♥ Nothing Better Than Reading!! ♥ discussion

Though author of only 3 books, according to me, his books are one of the best I've ever read....Very few authors can make readers feel so emotional while reading books. His books not only have magic, but wonderful values and are treats to the readers!!

1) The Kite Runner
2) A Thousand Splendid Suns
3) And The Mountains Echoed

Which was your favorite among the three? What is your opinion on Khaled Hosseini's books ?

Khaled Hosseini's books are truly magical.....I could read A Thousand Splendid Suns a million times! :) Going to start reading And The Mountains Echoed....I have no doubt it will be as good as the other two...maybe even better :)

I've read more than half of And The Mountains Echoed....not to get your hopes down. but the other two books were a lot better:) Still, you should read it....maybe you'll like the book.

Ruchi wrote: "I've read more than half of And The Mountains Echoed....not to get your hopes down. but the other two books were a lot better:) Still, you should read it....maybe you'll like the book."

you are exactly right :)

Anuj wrote: "Ruchi wrote: "I've read more than half of And The Mountains Echoed....not to get your hopes down. but the other two books were a lot better:) Still, you should read it....maybe you'll like the book..."

Ya...this book somehow doesn't have any central story....it's more about the different characters and their separate stories of their life...disappointing, to be honest.

Ruchi wrote: "Anuj wrote: "Ruchi wrote: "I've read more than half of And The Mountains Echoed....not to get your hopes down. but the other two books were a lot better:) Still, you should read it....maybe you'll ..."


i wanted all the stories to end at one place but it didn't

Oh....that pisses me off! There is so little written about Abdullah and Pari, though they're the main characters...(as per the back cover of the book).

Ruchi wrote: "Oh....that pisses me off! There is so little written about Abdullah and Pari, though they're the main characters...(as per the back cover of the book)."

we don't need back cover to know that they are main character book starts with them and end with them

ya right....but they disappeared somewhere after some time...:(

I have read The Kite Runner and thought it was really good. I have Splendid Suns on my shelf and will get around to reading it one of these days. It's disappointing to hear his third book isn't as good. Sometimes I think once an author gets a best seller, they will then publish anything they write even if it's not great.

Natalie wrote: "I have read The Kite Runner and thought it was really good. I have Splendid Suns on my shelf and will get around to reading it one of these days. It's disappointing to hear his third book isn't as ..."

Yep....that's a problem with many authors. I would suggest you read his third book first so that even if you're disappointed.....you'll be happy with TTS. Believe me, it's beautiful!! It's the best of the lot!

Ruchi wrote: "Natalie wrote: "I have read The Kite Runner and thought it was really good. I have Splendid Suns on my shelf and will get around to reading it one of these days. It's disappointing to hear his thir..."

i am late to say it , you gave a really awesome idea

Anuj wrote: "Ruchi wrote: "Natalie wrote: "I have read The Kite Runner and thought it was really good. I have Splendid Suns on my shelf and will get around to reading it one of these days. It's disappointing to..."

:) :) Even I'm late to say it.....but it;s not that bad an idea....wish it had struck me earlier :P

What idea are you guys talking about?

I have read the Kite runner and i found it really good...i already bought A thousand splendid suns...but yet to start reading it....Hope i like this one too like his first book

Natalie wrote: "What idea are you guys talking about?"

:D :D :D Khaled Hosseini's new books has released, and it is not as good as his previous books....

The idea is to read the newly released book first so that even if you're disappointed with it, you can read the previous books, which are way, way better :D :D

Rajesh wrote: "I have read the Kite runner and i found it really good...i already bought A thousand splendid suns...but yet to start reading it....Hope i like this one too like his first book"

Oh yes....TTS is splendid.....I actually liked it more than The Kite Runner :)) You'll surely love it!!

yeah khalid is really a great writer but i don't know what happened with his third book so its better to read his first two books first

I finished the book "And The Mountains Echoed" and I Love it :) Completely. Though it didnt revolve around one single theme, all the characters were inter-related to each other and that is what made it more likeable to me. Reading each story from a different POV was beautiful. Each character has his own story, which had a different perspective of the same story. (view spoiler)[ I was just wishing so hard that Gholem was not Abdullah's son. That much I was wanting Pari and Abdullah to meet, but again if they had met and decided to hug each other and shed few tears it would have been so predictable (hide spoiler)] At the end the story completes a circle, that is what makes it a great story. He is a master story teller

I cant stop myself saying this to everyone I met, from the time I started reading this book, HIS writing is so much like poetry. I am completely smitten by his writing. Authors like him are the ones that make me pick my pen to write (oh and the crappy ones, who gives me the confidence that if they can, I can too :P )

I would say he didnt disappoint me at all.

@Gayathri

Great! That you liked it....though my opinion is contrary to what you say, I can still understand why and for what reason you liked the book.....

Totally agree with you on writing part - Hosseini portrays human feelings and emotions in a really beautiful way. That was what I actually found really good in the book.

But something lacked in story for me....somehow, it just didn't work :)

Still, each have their own preferences.......so, glad that you liked the book :))

it didn't worked for , i really like different POV but they should connect with each other but in ATME characters were not connected they were just telling their own stories , i really recommend in different POV

I read And The Mountains Echoed because a couple of my friends were reading it. I fell in love with Hosseini's writing. As soon as I finished And The Mountains Echoed, I started reading A Thousand Splendid Suns. I finished the book in two days (which is a personal record for me.) I could not put the book down. I was so emotionally attached to the characters. I am now reading the Kite Runner. My only disappointment is that he only has three books.

haven't read single one of khaled ...

can anyone give me best in his books ??

The Kite Runner and Thousand Splendid Suns......you have to read them, they're really marvelous.....

Ruchi wrote: "The Kite Runner and Thousand Splendid Suns......you have to read them, they're really marvelous....."

okay ... I ordered The Kite Runner in Amazon and will land in my hands in 2-4 days ..waiting eagerly :P

Okay...:):)

Well I have only read the kite runner! But it really touched me like no other story did! Khaled Hossini has a wonderful way with words!

Namrata wrote: "Well I have only read the kite runner! But it really touched me like no other story did! Khaled Hossini has a wonderful way with words!"

Thousand Splendid Suns is awesome too....I found it better actually. Read it!

Okay!! once I finish my current book will read that!!

Khaled Hosseini indeed creates magic. I have read A thousand splendid suns and And the mountains echoed. I loved them both. Many people didn't like ATME but I loved it. May be for others they found short stories in a novel but I found a novel in various linked short stories. just difference of perspective. I think it was all a new style of writing and presenting a story. Where though there are central characters, but story is not just abt them. Its about everyone connected to them. It found the theme refreshing and innovative.

As for The kite runner, I am 75% done with it and I am loving it :-)

@Aashi - As mush as I loved Kite Runner and TTS, I disliked ATME all the more. And you're right - the concept of presenting many short stories about all the different characters was what I disliked the most. It seemed boring and somehow I couldn't find a purpose for that in the story. I would have enjoyed reading Abdullah and Pari's story in greater detail other than all those different ones.

Aashi wrote: "Khaled Hosseini indeed creates magic. I have read A thousand splendid suns and And the mountains echoed. I loved them both. Many people didn't like ATME but I loved it. May be for others they found..."

the main problem was story wasn't connected to to each other and some stories wasn't needed

Ruchi wrote: "@Aashi - As mush as I loved Kite Runner and TTS, I disliked ATME all the more. And you're right - the concept of presenting many short stories about all the different characters was what I disliked..."

ditto

But again, Ruchi and Anuj, the story between Abdullah and Pari was not the only main characters. They played their part much like everyone else in the other stories.
I feel that is the way it is in real life too. If everyone plays their bit, our lives story would be complete. It doesn't matter if their presence matter for the ending, their presence make life (story) beautiful.

Sorry if I went overboard on the philosophy mode :)

Gayathri wrote: "But again, Ruchi and Anuj, the story between Abdullah and Pari was not the only main characters. They played their part much like everyone else in the other stories.
I feel that is the way it is i..."

I totally agree with Gayathri :)

I just finished And The Mountains Echoed and I loved it a lot. It doesn't show us a story on the whole but bits of life of lots of main characters. Though my favorite Hosseini's book remains A Thousand Splendid Suns. The Kite Runner is amazing as well, so all in all I can say that this author indeed creates magic. I've read few books that have made me feel the way that these books have.

but i have a question why book started with abdullah and pari and even ended with them and other than their story
i didn't liked any other story

yes...even I didn't like any story as much as abdullah and pari's story.....I wish Khaled would've expanded their stry itself.

Ruchi wrote: "yes...even I didn't like any story as much as abdullah and pari's story.....I wish Khaled would've expanded their stry itself."

or even tried to connect the other story with main story and for me pari's story was main story

and even somehow i feel that the story was bollywood inspired :P

yes...it had bollywood feel...child sold for money.....of course that's bollywood!!:D

yes...author could've tried to at least connect the main story with the other ones...or written something more of pari and abdullah's life. I mean, later, when they met and they were all old....it seemed that a big part was missing of the story..

Ruchi wrote: "yes...it had bollywood feel...child sold for money.....of course that's bollywood!!:D

yes...author could've tried to at least connect the main story with the other ones...or written something mor..."

exactly ,i wanted to know more about pari and abdullah

I have to disagree on that part. If it had those flashbacks of Pari and Abdullah - then it would be Bollywood inspired. If they had got closer through the song - then it would be Bollywoodish. But it did not. That is why it is refreshingly different :)

All the stories were connected. I felt the story had a complete circle, it ended where it started. I accept it had several parallel stories running, yet they had a common theme. The sister who prevented her sister marrying her love, ended marrying him only to take care of his children. The brother who ran away from the responsibility of taking care of a crippled sister ended up taking care of an estranged husband. The runaway wife with a very radical view of life ended her life after losing her boyfriend to her daughter. The daughter ends up with her long lost brother, who doesn't even remember her and ends regretting having not taken care of her mother. The girl whose mom abandoned her due to her facial imperfection, chooses to.stay and take care of her friend's mom, while he becomes a plastic surgeon and leaves the country to help others. The son of a wealthy landlord understands that he could never love his dad the same way after he finds he killed his friend's dad.

More at http://musings-over-nothing.blogspot....

I think we could agree to disagree and leave it at that :)

Yes. Let's just do that and stop this debate:)

I've heard of this author. Haven't been able to read a book by this author yet though.

U should read them....they're spectacular!!

completed Kite Runner today... heart melting ... thanks for this group by which I came to know a wonderful book & author ....

I still cant believe Hasan died ... cruel author... at the half way when hasan died, I wanted to burn this book down ... eyes full of tears when that boy said "I'm tired"...as a matter of fact my friend asked me what's wrong... love this book.. Love Amir , Love his father, love Rahim.. Love everyone except Aseef ...More than anyone, I love Hasan

Is this thread specific to praises for Khaled Hosseini??

I was also disappointed in And the Mountains Echoed but only because the first two were so spectacular (in my opinion). I think it is very good though if you have not read the others. I would advise anyone new to him to read them in this order:

1. And The Mountains Echoed
2. The Kite Runner
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns

Save the best for last, I wish I had.

Khaled Hosseini is a terrific writer and my fav. The characters from The Kite Runner simply don't leave you even much after you've finished the book. Obviously his second book was fantastic too. Much time later when his third book came out, i was sure he would create magic again. This book seems to be less appreciated cause like the first two this books, it doesn't revolve around just one story. But this is a beautiful narration of different stories revolving around the same plot. Each one ends with a sense of emotion, regret, love, etc.

Anoop wrote: "Is this thread specific to praises for Khaled Hosseini??"

Yes.....I guess it is. Since everyone always does praise him.