A Thousand Splendid Suns is beautiful. I read a huge number of books but this is a true gem -a story as vivid as it is moving. While we are often shown a biased and one dimensional view of Afghanistan, A Thousand Splendid Suns humanizes an often misunderstood and poorly captured crisis.

Many thanks and best wishes.

Hello Mr. Hosseini,
It is pleasure to read your work, I am keenly awaiting your next novel. Please give us an update on your next book. I liked the movie The Kite Runner but it did not have the same impact as the book, then again it would be really hard for any film maker to do justice to your talent!

I just finished reading The Kite Runner. I loved the book because it reminded me so much of growing up in Abu Dhabi. Some of my fondest memories are of flying kites with my father at the beaches and breakwater. Your book made me think of my childhood.
Thank you.

Hello,

I have just finished reading your book The Kite Runner, and I just wanted to say thank you. It was an amazing book, and I do not remember the last time a book has touched me like this one did. I am not used to weeping when I read a book, but I could not stop doing so toward the last half. It reminded me so much of how much I care for my father, and that even though he is still alive, the thought of losing him just tears my heart out. But to read of Amir having to live through the experience, it really hit home with me. And after that, I just could not stop. I want to thank you for this amazing piece of literature, and I've been trying to think of a way to incorporate it into a Global Studies class I am teaching for my student teaching course. Anyway, I think you are an amazing and truly gifted writer, and I look forward to reading your next novel.

Thank you very much.

Ben Pass
04/05/08

I am into my second readıng of A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS. It ıs a splendid sun ıtself. It made me weep many tımes. Khaled Hosseinı ıs a great writer. My son passed THE KITE RUNNER to me and i will pass SUNS to hım. Thank you for great wrıtıng.

Dear Khaled,
Thank you so much for your wonderful stories of destruction and hope.
I have only recently read your stories as being of Hazara origin, I knew they would be particularly emotive and warranted being in the right emotional space. That time came these past couple of months. But as I fought back the salty tears of pain, I am glad I did and will forward them as gifts to nieces and, when they are old enough, to nephews.
Thank you for putting Afghanistan, and the even lesser known Hazaras on the map.
May Khuda bring peace to our watan and bless you and your family with many more stories.
Besyar Tashookar,
Liela Asghar
London

Your two books are one of the best I've ever read. Thank you for such inspiring novels, it really changed the world.
I am so excited to hear that A Thousand Splendid Suns is becoming a movie!! The Kite Runner was a great movie and I am realling looking forward to the next movie and hopefully, a new novel of yours :]

When I opened your book, The Kite Runner, My heart melted in the first sentence. My very being entered that world and felt the guilt, shame, pride, inadequacies and disappointment and finally, the compassion, resolution, determination and redemption and exquisite deep love. Your characters live in my psyche. You are a magnificent wordsmith and a masterful artist, an extremely gifted storyteller. This book will become a classic for the ages. Thank you for this masterpiece.

Both The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns touched my soul like no other books have ever done. I have bought copies of each to give to family and friends. Thank you so much for writing them and I hope there will be more. While reading both books I was constantly asking my husband, who is an Iranian, all the Farsi words in the books. They added so much to my understanding and enjoyment of the stories. Thank you for touching my soul!

I read The Kite Runner for a class (at SJSU, nonetheless), and read A Thousand Splendid Suns two weeks ago. I bawled like a big baby, Hosseini. You're a great writer, and I hope you write many, many more books that make me cry.

The Kite Runner & A Thousand Splendid Suns,were the best books I have read recently.They set out the sadnesses which hurted by battles,especially for women&children,for the commons.They bring me to the mind about the ribulation of our own nation.Excepting for the writers as Hosseini in China.
Love you,goodwill envoy.
And sorry for my poor english.

Dear Mr. Hosseini-- I just finished reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns". Your gift of storytelling is remarkable. I have to pause for a few seconds at the end of almost every chapter simply because I'm awestruck by what I've read. I also cried especially in the last chapter of Mariam!! Anyway, I used to be an avid reader as a child and young adult, but stopped reading for pleasure more or less. Your stories made me remember how much I loved it. Nothing is more entertaining. You are a blessing Mr. Hosseini. Thank you.

Dear Khaled,

I enjoyed your stories : The Kite Runner & A Thousand Splendid Suns. I read both novels for many times and still cannot control my dropping tears. These 2 stories touch my soul. PS. Many Taiwanese readers love your both books too much. Hope you can visit Far-East Asia some day.

Dear Khaled,

I just read The Kite Runner yesterday, and can't wait to see the movie and read your second novel this weekend! You are a truly gifted storyteller and your book speaks to the immigrant experience with rare insight and power. As a descendent of Chinese wartime refugees, I cannot tell you how much your book meant to me.

I just finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. It is a beautiful story. I had tears in my eyes while reading the last chapters, and I must say, I`ve never cried while reading a book before. It gave me a new understanding of events that were happening in Afhganistan. Thank you.

Sasha, Slovakia

Dear Khaled, I have read both your books and they were one of the best books I have ever read. Your style of writing is so adddicting and graphic in a good way. It was very intense for me to read your books but I am looking foward to your next book and movie. Keep up the good work!

My first read of your book is " The Kite Runner" and all I can say is the journey is tough but the memories of childhood, pain and culture always go back to where we are born. A lovely piece and enjoyed reading. I did see the movie and its brilliant.

Best wishes on your future endeavor.

Dear Khaled,

I read your book The Kite Runner and it was truly amazing experience. It has already became a bestseller here in my country, Serbia. I am glad that I had an opportunity to get a new insight in the life of Afghani people. It is in human nature to be afraid of the things which are strange, unfamiliar and incomprehensible to them. You did a great job by giving us the chance to understand the people and their way of life in country which sounds so strange to the most of us. You gave us the chance to remember that people are people, with the same needs, drives and desires no matter where they live. I have to admit that I maybe had some prejudices about Afghanistan, but by reeding your book it changed my point of view. I think it is a remarkable accomplishment what you made. I personally know how it is when people have a bad impression about your nation, and just because they do not know enough. People like you, who had the chance to look at the world from different points of view, can build bridges between different civilizations, but only a few really do that. That is only one of the reasons I find your work truly amazing.

All the best!
Ljiljana

Dear Mr. Hosseini

Your novel "A Thousand Splendid Suns" was absolutely amazing ...mashaAllah
No book I have read before has evoked the similiar emotion, feeling, empathy, joy and satisfaction as this book whislt reading it.
It would be amazing if this literary gift be translated into an onscreen movie...the emotional factor no doubt will explode in a visual experience.
You have my enthusiam and support
An Avid reader of your novels
Le-Ann
Caribbean

salam Dear Hosseini

I had heard about u from some of my irani friends which was a bit shocking coz if they tell an Afghan writer gr8 means he is best one hardly i got ur book in peshawar but it was just best book yet i have read
mostly i read a book in a night and i have most novels persian and english but as A Thousand Splendid Suns non could make me to cry

i been there on that hard days but just with marcy of God not in kabul so it made me to feel how lucky i was that i havnt got such situations on afghanistan war it made me to say Thank God that u havnt shown me such hard time and such life.

Every word of it made me to live the life which passed those years that we havnt seen or i havnt be alife it made me to feel the pain and remind me the hard time my family had there.

It really made me to cry for those who have been killed for nothing just name of Freedom and Islam and the result was nothing.

Thank u for showing the world what was going right there all those years and what is going on till now.

And im waiting for u next book

Mehr

Both books are masterful works of storytelling. You have a wonderful gift. Keep writing!
I will be sure to pass on all the links in your website about helping out. Your stories have inspired me. Thank you.

Both books, " The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid
Suns" were sad, but WONDERFUL! They certainly gave me a better understanding of what the people in your country have been through for so many years, especially women.
Thank- you so much for helping me understand.
Sheila Raftery (Florida)

Dear Mr. Hosseini,

I just finished reading The Kite Runner. It was beautifully described and very moving. My heart still aches every time I think about Sohrab, Hassan, and Afghanistan.
I also read your biography and was surprised to see that you majored in medicine. How did you learn to write so brilliantly. Can you give some advice to aspiring writers.

Thank you very much.

Pummy

Dear Mr. Hosseini

I just finished The Kite Runner today, and I can't wait to get my hands on A Thousand Splendid Suns! I couldn't put it down, the book touch me dearly. I am saddened that Amir (as Rahim putted it) was so "hard on himself," and Hassan and Amir never received a chance to reunite. However, I am glad that Hassan remained an optimist to the end, and Sohrab, he is a miracle in himself. :) Moreover, The Kite Runner openned my eyes to so many things a world away.
You are amazing, your books travel by word-of-mouth at my high school! and in the end, I find that (one of many reasons) you are successful because you tell the stories that many people cannot tell, or won't tell. I look back and see that Sohrab and I are not much different, he came to America only two years after I had. My family came as refugees from Vietnam. And reading this book, I had wondered about my own parents and their lives before me. Thank you for speaking out for those who cannot. I apologize for digressing, but your book was truly a gem, one that I don't regret spending my spring break to read :)
People of the world will be looking forward to more of your magic words, Mr. Hosseini!

Khoda hafez (God bless, goodbye, if I'm correct)

I 've just finished reading The Kite Runner, as I am planning to see the movie this evening. I enjoyed the book although I wish I could have read it in English and not in Italian. I believe it was a good translation. I read A Thousand Splendid Suns in English. In any case I read both books without stopping and I enjoyed very much the full immersion in the islamic culture and food recipes from Afghanistan. I could appreciate how great Hosseini's love for his country grew as he lived in the US just as mine grew while I lived in the States in the eighties. HIs love for the people and his kindness to the many problems children face there make him a Must for generations to come and I am proud to say that in my school journal on of my 12 year old girls wrote an excellent review of his second book.

I love your books and cant wait to read more of them.

Dear Khaled, As Salaam-u-Aleikum,

first, I want to say that I am very glad to be your compatriot. When I heard of your book The Kite Runner, I was really curious to read it. I had never heard about an afghan story writer before. This book, and of course A Thousand Splendid Suns, are the greatest books I have ever read. No one can show better the situation of Afghans, espacially afghan women, than you did in your book A Thousand Splendid Suns. And no one can tell better about the fear of the people of Afghanistan; a fear that every one felt, when he or she was in that war, that demanded so many civillian victims.
I love the way you write and how you describe Afghanistan to the readers. Your way to project the details to the readers is really brilliant. Many people don't know anything about our country, but when they start reading your books they can't get enough about it.
I would really like to meet you in person one day, as you are my idol. Thank you for great books and I hope that many of them are following.
I wish you all the best for you and your family.

Khoda Hafez,

Batul Shamel

Sallam Khaled Jan!
you are such a gifted writer.
keep the good work up.
can't wait for your next book inshallah.
sughra jafari
Australia.

Mr Hosseini,

It would be difficult to find words to describe the impact your books had on me last year, and I am sure that you have heard it all before. Just let me count myself another fan, and tell you that I have given and loaned out both of your books over and over again.

I also want to agree with you about What is the What, which I also read last year. I know it is supposed to be a novel, but the story essentially true. I was lucky enough to meet a charming, Sudanese lady called Mende Nazer on a plane last year, who told me a little about herself, and mentioned that she had written a book about her own experiences in Sudan (which is to put it mildly). It is not fiction, and is called "Slave". Title says it all I guess.

I first read ‘The Kite Runner’ during the winter holidays some time ago. I cried and I cried and I cried again. After I finished it, I started telling everyone I knew to read it, gave it as a present to a couple of friends, and kept referring to it in conversations. I was not going mad but only being selfish. I had been totally and deeply touched by the story of Amir and Hassan and simply needed to talk about it. It felt more real than the truth, it felt as if I had known those characters and wanted to have more news, to read the stories of Rostan and Sohrab, and get to know that ancient culture a little bit more. And of course it was even more so with ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ where I felt the pain of Mariam in my bones and struggled with those women who were given a voice in a beautiful and authentic way.

I am sure that hundreds of people are writing to you to thank you for your stories, but the reason I am doing it is to thank you for the example you gave me, because you are not writing in your native language but mostly because of the incredible contribution you are giving to literature. I finally decided to take on a course of creative writing because of you, because I want to be a writer, because I believe that stories can touch your heart, can help you grow and change. I believe that we all share a common destiny and that we should do our best to find a way for people to understand that. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the emotions you made me feel with your words, for the poetry and the love you put in your work, for showing that hope and beauty and faith are still possible even in a reality of sorrow and distress.

The thought that you might read this fills me with pride and I hope that you will share again your imaginative world with us very soon…
With all my respect and gratitude
Sandra Martini
A primary teacher from Italy

When is your next book coming out?

Dear Dr. Hosseini,

I finished reading your book "A Thousand Splendid Suns" yesterday and till now I cannot stop thinking about it. I am a Pakistani and seeing Afghan migrants around is a normal thing and being a Pakhtun myself I always feel a soft corner for them but I must admit that after reading your book new feelings of deep respect and care for them have developed in my heart. I have become conscious to treat them with more kindness and love lest I hurt a Laila or a Tariq or perhaps a Mariam who have already had their share of grieves and pains. Your book has made me humble and has also strengthened my committment for raising voice for the rights of muslim women who are always supressed by giving distorted messages from Quran.
Thank you for writing such a beautiful and powerful book.

Best,
Humaira

Dear Dr. Hosseini:

I watched the "The Kite Runner" and just finished "A Thousand Splendid Suns". I am so moved by your work. Thank you bringing the plight of the people of Afghanistan to light. As an African-American Muslim, it is hard to see the distorted images of Islam thru the media; but even more difficult is to see what my fellow muslims endure a regular basis. This has made me realize that I must be more active in my charity, and I will do what I can for the women of Afghanistan. May Allah continue to bless you in your writing, and I look forward to the movie "A Thousand Splendid Suns".

Peace & Blessings,

Vinessa Bryant

I just finished reading "A Thousand Splendid Suns" this evening. The first time I remember hearing of the plight of women in Afghanistan, I was watching a documentary (prior to 9-11) in which a female reporter, putting herself at risk, interviewed women and children of that region. I couldn't believe that people were really treated in such a way. I've lived a truly sheltered life here in America and it pains me that I've been so ignorant of the suffering that goes on elsewhere in the world. The pain, torture and brutality in this book at times was difficult to absorb. But at the same time it was so beautifully written, I had to hold out hope that the women would somehow prevail. It is a truly wonderful book. Reading it has made me want to become involved in the causes for women and children of Afghanistan. Communication and education cannot help but bring about eventual understanding and peace. You have done worlds toward that end with your stories. Though they may be fiction, their basis is true and eye-opening to people like myself. I look forward to your future works and brighter days for Afghanistan as well.

Dear Khaled Hosseini.

You have written the most important and impressive books I have ever read in my life. To put Afghanistan on the map and tell people around the world about the situation in this country, I tink is very important. Your stories of the families in both books give us a situation to understand the difficulties of your country. You have done a important job writing this books to inform the world about the situations in all countries exposed for war.

The main caracters in both books are all described in a beautiful way. The tale of sufferings for Amir, Hassan, Laila and Mariam is heart-rending and makes us cry for several days.

Thank you for this great and important stories. I wish you, your family and your country the all best for the future.

Best regards from
Anette.

Dear, Dr. Hosseini

I read yours two books, are WONDERFUL, I cry when I read, I no have words to tell how was amazing.
I'm making Literary analize about "A Thousand Splendid Suns", is one university work, and will be my tese of graduation..

hapiness to you Dr. Hosseini...

Jonnata Arrais (Brazil)

Dear Dr. Hosseini,
I finished reading your book “The Kite Runner” in Chinese and bought an English edition yesterday. I introduced this novel to my students and want everyone I knew to read it. The children of Afghanistan are happy and lucky because of you and your novels. You give me a chance to recall my childhood: I also have a little buddy like Hassan, and at one time when we were 15 years old I was not stand out for him when he was punched because of me by older guys. After that event, he was dismissed by school and lingered on the street, and we separated from each other since then. He is still in prison now since seven years ago but I am a teacher in a university and pass a doctor entrance examination recently. I am on my way running my dream. It is difficult to find words to describe my feelings, my heart is ached. What I can do now is to do some help for his family as much as I can.
My dream is to be a mature scientist and your novels encourage me to go ahead.
I ran.

Thank you very much and may you own the Nobel Prize.
Good luck!

A Tea Science teacher from China.

I have read both The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns in the past 2 weeks, also viewing The Kite Runner. I will be forever touched by these two stories. They may be "fiction" but you have told the stories from facts ... what actually occurs.

Bless you and your wonderful story telling talents. I anxiously await your 3rd novel and the movie based on "Suns."

Thank you for sharing your stories and talents with all of us!

Dear Mr Khaled Hosseini,
I have had the pleasure of reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. I believe im speaking on behalf of many readers when i say "Thank you" for writing such a book.

Hi Mr.Hosseini,

Many many thanks for penning such pictures.
Ihave finished your The Kite Runner and now on AThousand Splendid Sun.
Only onethng I can say is The Kite Runner is awesome,and it takes the reader to the real world.
Thanks a lot for such contributions.
I am eagerly waiting for your next book,so kindly let me know about it.

Regards
Monalisa

Dear Dr Hosseini,

All I can really say is thankyou. I am profoundly touched by your work. Both you books blew my mind and heart. Whilst your work is ficton it must touch on so many people´s realities.

Best wishes,
Andrew

Mr.Hosseini aziz

I've got your second book as a gift and when i started reading it, i could read it till the end. I've seen and known so many Afghans in iran but we never felt the pain they went through, we never could see them in their real life not what war made them, i am happy to know more about Afghans and i hope to read your next book soon.
I've seen The Kite Runner film but i can say that the book still is something else, if there would be a film from your second book i hope they can manage to make a better film out of it, best wish and luck for you,

Dostdare shoma
mama mahmoud

Dear Dr.Hosseini,
I just finished reading your second book,"A Thousand Splendid Suns" and i must say, it is the only book i couldn't just put down without completely reading it.So, i finished the whole book in about 15 hours. I am eagerly waiting for your third book.....Are you working on another one yet?
Trupthi Kashyap

Dear Mr. Hosseini,

thank you for bringing this story about the young Afghan to our attention. We miss so many stories about injustice. I hope that the Afghan government will embrace reason!

Months ago I began a new textile artistic work I called "soulkites", based upon my memories of my brother and me flying kites when we were little. I was always jealous because he wouldn't let me hold the kite very often as I was his little sister and not supposed to fly a kite.

I began this work and in the middle got stucked, and put it on hold (it has been lying under my bed since then) This happens, your certainly know this state of mind, as this must happen to writers too, I guess.

Weeks ago I found your book "The Kite Runner" (and also "A Thousand Splendid Suns") in the english bookshop on the Champs Elysée. Or better, it found me. I thought "oh, what an interesting title, maybe this will inspire me".

I read the book this weekend, and like everyone else commenting here, loved every sentence of it, hated Amir for his weaknesses and loved him for his frankness. Love this country too, Afghanistan, about which I know almost nothing. I smiled and I cried and hoped and ranted.

Your book is inspiration.

Now I can go on working on my soulkites.
Thank you :)
Have a wonderful week,
greetings from Paris
Andrea

Dear Mr.Khaled Hosseini,

It was indeed a true pleasure to read your book" The Kite Runner".I can confidently say that it is the best book ive ever read and have been reccomending it to all my friends.I believe that the first few lines of a book says so much about how the rest of it is going to be.I must say that from the minute I opened the book I was sure it was going to be the best ever.Thank you so much for bringing a book like this to my life.I will remember it forever.

I am looking forward to reading you new book and Im sure you will have a lot more coming our way in the years to come.

Thank you
Chaitra

Hello Mr. Hosseini,

Your book, The Kite Runner, is the best book I've read so far - and, being an avid reader, I've read many!! I bought many copies and gave them out to my friends. In bookstores, I've approached people I see holding your book to sing my praises for it....I dare say, I should receive a commission!! :-)

I waited with bated breath for "A Thousand Splendid Suns" and wasn't disappointed. I missed work on Monday to finish it!

Whatever you do.....keep writing because I'm waiting for more....and more!!! Thank you.

As I put down a Thousand Splendid Suns and dry the tears from my eyes I am writing immediately to thank you Khaled. From the comfort of a free democracy I have had the luxury of hiding behind apathy, away from the plight of ordinary Afghan people. That is until now.

You have awakened my heart and my soul, my sense of injustice and a sense of deep respect for a people who have continued despite the atrocities they have and still are enduring. I admit my guilt, my indifference, my ignorance and in writing this book you have held me to account.

To quote a Holocaust survivor I met a few years ago:

May you never commit such acts as these,
May you never be a victim of these acts,
but most of all
May you never ever be just a bystander.

Thank you Khaled for giving me back my awareness and my consciousness.

I will try in my own way to make a difference.

Andrew.

Hello Mr. Hosseini,

I am a fan of your work and have now read both The Kite Runner and just now, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I like to read a book or watch a film in order to be moved, that is emotionally and spiritually, and your work does just that for me. I wanted to share a few points I took from your latest book that especially resonated with me:

1) It is a cherished gift, that can never be forgotten, when someone loves you. I was especially taken with the profound importance Mariam gave to the affection and love given her by Laila and her children. A single act of kindness or courage can change a life (and ultimately did when Mariam killed Rasheed to save Laila), if not a world.
2) What an incredible reminder that with all the freedom and opportunity I have as an American woman, I simply have no excuse not to realize my dreams. There is nothing holding me back. Reading the story gave me inspiration to continue pursuing my goals, but with more determination. I thank you for that motivation.
3) Motherhood is a long and difficult responsibility and one should never forget the role in doing for someone else, while expecting nothing in return. I have a 5 year old daughter I simply adore. I know there will be times when my efforts on her behalf will go unappreciated and that she may not always return my love. It is good to keep this perspective in mind as we navigate the joys and travails of life.
4) Cultural and religious freedoms are to be cherished. I was left quite curious, does your novel accurately depict life for men and women under the fundamentalist Taliban regime? If so, I was incredibly saddened but at the same time ever grateful to enjoy the cultural and religious freedom I have here in the United States. And again, the message I take from that is to recognize it as a gift and make use of it in my life -- what can I do to help someone else or make a difference in the greater world. I thank you for that reminder and motivational jab.

I hope you'll continue to write -- your messages are powerful indeed.

dear Mr.Hosseini i,ve read both of your books plenty of times and was fortunate to see The Kite Runner film.here in Iran as you probably know your books are translated by a very good translator :Mr.Ghabraii .dont know how to express my feelings other than that there were plenty of times ,specialy reading A Thousand Splendid Suns,that i had to close the book and have a deep breath while cleaning my fulling tears!by living next to your country and feeling all the pain we have suffered along with you these years and having the very similar cultural aspects ,your books are very much understanded and felt here by your Iranian readers.you are one of the kind! Avid

Both your books are truly moving, and I am so glad that I read them. As a woman, A Thousand Splendid Suns was especially moving & shocking. I am Japanese & was raised in both the US & Japan, and both countries during my lifetime so far, have not seen war on their own soil. So while I know from the news, that countries like Afghanistan are going through violent times, my knowledge of such issues was very shallow. There was an Afghan professor at my university who taught political science, and word was that he was once royalty in Afghanistan, but his family fled from a coup to France. I wish I'd taken the time to ask him what the Afghanistan he knew was like.

And shallower is the knowledge of many Japanese people born after WWII & have only lived in Japan, as Japan is such a safe, prosperous & isolated nation. Unfortunately, my husband who is very well-educated and a very nice & gentle man, is among the many who do not know nor take interest in the hardships of life in other countries.

Though an ordinary person like me does not have the impact that a gifted author like you has, on making the world aware of just how hard life is in many countries like Afghanistan, at least I can recommend your books to people around me like my husband, so that they will get a look at such issues and take interest. I believe that awareness is an important primary step in trying to achieve as much peace around the world as possible. I am going to look for The Kite Runner in Japanese translation to give to my husband as he doesn't read in English. And I can't wait for your second book to come out in Japanese or in theaters w/Japanese subtitles so that I can share that too w/my husband. As I usually don't do any personal book reading in Japanese, I've only read your works in English, but I hope the moving qualities of your original words have not been lost in the Japanese translation.

I do not have any official training in book translation, but my work for the past 6 years has been translation/interpreting in the field of advertising/marketing, so I can translate. And having visited the Philippines last year on business, and also having read your books, after many years of procrastination, I am finally going to embark on volunteering my translation skills as my way to learn more about situations in other countries, and to be an instrument in contributing to the spread of knowledge & awareness among the Japanese people. I'm going to start translating an English book regarding improvement of life in one of the poorest slums in the Philippines, and after that, I hope to begin helping w/translation of UNHCR news into Japanese.

I hope that you will continue writing stories about your people that will keep people around the world updated on what life is like in recent Afghanistan.

Dear Khaled

I have never felt the need to write to an author before now, I read A Thousand Splendid Suns and it touched me in a way no other book has, so I bought The Kite Runner and am justing coming to the end of it, I was reading it on the train this morning and found it hard to hold back the tears, it's an amazingly well written book and I felt I should say what a talented man you are to think up such a beautiful story and include so many facts about Afghanistan that I had no idea about. I've just ordered the DVD and can't wait to watch it. Keep up the good work - can't wait to read your next book. With best wishes Tina

Dear Mr. Khaled,

It was a real pleasure to read the book 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' and 'The Kite Runner'.

I must say you are a very good story teller. I always felt being there in every moment you wrote in the book. And ya, that’s the success of your writing.
I am from India, and I could relate to the pain and sufferings of Afghan people. Thanks to your dramatic writing. I saw the movie 'The Kite Runner' twice and felt that the film had made justice to the book very well.
Wish you all the best to you for your future writings.

I hope to see 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' movie pretty soon.

Dear Khaled,

I live in a small country named Slovenia (Europe). I'm a bookshop manager and after reading (6 month ago!!) A Thousand Splendid Suns I can't read anything else! I've read The Kite Runner too of course. Books are true love of my life and for long, long time it hasn't happened to me to feel so strong about the book (and I have read many of them!!!) I feel like Mariam and Laila are my family... so I think of you as my family too.
Thank you.
Dada

I have just this minute completed A Thousand Splendid Suns. I have also read The Kite Runner. I am an avid reader and I must say that I have never read such beautifully written books. Although both books deal with such sadness and brutality they are written in a way that grabs you and keeps your interest from start to finish. Your words are compelling and I seriously doubt that any movie would be able to capture the flow of what you write. Thank you.

Dear Mr Khaled Hosseini,

My name is Amra and I live in Sarajevo. At the moment I am reading Your book ˝A Thousand Splendid Suns˝. All I can say is that I am sooo impressed with the book. Especailly, because some situations that are discribed in the book happened in Sarajevo as well (during the war (1992-1996).
I appreciate Your books and Your activities so much and really hope that You will visit Sarajevo soon.

With kind regards and big Thanks for Your books,
Amra

Hello Mr. Hosseini,

The novel "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is one of the best novels I have ever read. I would like to thank you for giving an insight about Afghanistan through this story. Best of luck Brother for your future endeavor.

Dear Khaled

As a working mum I hardly have time to read novels anymore. And when my Aunt gave me A Thousand Splendid Suns a week ago whilst on holiday, I delved into it and was glued for two days solid and couldn't put it down.

I then raced out to buy The Kite Runner, and was entranced from the very first page.

My heart has been touched in an incredible way be these two powerful stories. I feel that I now have a window into a world which is so far from the life I know.

I am suddenly so aware of, and grateful for the freedom that I as a woman have here in South Africa.

Thank you.
Kay Hubbert
Benoni, South Africa

Khaled,

Some time last year, I caught an interview with you on NPR about A Thousand Splendid Suns. I had not read The Kite Runner but was instantly interested in the new book simply by your interview. I read it this weekend, and as I was nearing the end, I was moved, though I did not (at first) begin to cry, because I thought maybe I was just trying to get a good cry out of a good book. However, when I got to the part where Laila read Jalil's letter to Mariam, I began to weep. Throughout those last pages of the book, from that point on, I wept as I had not wept since I was a child. Little had I know how deeply I was engulfed in the lives of the characters of your book. Little had I known that I had grown so close over such a short period of time, and that though I read it over a single weekend, it felt like I had been with them their entire lives. It was somewhat difficult getting back into my daily routine after that. I thank you for this wonderful book and I encourage you to continue doing what you do. You affect the lives of many and we thank you.

Dear Dr.Hosseini,

Reading 'The Kite Runner' was like having my heart shattered into a million pieces and slowly pieced back together over and over again. I thought I might have been prepared for 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' but it was ten times more brutal. For instance, after reading the chapter one evening in which Laila gives birth to Zalmai, your words sent my imagination into such a frenzy I was forced to keep reading past my bedtime to avoid having nightmares! And Jalil's final letter to Mariam brought me such a wretched mix of joy and sorrow.
But the reason I treasure your stories so much is that none of your characters, 'good' or 'evil', are ever two dimensional or easily understood and they are so very exposed through your writing. They are all fundamentally human and a natural extension of things we have all felt but at the same time extraordinary.
I also come from a family of refugees and was in awe of how you shed so much light on the devastation of Afghanistan's political situation without really dwelling on politics. I feel I now understand more about the intricacies of war and politics in Afghanistan from reading your books than I ever did reading newspapers or history texts.
Thank you for your honesty and generosity in bringing your stories to us.

Best wishes,

Angelique
Sydney, Australia

Dear Dr. Hosseini:

What I most admire of your work, specifically on A Thousand Splendid Suns is the big capacity to create and talk throug female characters who don't smell like a male author. For me, thats a big gift of talent, because, it's not only enough to deeply know the hazardous kind of life of the women in your country; it takes big sensitivity and heart work to make them come to life, be loved, admired, empathized with and to cry along with their tragedies.

I got intimate with Mariam as well as for Laila in only a few lines; I could really feel how Mariam felt when she was left alone with her flowers and her bag, because the author made me capable of doing that so easily!

Kindest regards.

Dear Khaled,

Read both your books and saw the film.

My sense of relating to the narratives of both your books are dauntingly real. As a teenager, I lived in the war zone of the 80s, witnessed many heart-wrenching atrocities, experienced personal loss of family member as one of the thousands causlities of war, and in short, lived through the garden variety of horros which the wars offer.

Being a woman is never been an easy walk in the "park" for Afghan women most of the time, particulary in the midst of a war. I know it since i lived it. I can recall the days I was told I could not go to school while I was living in Herat. I thought my life was over as I knew it. But, it went on and so did the desire to defy the odds and make it to the finish line of graduating from school even if it meant making a deal with the devil to wear 'chawdaree" or fliriting with the flying bullets and thousands of opportunities for death to end it all.

Thank you for the beautiful portrayl of the bravery, loyality and strength of Afghan women.

Thank you for writing our stories so well. I feel the burden of telling "the sotries" a little less now, thanks to you. Still, many more to tell.

I am a freelance Afghan-American journalist/advocte and passionate reader.

I am simply, deeply and enourmously proud of you and your work. The ease of your story telling is very inviting even if we have to face up to the social, political and cultural sensibilities, pride, needs and flaws.

I never had the chance to meet in person, but, if you happend to be in D.C. area, it will be an honor to meet with you and have a sit down for an interivew.

Best,

Shakila Khalje
Falls Church, VA, USA

Dear Mr. Hosseini,
Thank you for sharing your stories with the world. You are sharing your love and understanding of Afghanistan with the world and by doing so are profoundly changing each reader. You are making our world smaller by enabling love and understanding to criss-cross the globe. So many of us did not begin to understand the implications of Afghanistan's history upon civilians. Many of us live lives that have been relatively safe and cannot easily comprehend the tragedies humans inflict on one another and endure. You paint your characters with so much dimension that they come alive and live in our hearts. You describe their love of their children and it makes me hold my own children tightly and burst with love. You remind us that we are all one world and that we could easily have been born Afghani's and lived a life like one of your characters. Thank you for bringing insight and understanding into my life. Thank you for making the world a better place for us all.