For you, a thousand times over

In the just concluded three-day weekend, I was floored by a book that ranks right at the top of my favorites. That book is 'The Kite Runner' by Khaled Hosseini. What makes it one of best that I have read is the vulnerability of the protagonist Amir. The book is a poignant fiction depicting the journey of redemption of Amir. Starting from the Afghanistan of the late 1975 - a spring that determines Amir's life and shows him what he really is made of, to the post-9/11 period, the entire tale is so moving that it can cut a hole through stone. If you are one who enjoys the irony of irony, you will be satiated in plenty throughout the story

Amir begins his journey as a 12-year old, trying to gain his baba's respect and love. He has a loyal friend in Hassan, a hazara muslim, who also doubles up as the resident servant for the Amir family. Although Amir agha is the protoganist, it is Hassan with his loyalty and sacrifice who steals the limelight. After winning the local Kite fighting games, Amir is at the juncture of gaining his baba's love and respect that he so earned for. In the event, he witness a cruelty being committed to Hassan; but doesn't have the courage to stand for his friend. This event shatters Amir and starts eroding his conscience. The rest of the story is about how Amir reconciles to the fact that he is indeed a coward and how he redeems himself. Its a story of how a beautiful friendship lasts over periods of turmoil and certain uncertainty

In a period where anti-muslim sentiments are abundant, the book is a welcome break that extols some of the values of muslim culture. If you ever pretend to be a serious reader, my suggestion is, don't miss this book.

About such a title for this post - well, you will know when you read the book...