberal family and childhood love have all been nurtured to only be crushed brutally. How the two disparate women's life intermingle and how together they win over their circumstances in life is put in such explicit and sometimes heart breaking detail that you almost pray for them towards the end.

All I can say is that I feel blessed after reading this book. I am so lucky to be me. To think that such stories are a reality in some part of the world, put a few things in perspective to me.

A must read for every woman and more so for a man.

8 comments:

Pinay in Dutchland said...

thanks for the recommendation thamarai. Ill check this one out! I havent read the kite runner, mom have it in dutch so its not much of an encouragement to read it.

how have you been? long time....

thamarai said...

Hi Pinay..I was in Vancouver for the past half month..so coudn't do much...now am back..:)..and in full form!!

Amanda van Mulligen said...

My favourite book ever is The Kite Runner. It made me laugh and cry and everyhting in between. A Thousand Splendid Suns was a close runner up. If you haven't read them, then get to a bookshop. :-)

thamarai said...

Indeed, after reading this one, I most certainly will read the Kite Runner...Thanks!

~ Lopa said...

After a long time vij....

Khaled Hosseini writes so well...makes you laugh and cry...

I havent read this book but Kite Runner is one hell of a book...

thamarai said...

Hey Lopa, only couple of my closest friends have ever called me Vij..:)..I had gone on a vacation actually...Gosh, have to read the kite runner I guess...have fun in India..

~ Lopa said...

ohhh really??

Then i need to ask for a permission here, can i call you Vij ?? :)

Now back from vacation, trip was nice but wasted few days in fever, cold.... i think bad weather n change....

thamarai said...

haha..sure.Vij is also fine...I have the exact same thing when I go to India..I fall sick half the time..but I remain fit most of the year after that...:)

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