Home The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (ISBN: 9781594480003)

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The Kite Runner Paperback - 2004

Name: The Kite Runner
Price: 1.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Khaled Hosseini
ISBN: 9781594480003

by Khaled Hosseini

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This seller has earned a 4.13 of 5 Stars rating from internet customers.

4.13 / 5 (1171 total reviews)

The timely and critically acclaimed debut novel that's becoming a word-of-mouth phenomenon...

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About this book

An unforgettable and heartbreaking story takes place as an unlikely friendship is formed between Amir, a young boy from a wealthy family, and Hassan, the son of his father’s servant. As the war rages in a devastated Afghanistan, the innocence of two boys is shattered by the ruthlessness in a single afternoon in what should have been a joyous kite-flying tournament. With Amir’s betrayal still fresh, they are forced to flee from execution as the Russians invade, leaving Hassan and his father behind to survive.

The novel then follows Amir's journey as he grows up, moves to America, and tries to come to terms with his past actions. When Amir returns to Afghanistan as an adult, he must confront his guilt and make amends for his past mistakes. Throughout the story, Khaled Hosseini explores themes of redemption, betrayal, and the power of friendship. He also sheds light on the cultural and historical context of Afghanistan, including the impact of the Soviet invasion, the rise of the Taliban, and the mass exodus of Afghan refugees to the United States.

Summary

The New York Times bestseller and international classic loved by millions of readers.

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies.

A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic.

Reader reviews for The Kite Runner

Review summary

This seller has earned a 4.13 of 5 Stars rating from internet customers.

4.13 / 5 (1171 total reviews)

Readers largely found The Kite Runner emotionally demanding yet compelling, praising Hosseini’s clear prose, memorable characters, and a vivid sense of Kabul across decades. Many valued its intimate view of Afghan life and its focus on guilt, friendship, and attempts at redemption, though several felt the historical context is sketched rather than analyzed. Common critiques cite an unlikeable, passive narrator whose atonement feels incomplete, heavy reliance on coincidences and telegraphed twists, and a Taliban depiction some saw as reductive. The depictions of violence and assault prompted frequent content warnings. While many recommend it, others were put off by the melodrama or the style.

Readers say this book is:

emotionally intensepage-turnervivid settingheartbreakingredemptivegraphic contentpredictablemelodramaticdivisive protagonistbeautifully written

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From the publisher

The "New York Times" bestseller and international classic loved by millions of readers.
The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father's servant, "The Kite Runner" is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons--their love, their sacrifices, their lies.
A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, "The Kite Runner "is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic.

First edition identification

Riverhead published a First US Edition, First Printing hardcover in 2033, New York.

Bloomsbury Publishing published a First UK Edition, First Printing hardcover in 2003, London.

Details

Title The Kite Runner
Author Khaled Hosseini
Binding Paperback
Edition [ Edition: Repri
Pages 400
Volumes 1
Language ENG
Publisher Riverhead Books, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Publication date 2004-04-27
ISBN 9781594480003 / 1594480001
Weight 0.71 lbs (0.32 kg)
Dimensions 8.19 x 5.06 x 1.01 in (20.80 x 12.85 x 2.57 cm)
Age range 18 to UP years
Grade levels 13 - UP
Reading level 840
Category Fiction - General
Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

"A moving portrait of modern Afghanistan."—Entertainment Weekly

"This powerful first novel...tells the story of fierce cruelty and fierce yet redeeming love. Both transform the life of Amir, Khaled Hosseini's privileged young narrator, who comes of age during the last peaceful days of the monarchy, just before his country's revolution and its invasion by Russian forces. But political events, even as dramatic as the ones that are presented in The Kite Runner, are only a part of this story. In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini gives us a vivid and engaging story that reminds us how long his people have been struggling to triumph over the forces of violence—forces that continue to threaten them even today."—The New York Times Book Review—The New York Times Book Review

"A powerful book...no frills, no nonsense, just hard, spare prose...an intimate account of family and friendship, betrayal and salvation that requires no atlas or translation to engage and enlighten us. Parts of The Kite Runner are raw and excruciating to read, yet the book in its entirety is lovingly written."—The Washington Post Book World

"An astonishing, powerful book."—Diane Sawyer

About the author

Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and moved to the United States in 1980. He is the author of the" New York Times "bestsellers "The Kite Runner," "A Thousand Splendid Suns," and "And the Mountains Echoed." He is A U.S. Goodwill Envoy to the United Nations Refugee Agency, and the founder of The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, a nonprofit that provides humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.

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The Kite Runner

by Khaled Hosseini

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13: 9781594480003 / 1594480001
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Riverhead Trade, 4/27/2004 12:00:01 A. paperback. Good. 1.1811 in x 8.1102 in x 5.1181 in.

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Acceptable. The item might be beaten up but readable. May contain markings or highlighting, as well as stains, bent corners, or any other major defect, but the text is not obscured in any way.

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The Kite Runner

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Riverhead Trade, 2004-04-27. paperback. UsedGood. 5x1x8. Good condition.No marking/highlighting.Cover and pages may show some wear.Not Satisfied? Contact us to get a refund.