A Thousand Splendid Suns

Well I finished it. In less than a day and a half. At the expense of sleep and other projects (though not without certain interruptions).

Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns is an exceptional book. The setting is Afghanistan from the years before the Soviet invasion through that of the U.S. following the terrorist attacks on September 11th 2001. The story is of two women born into very different circumstances and about 20 years apart. They, as well as those with whom they interact, emerge as fully fleshed out human beings who live their lives within the larger context of time, place and culture, a context that informs, but never overwhelms, the compelling narrative. What Khaled Hosseini delivers in this book is what I seek when I pick up a novel. I highly highly recommend this book.