Bookclubinabox discusses a thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini book. Part i of a thousand splendid suns begins in the early 1970s, when mariam is a teenager living with her mother, nana, in a kolba or small hut outside of the city of herat. The phrase a thousand splendid suns, from the poem by saibetabrizi, is quoted twice in the novel. This is a beautiful, haunting and heartbreaking story of two remarkable afghan women whose uncompromising courage, strength and sacrifice in the face of horrifying circumstances provides a poignant reminder about the power of love and friendship to sustain us all. It is a tale of two generations of characters brought jarringly together by the. Like his first novel, the kite runner, it is set in afghanistan.
A thousand splendid suns february 2009 book club selection with heartwrenching power and suspense, the bestselling author of the kite runner shows how a womans love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of selfsacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival. The line is derived from a poem by 17th century persian poet, saeb e tabrizi. A thousand splendid suns book club kit vancouver public. Oct 01, 2018 a thousand splendid suns audiobook listen online. The authors fans wont be disappointed with a thousand splendid sunsif anything, this book shows at even better advantage hosseinis.
What do the thousand splendid suns in the title of the book represent. It originally ran in june 2007 and has been updated for the november 2008 paperback edition. A thousand splendid suns summary a thousand splendid. A thousand splendid suns is a 2007 novel by afghanamerican author khaled hosseini. To that extent, it no doubt will please admirers of the kite runner, but its intense focus on the plight of afghanistans women makes it a strikingly different work. Khaled hosseinis followup to the kite runner, a thousand splendid suns, will not. A thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini a thousand splendid suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of afghanistans last thirty yearsfrom the soviet invasion to the reign of the taliban to posttaliban rebuildingthat puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. It is a hard hitting, graphic in a nongory manner, emotionally charged story that makes you want to put down the book and yet read on, with every chapter, especially if you are a mother. A thousand splendid suns audiobook khaled hosseini hd. Reading the final chapter in a thousand splendid suns caused me to have. It paints the city as one of beauty and remarkable landscapes.
Oct 26, 20 like diamonds and roses hidden under bomb rubble, this is a story of intense beauty and strength buried under the surface of the cruel and capricious life im. A thousand splendid suns starts with a term of abuse thrown at one of the protagonists mariam by her mother. Questions for book clubs about a thousand splendid suns. Thousand splendid suns khaled hosseini alex book club. Im more of the murder mysterysuspense type book reader which is the exact reason why i got into a book club, so i could expand my horizons.
With a thousand splendid suns, hosseini has shown that he doesnt intend to be a onehit wonder. This deluxe illustrated edition of a thousand splendid suns is filled with striking and memorable photographs that bring khaled hosseinis compelling story to life. A thousand splendid suns click here to visit the official website for a book discussion group. Book summary a thousand splendid suns is set in afghanistan from the early 1960s to the early 2000s. A thousand splendid suns khaled hosseini introduction after 103 weeks on the new york times bestseller list and with four million copies of the kite runner shipped, khaled hosseini returns with a beautiful, riveting, and haunting novel that confirms his place. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Mar 14, 2011 a thousand splendid suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of afghanistans last thirty yearsfrom the soviet invasion to the reign of the taliban to posttaliban rebuildingthat puts the violence, fear, hope, and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 1 members propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made the kite runner a beloved classic, a thousand splendid suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in.
The kite runner has sold over four millions copies since its release in 2003. A thousand splendid suns contains many of the riveting elements that made its predecessor a volume that passed from person to person with the urging, youve got to read this book. A thousand splendid suns is khaled hosseinis effort to breathe form into the twodimensional character most westerners see in the burkaclad archetype of afghan women. Her mother was a housekeeper for a rich businessman in herat, afghanistan, until he impregnated and banished he. A thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini goodreads.
It is, for all its shortcomings, a brave, honorable, bighearted book. After 103 weeks on the new york times bestseller list and with four million copies of the. Jun 09, 2009 a thousand splendid suns starts with a term of abuse thrown at one of the protagonists mariam by her mother. Miriam is a woman born in herat, afghanistan, out of wedlock to nana and a man named jalil. Use these book club discussion questions to probe deeper into the story. Mariam is an illegitimate child, and suffers from both the stigma surrounding her birth along with the abuse she faces throughout her marriage. Summary propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made the kite runner a beloved classic, a thousand splendid suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love. A thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini, paperback barnes. As he did in the kite runner, he uses a melodramatic plot to convey vividly the many aspects of love and the ways people sacrifice themselves for those they hold dear.
In appendix 4 of the above guide, the rules for women set by the taliban are listed. We learn that mariam is the illegitimate child or harami bastard of nana and jalil, a wealthy cinema owner in herat. A thousand splendid suns audiobook by khaled hosseini. A thousand splendid suns cliffsnotes study guides book. Im not one to comment a lot but i am apart of a book club that read a thousand splendid suns earlier this year and it was a fantastic read. Mariam is taught to recite verses from the koran by mullah faizullah, whom she looks up to and admires. Use these questions to delve into this heartrending novel.
A thousand splendid sunsdiscussion questions thoughtco. Book club discussion on thousand splendid suns khaled. Khaled hosseinis a thousand splendid suns follows mariam and laila who, despite a 17year age difference and unique circumstances, both end up forced into marrying the same abusive man, rasheed. It is his second, following his bestselling 2003 debut, the kite runner. The phrase a thousand splendid suns, from the poem by saibetabrizi, is quoted twice in the novel once as lailas family prepares to leave kabul, and again when she decides to return there from pakistan.
In the kite runner, it was mainly the love between men. Starting june 15, 2010 through august 31, 2010, visit this campaign page and join the hosseini groupand find out how you can make a difference. A thousand splendid suns khaled hosseini, 2007 pengiun group usa 384 pp. A thousand splendid suns is a breathtaking story set against the volatile events of afghanistans last thirty yearsfrom the soviet invasion to the reign of the taliban to posttaliban rebuildingthat. Rdslots, i experienced a thousand splendid suns in much the same way that you did. Since its publication in 2007, a thousand splendid suns has shipped more than three million copies. A thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini is superbly written, has a pageturning story, and will help your book club learn more about afghanistan. Get free homework help on khaled hosseinis a thousand splendid suns. A thousand splendid suns follows two women in modern afghanistan, introduced separately, then brought together by tragedy. A thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, mariam and laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. Illustrated edition, the illustrated a thousand splendid suns creates a beautiful matched set.
A thousand splendid suns, the spectacular new novel by khaled hosseini, follows on the heels of the kite runner, hosseinis bestselling first novel. A thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini is a great choice for book clubs. Truthfully, i really didnt want to read this book at first. A stunning accomplishment, a thousand splendid suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love. The luminaries book club is an online book club with the aim of.
A thousand splendid suns is popular fiction of the first rank, which is plenty good enough, but it is not literature and should not be mistaken for such. Characters seek and are saved by love and human connection. Mariam, a young girl in the 1960s, grows up outside herat, a small city in afghanistan. His new book, a thousand splendid suns, will be published in may 2007. Bookclubinabox discusses a thousand splendid suns by khaled. A thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini, paperback. Her strategy is to persuade rasheed that the child is his, and then leave to pakistan after shes saved enough loan. A thousand splendid suns study guide contains a biography of khaled hosseini, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made the kite runner a beloved classic, a thousand splendid suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love. In a thousand splendid suns, love manifests itself in even more various shapes, be it romantic love between a man and a woman, parental love, or love for family, home, country, god. It turns out that shes pregnant with tariqs youngster. A thousand splendid suns we dont bake muffins book club.
May 22, 2007 this afghanamerican author follows his debut the kite runner, 2003 with a fine risktaking novel about two victimized but courageous afghan women. The story is beautifully written and i felt like i was actually in the book living the dreams and nightmares along with mariam and laila. A breathtaking story set against the volatile events of afghanistans last thirty yearsfrom the soviet invasion to the reign of the taliban to posttaliban rebuilding that puts the violence, fear, hope and faith of this country in intimate, human terms. Bookclubinabox discusses a thousand splendid suns by. A thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini book club. There is much more to be learned from a thousand splendid suns. In chapter 12, hosseini contrasts mariams pleasure in celebrating with the community during ramadan with rasheeds secrecy, which shows that mariam and rasheed are fundamentally different despite mariams growing sense of comfort in the relationship. Visa, mastercard, american express paypal, diners club and discover. The complete package for readers and leaders marilyn. Books similar to a thousand splendid suns goodreads. This book tells the dramatic story of an unlikely friendship between two women, mariam and laila, who are married to the same man. Khaled hosseini is an exceptionally talented storyteller who yet again, captured my heart with a thousand splendid suns. The first, mariam, is the illegitimate child of a rich man and his housemaid. Mariams refuses to acknowledge the warning signs presented in the chapter.
It will be interesting to see where he goes from here. A thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini reading guide. Bookclubinabox discusses a thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini book club in a box. This beyond the book article relates to a thousand splendid suns.
Books are the quietest and most constant of friends. A thousand splendid suns by khaled hosseini is a book that makes you feel just like that. The word means illegitimate and would be deeply hurtful to someone from a culture that prizes patriarchy. A thousand splendid suns tells the intertwined stories of the lives of two afghan women, mariam and laila, both married to the same abusive man, during the. Since a thousand splendid suns continues much of the same ideas that are presented in hosseinis first novel, the kite runner, a great resource that can be utilized for teaching both novels is distributed by amnesty international. A thousand splendid suns is khaled hosseinis second novel. Jan 12, 2008 buy a thousand splendid suns reprint by khaled hosseini isbn.
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