Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns

Khaled Hosseini, is an Afghan-American author born in Kabul, Afghanistan. A Thousand Splendid Suns is the second of three novels Hosseini has written that is set in Afghanistan. As a personal favorite, A Thousand Splendid Suns tells a great story and also provides a great view of the culture and changing experience of Afghan citizens throughout the country's later history.

A Thousand Splendid Suns follows the story of an "illegitimate daughter" trying to gain the attention of her father and build a relationship with him while living outside of town because her mother did not marry. As the main character ventures into the city you get a glimpse of family structure into a polygamous household and the social reaction to a girl with no parental figure. Her experiences continue as she herself becomes married.

As the story continues the reader is able to follow the experience of Afghan women in Afghanistan throughout important moments in the country's history including the Soviet invasion, installment of the Taliban government and the US invasion after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.

For those looking for some type of international service project, Khaled Hosseini has taken his success to create an organization to help the refugees and displaced people in Afghanistan. If interested visit the Khaled Hosseini Foundation website