Khaled Hosseini Q&A

Thank you for the book which arrived this week while I was away. I loved the Kite Runner but have your second book waiting to be read. Do you think now as an outsider looking in feel there is any hope for Afghanistan to become a democracy?

I am a great fan of your previous books and am enjoying your most recent novel very much, especially for the insight it gives me into Afghan culture.
I have two Afghan foster sons; (they moved to the UK two years ago in traumatic circumstances, they're now aged 16 & 17) they're both in school and doing well, but the cultural differences are profound as they were mostly raised in a village in Panjshir. You moved to live in America at a similar age, can you share what helped you most to adapt?

I would like to ask Khaled how he managed to keep all the threads of the story in his head as each chapter is a different era and has different characters.
I must admit I was a little confused at times but also cried quite a bit.

I don't remember a lot of news items but I can still remember seeing the news about the blowing up of the Buddhas of Bamiyan [it seems like only yesterday it's so fresh in my memory], so I was quite moved to read about the statues in A Thousand Splendid Suns. I'd like to ask Khaled how he felt when he heard of what had happened. For me there was terrible sadness that something so beautiful had been destroyed , but also an uneasy feeling of foreboding. And also to thank him for making me understand more about Afghanistan in a way that makes me empathise with it's people and hope for a better future for them.

I couldn't believe it when I won the book. I had been out with hubby earlier, and told him I was going to spend my birthday book token on this book! Luckily we didn't come across a book shop, because when I got home the book was waiting for me! I've read the authors previous two books and loved them. I can't wait to start but am trying finish a rather good book by Ben Elton first.

In what ways was writing your new book different from writing The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns? Also, what was the trickiest part of The Kite Runner (I could not restrain myself from asking details about the writing process of my beloved book)?

I received the book yesterday and began reading it last night. I loved bot his previous novels but this one is rather heavy going and takes an awful lot of getting into. So far I am disappointed but am prevailing and will post again when I've finished it. Many thanks for sending it to me Gransnet!

my copy arrived yesterday too just as I had finished reading another book...I started it last night...already I find I can't put it down and have found it to be very moving..I will come back when I have finished for questions but may I say a big thankyou for the free copy.

My copy arrived yesterday! Thank you so much Gransnet
I started reading it tonight, and I'm sure it's going to be as wonderful as his previous two books.

No chance of me finishing it before the 7th; I'm a very slow reader but I'll read as much as I can.

Thank you for my copy, it arrived yesterday and I am already entranced with the book, his two previous books were excellent reads and this looks like it will be to
Will try and finish in time for web chat, thanks

Thanks for my copy -delivered yesterday in rain and wind.Felt sorry for postman as it wouldn't go thro' letter box so he had to wait longer.
Quite a tome.-doubt if I will finish before 7th but bad weather is a good reason for staying in.

I've always maintained that art of writing or film making is to make the reader/viewer 'care' what happens to the people in it and I was an emotional wreck by the time I'd finished A Thousand Splendid Suns. Also, unlike Captain Corellis Mandolin [which I love with a passion] I didn't feel let down by the ending. Khaled Hosseinis books reel you in on the first paragraph and keep you enthralled till the last page, which is 'master storytelling' indeed.

Mine thudded onto the doormat this morning. I have managed to read the first fifty pages and am already hooked. I too am grateful for the large print and the wide line spacing. Thank you so much.

I loved Khaled's previous books and felt I knew a bit more about Afghanistan after reading them so I am looking forward to reading my copy of "And the mountains echoed" which came yesterday. Thank you.

My question for Khaled is: Is there any hope of a peaceful and settled democracy in Afghanistan given its history? Will the Taliban seize power again once the current western forces have left?

It is a big book but [I know this sounds a bit pathetic] I don't find it intimidating cause the writing is quite big. I really struggle with small print .

Yes it is a large paperback!...All excited now after reading these reviews of his previous books, this is my first Khaled Hosseini book.

I received my copy today, thank you. I loved his two previous books so am really looking forward to reading g this one.
It is quite a large paperback so I shall have to start it this evening in order to have a question for November 7th. Not that that is a problem!

Oh heck; is it going to make me cry more than A Thousand Splendid Suns? And, is that possible?? But I don't mind . The author takes us and his creations on such wonderful, spiritual journeys. I can't wait to read my copy.

I received my copy today, thank you Gransnet, it was a lovely surprise!

I haven't yet received my copy

I'm a great fan of Khaled Hosseini's writing and have learned a lot (about Afghan culture in particular) from his writing. I'm really looking forward to this Q&A session.