The Kite Runner

Read the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini en route from San Francisco to Hong Kong. I had read some rave reviews about the book on Amazon, hence my expectations were already reasonably high. I hadn't read a lot more about the story line other than the fact that it was the story of two 10 year old friends who get separated, and that it was based in 1970's Afghanistan. So how was the book? The short answer - Amazing! I have never felt so many emotions all at one time, in one book. Amir's foibles, Hassan's loyalty maybe exaggerated or 'laaf' as the Aghanis would say, but they made my heart and mind turn, churn. What was so special in the book? Maybe most of us see those episodes of our lives vividly through Amir's actions as a prism - when we failed to stand up to things we belived in, when courage failed us, when we disguised cowardice as prudence. and later as some of the more brave ones ask forgiveness for past mistakes, have the strength to atone for them. Most of us, I believe had had such episodes - some few, some many. I think the book comes closest to that notorious mirror of the shameful past - in those early chapters upto the part where Amir and Hassan part ways.
Then came the next phase - a new life for Amir in America. Somehow the indirect connections the book was typing me with, in the first part actually started seeming much more real now. Hearing Amir talk about his life in Northern California as an immigrant far away from his past made me feel that I was in that story - visiting all those places he mentions - East Bay, Los Altos Hills, Highway 17 places I have come to know pretty well in the last 4 years that I have spent in the same area.
Later when Baba dies, and the mosque overflows with well-wishers paying their last respects, both of my eyes shed a tear. Something there, just touched me.
I won't give away any more of the story. All in all its a wonderful book and I am looking forward to getting his second book soon.