A Thousand Splendid Suns

I am always on the lookout for good books to read. In case any of you are also looking for books to read I will periodically write a little about the books I have been reading. This book by Khaled Hosseini was a very sad, but informative book. The author's web site says this about the book: " A Thousand Splendid Suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of Afghanistan’s last thirty years—from the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to the post-Taliban rebuilding—that puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of war, where personal lives—the struggle to survive, raise a family, find happiness—are inextricable from the history playing out around them. A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once a remarkable chronicle of three decades of Afghan history and a deeply moving account of family and friendship. It is a striking, heart-wrenching novel of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love—a stunning accomplishment."

What I liked about the book: The book was very thought provoking. Previous to reading this book I didn't really know much about Afghanistan's history and all the war it has experienced. We hear snippets about the country in the news, but the book brings to life the terror its citizens are living with. It also show how its citizens can love their country so much even though it is dangerous to live there. The other thing I liked about the book is that it truly helped me to understand why we cannot judge others. I realized that the way people are raised and the events they go through impacts the way they do things in ways we don't understand. Only God can judge people because he is the only one who truly understands everyone's situations. The book made me feel so fortunate to be born and raised in the United States in a time and age where it is a great thing to be a woman.

Other thoughts on the book: The book is extremly sad. Almost nothing good happens in the book. Don't look for a happy ending here. That being said, I think the book needed to sad/depressing in order for it to get its point across. Just don't read this book if you are looking for something happy and fun.