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The Kite Runner (Abridged) Audiobook
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(4.00) - 871,875 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The #1 National Bestseller
Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable and beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara -- a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them. When Amir and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him.
The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship and betrayal, and about the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of fathers over sons -- their love, their sacrifices, and their lies. Written against a backdrop of history that has not been told in fiction before, The Kite Runner describes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But through the devastation, Khaled Hosseini offers hope: through the novel's faith in the power of reading and storytelling, and in the possibilities he shows us for redemption.
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"Fantastic narrative of a life uprooted by war in Afghanistan. I highly recommend this book to anyone - it is rich in detail, the descriptions flow off the page, and triumph cohabits nervously with constant heartbreak. Easy 5 stars for readability - I finished this in 2 sessions. "
— Alex (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“This extraordinary novel locates the personal struggles of everyday people in the terrible sweep of history.”
— People -
“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.”
— 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.”
— Washington Post Book World -
“Hosseini offers an honest, sometimes tragic, sometimes funny, but always heartfelt view of a fascinating land. Perhaps the only true flaw in this extraordinary novel is that it ends all too soon.”
— Amazon.com -
“This unusually eloquent story is also about the fragile relationship between fathers and sons, humans and their gods, men and their countries. Loyalty and blood are the ties that bind their stories into one of the most lyrical, moving and unexpected books this year.”
— Denver Post
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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A New York Public Library Staff Pick of Favorite Books of the Last 125 Years
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A USA Today bestseller
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Winner of YALSA Alex Award
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Nominated for an Abraham Lincoln Award
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An ALA Notable Book of the Year in Fiction
The Kite Runner Listener Reviews
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" Powerful book. We split amongst two months because of the content and length. Provides a great discussion! "
— Words, 2/19/2014 -
" I really loved this book, the images stayed with me long after I had finished. "
— Gail, 2/11/2014 -
" This book was a good read, but I am not sure I would read it again because its so sad. Also in some ways i don't really like Amir, but its realistic so i respect that. "
— Mia, 1/30/2014 -
" I loved this book! The first 100 pages were a bit slow but still enjoyable. After that I could hardly put it down. I loved the characters & found it to be very believable. "
— Julie, 1/9/2014 -
" Heartbreaking and hopeful, this book is the epitome of love, friendship, and redemption. Did I mention it was heartbreaking? :'( "
— Jenny, 1/1/2014 -
" It was a very sad book, but I loved Hosseini's style of storytelling. He has excellent imagery and use of figurative language to depict how Afghanistan changed over time. "
— Adam, 12/27/2013 -
" Can't believe it has taken me this long to read, actually listen to this book. The hours flew by as I listened to the author read aloud his story creating images and feelings that I am so glad I finally experienced! "
— Louanne, 12/25/2013 -
" The book was slow to begin with, but picked up in parts. I liked how the plot took the reader on a journey through the two boys life, i found it interesting however it was not a 'I cant put you down' kind of story. I'm a sucker for a happy ending and this book left me to wonder. "
— Fiona, 12/6/2013 -
" i finished this novel 5 minutes ago,i feel both happy and sad,during i was reading this book,a few time i felt shocked and cofuse about my feeling about the character of amir,and how he could did that with hassan, i think i learned many thing on this novel "
— Soroush, 11/18/2013 -
" Compelling story. The characters are well defined. The story kept me very interested from beginning to end. This is a book I will read again! "
— Ruth, 11/17/2013 -
" A must read, totally absorbing and beautiful and sad. one of the best books I have ever read. It is perfection. "
— EAB, 11/7/2013 -
" A wonderful read. I watched the movie a few years ago, but had forgotten most of the plot so the surprises were still surprising. Lovely, authentic characters and a well-drawn picture of a country in turmoil. Highly recommend this to all. "
— Leonie, 8/12/2013 -
" :( THE FEELSSSS, I love Hassan .... "
— Amira, 2/6/2013 -
" Will not pass the test of time "
— Roger, 1/24/2013 -
" This book is truly amazing. Broke my heart, but a good book does that. "
— Witheringaway, 1/8/2013 -
" lovely story and great characters "
— Helen, 12/22/2012 -
" I loved this book!! Even though it is fiction, you feel like it could be anyone's life in the Middle East. "
— Lezlee, 12/19/2012 -
" This book was extremely enjoyable, albeit quite a sad story. I enjoyed that the story came full circle and was bookended nicely. He provided endings for all the characters that were dealt with along the way. Looking forward to reading more of Hosseini!! "
— Sara, 9/1/2012 -
" Almost flawless and kept me hooked till the very last page. :') "
— Farah, 8/23/2012 -
" This book is an important piece of literature. I think it belongs in any high school literature course. That's it. Amen. "
— Angie, 5/25/2012 -
" Really sad book, i loved it though. The way the boy sacrifices himself because of his friend is amazing, it really shows the importance of friendship. "
— Anaomi, 3/23/2012 -
" Not a bad read, but very similar to many other Asian writers. "
— Ahmed, 3/10/2012 -
" This was a difficult but wonderfully written book. "
— Marilyn, 10/13/2011 -
" It's set in Afghanistan and it's about Islam and war and love and friendship and all the other stuff that makes books good. Loved it, loved it, loved it. "
— Katja, 5/25/2011 -
" heartbreaking! a lot different that the movie, which i saw first; the final pages were hard to get through. i can totally understand why they chose to leave that part out. recomended for better understanding Afganistan. "
— Brendan, 5/24/2011 -
" Loved it, even though I cried the whole way through. "
— Tiffany, 5/24/2011 -
" I love the way this author writes. "
— Jackie, 5/24/2011 -
" I loved this book! It was amazing "
— Stephanie, 5/24/2011 -
" I had no desire to read this book, but felt that it was a book I needed to read. A supremely well crafted story, it is heart breaking and uplifting. "
— Harry, 5/22/2011 -
" I felt every emotion known to man reading this book. It also made me want to do save the world while inflicting pain on some people. Don't think the writer would want readers to feel the latter but I was fairly enraged whilst reading the said above!<br/> "
— Jan, 5/22/2011 -
" This is my favorite book. Read it. Don't watch the movie first (although the movie is good it's missing a major plot element). "
— Alicia, 5/22/2011 -
" I loved this book! Can't say much about it as don't want to spoil it for anyone. "
— Crystal, 5/22/2011 -
" Just amazing! can read it 10 times more "
— Vineet, 5/21/2011 -
" Interesting and sometimes disturbing (although, given the topic, that's not too surprising). Kept me engaged for the whole book - but not something I would read more than once. "
— Abbie, 5/21/2011 -
" I wasn't sure when I began this book what a adventure it would take me on. I have to say I found a new respect for the Culture and a better understanding of how others are effected in this war. I finished this book and immediately began a thousand splendid suns "
— Lindsay, 5/20/2011 -
" Just like it sequel a page turner like no other!! "
— Nadeige, 5/20/2011 -
" I recommend the movie as well "
— Vanessa, 5/20/2011
About Khaled Hosseini
Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and moved to the United States in 1980. His first novel, The Kite Runner, was an international bestseller, published in forty countries. In 2006 he was named a US envoy to UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. He lives in Northern California.