Introduction To: The Kite Runner By: Khaled Hosseini

Meet the Author Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. His father was a diplomat with the Afghan Foreign Ministry and his mother taught Farsi and History at a large high school in Kabul. In 1976, the Afghan Foreign Ministry relocated the Hosseini family to Paris. They were ready to return to Kabul in 1980, but by then Afghanistan had already witnessed a bloody Communist take-over and the invasion of the Soviet army. The Hosseinis sought and were granted political asylum in the United States. In September of 1980, Hosseini's family moved to San Jose, California. Hosseini graduated from high school in 1984 and enrolled at Santa Clara University where he earned a bachelor's degree in Biology in 1988. The following year, he entered the University of California-San Diego's School of Medicine, where he earned a Medical Degree in 1993. He completed his residency at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. While in medical practice, Hosseini began writing his first novel, The Kite Runner, in March of 2001. In 2003, The Kite Runner, was published and has since become an international bestseller, published in 70 countries.

Where is Afghanistan? Afghanistan is a land-locked country in the Middle East , a little smaller than Texas.

More About Afghanistan… Population is about 30 million (compared to 23 million in Texas) Most of the terrain is rugged mountains, plains in north & southwest Winters are cold (40 deg. F) & Summers are hot (90 deg. F) Life expectancy is low (about 43 years) Official languages are Afghan Persian/Farsi, Pashto, & Dari Literacy rate is 51% for males & 21% for females Form of government is the Islamic Republic

Afghanistan Timeline 1973-2001 1973- Former Prime Minister, Daoud, deposes King Zahir Shah and proclaims Afghanistan a republic. Daoud becomes president. Shah is exiled. 1978- Daoud is executed by members of the peoples Democratic party of Afghanistan (PDPA). Taraki becomes president and is later killed by Amin. **Afghan-Soviet War from 1979-1989** 1979- Soviet Union invades Afghanistan and kills Amin. Karmal becomes president. 1980- The USA send billions of dollars in military aid to the mujahidin (Afghan resistance groups) to help fight the Soviets. 1986- Najibullah becomes president **Afghan Civil War from 1992-present** 1992- Najibullah resigns under U.N. accord. Broad Anti-Soviet government forms, but fighting erupts between the ethnic groups. 1994- The Taliban (made up largely of Pashtuns) is created in the South. With the aid of Pakistan, the Taliban take over Kandahar. 1996- The Taliban take over Kabul. 1997- Non-Pashtun ethnic groups unite as the Northern Alliance to fight the Taliban 1998- USA launches missile strikes targeting Osama bin Laden, accused of bombing embassies in Africa 2001- USA bombs Afghanistan after the Sept. 11th terrorist attacks. Northern Alliance takes Kabul. Now president, Hamid Karzai, becomes head of an interim government.

Ethnic Groups After decades of fighting, Afghanistan has become a patchwork of different ethnic groups, each with their own allegiances to neighboring countries. (Pashtun, Krygyz, Turkmen, Baluchi, Hazara, Uzbek, Tajik, Nuristani, & Ismaili) The Taliban is made up of mainly Pashtuns, while the Northern Alliance is made up of Uzbeks, Tajiks, & Hazaras. The Pashtuns (who make up 50% of the population) have been fighting the Hazaras (who make up 9% of the population) since the mid-18th century. In The Kite Runner, one of the main characters (Amir) is Pashtun and the other (Hassan) is Hazara.

Religion The official religion of Afghanistan is Islam, followed by 99% of the population. The two main sects of Islam are Sunni & Shi’a. In Afghanistan, about 90% of Muslims are Sunnis & about 10% of Muslims are Shiites. The division of Sunnis and Shiiites occurred when the Prophet Muhammad died in 632 AD. One group of Muslims (Sunnis) believed that Abu Bakr was the new rightful leader, while another group of Muslims (Shiites) believed that Ali was the new rightful leader. Muslims pray five times a day and fast during the month of Ramadan. Their places of worship are called mosques and their Holy Book is called the Quran. The Taliban and other terrorist groups follow an extremist version of Islam. There are over 1.6 billion Muslims throughout the world and extremists only make up a very small percent.

Kite Fighting A traditional Afghan past-time, in which kite flyers send their kites into the air and compete to cut down and capture the opponents’ kites. Strictly a male sport Kite flyers (or fighters) have an assistant to help them with the line and spool and in retrieving the opponents’ kites. Kites are made from paper and bamboo and the string is coated with glass. Kite fighting is often compared to Afghanistan’s tumultuous history. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alx3BDOjgjo&feature=relmfu

The Kite Runner “The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970s, the boys are inseparable. They spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event changes the nature of their relationship forever, and eventually cements their bond in ways neither boy could have ever predicted. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, Amir remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty. In part, it is these demons and the sometimes impossible quest for forgiveness that bring him back to his war-torn native land after it comes under Taliban rule.” ---Amazon.com Review Setting: Kabul, Afghanistan & Pakistan (1975-1981) California & Kabul, Afghanistan (1981-2001)

Characters in The Kite Runner Amir- main character & narrator, 12 year old Afghan boy from a wealthy family Baba- Amir’s father, rich & powerful businessman in Kabul Sofia- Baba’s wife, Amir’s mother, died in childbirth Sanuabar- Hassan’s mother, left when Hassan was born Hassan- Amir’s friend, servant boy to Baba & Amir Ali- Hassan’s father, servant to Baba & Amir, grew up with Baba Rahim Khan- Baba’s close friend & business partner, Amir’s mentor, Amir thinks of him as an Uncle Farid- Amir’s driver in Afghanistan Assef- neighborhood boy, bullies Amir & Hassan Kamal- Assef’s friend Soraya- Amir’s wife General Taheri & Jamila Taheri- Soraya’s parents Farzana- Hassan’s wife Sohrab- Hassan’s son

Sources http://www.khaledhosseini.com http://www.afghanmagazine.com http://www.sjsu.edu https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/