"loved it, based on reality and very informative"
Yes
based on real events, but fictionalzied
first one i listened to
would have if i could have
"Another wonderful book from the author"
I got completely lost in the book, I was sorry when it ended
yes, I have read all his books and have enjoyed all of them
yes, it was different listening but fun
"Another Hit for Hosseini"
Yes, great book.
Hosseini is a talented writer and story teller. I should have done a character list. Listening to books is different from reading books....
"Great story but hard to follow as an audio book"
I had a hard time following the story on audio book format. After listening to the first 4 chapters on audible, I switched to a paper copy of the book and found that a lot easier to follow. Since the book switches to different vignettes with different characters in different time periods so much, it was hard to know what was happening. This is a shortcoming of the way audio books are read - there are no clues telling you that it is starting a new section or new paragraph, whereas in printed books there are gaps on the page or sometime special separator marks to signal the reader that a new scene is starting. When audio books are recorded, these clues to the reader are not verbalized.
"Author Dared to Take Me To Afganistan; So Glad!"
Listen because unless you grew up with influences from the Middle East, you will likely miss too much by simply reading. Hearing the author's pronunciation and voice inflection transported me to the dessert region when my West Virginia education would have failed to let me follow. Understand why he so loves this hard place. This book teaches empathy and that's a quality we all need.
Not a book for a single sitting, take the 12 chapters in a dozen visits with a brilliant mind.
Like most people, I fear memory loss and it is good to be reminded that it can also be a blessing.
"Disjointed"
I wouldn't recommend this to a friend because the story jumps between time and charator and can be difficut to follow. I was disappointed as I love this author's books in the past I didn't finish the book and went onto another.
The mother (or perhaps the adoptive mother) and the main charactor.
warm, interesting and in charactor.
No
No
"lovely lyrical writing, not an uplifting tale"
If you have read any of his other books, you know that they are not light-hearted romps thru the clover. However. It has been years since I read A thousand splendid suns and kite runner, but i do not remember feeling so down when i finished them.
The language is exquisite, as are his other novels. Unfortunately the narration detracts from the beauty and impact of the words. There are three narrators who voice different parts of the collection. Mr Hosseini himself does a good job, and I must admit it is a breath of fresh air to hear the native pronunciations of the places and names, really the best part of the narration. Ms. Aghdashloo has such a distinctive, smokey voice, it is always a pleasure to listen to. Mr. Negahban's english is exceptional, but I had trouble understanding his narration, rewinding several times. This is my own personal opinion, and not a condemnation of Mr. Nagahban. After all, I speak no second language so have no idea how difficult it must be to master one.
All that being said, it is a wonderfully written book, and I am not disappointed in haivng read/listened to it. Nabi's letter, in particular, I enjoyed very much. The opening storyline, also, was excellent. It is a vivid portrayal of choices and consequences, luck,perseverance, good and bad deeds and finally, human nature. Worth the credit, for sure.
"the tears started at the first chapter"
I adored the narration of this book. I realized that other readers found the accents distracting. But, I felt that it added a lot to the story. Their voices felt genuine and made this already deeply moving book even more so. To me, it was like hearing poetry read vs. reading it to oneself.
It's rare that a book comes along that digs so deeply into your heart. This was a sad, insightful, thought provoking, heart wrenching story about family, loss, aging, rebirth, human connection and human cruelty. It's the kind of book that when it's over you just want to sit and stare into space to let it all sink in.
The thing about this book is that the beauty just never let's up. Each chapter is so beautifully crafted and each character so well developed that it's impossible for me to choose a favorite.
Khaled Housseini's writing is so beautiful that sometimes the sentences themselves just carry you away. It's the kind of book that you want to replay certain paragraphs just to hear them read again, as one would a poem.
"I love all of his books! Great Listen"
Most of the narrators fit the story and did a great job. I love when he reads his own books. While I don't feel this was as powerful as the Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns (Kite Runner my all time fav) This never left me wanting. I Love this author and this book.
"Well. . . ."
Sadly, this has not been my favorite of his books. Good but lacking in the urgency of his other books. Probably more of a literary splash though, due to all the unique voices telling the story.