1000 Splendid Suns

Every now and then I read a book that makes me think. Educates me. This is by choice, as I choose to keep my reading light-hearted and trashy. The violence and brutality that I see and hear of is enough to keep me up at night, add an authors brilliant writing and I am sure to wake up with puffy, red eyes. However, my Mother dropped of a book with a sticky note on top. It read, "Ali, read this. Start it today." So I did. And one chapter into Khaled Hosseini's, 1000 Splendid Suns, I knew I was in for gut-wrenching experience. This book follows the lives of two generations of Afghan women over 3o years, through the Soviet invasion, the reign of the Taliban and the rebuilding that followed. I don't think that I can put into words how I felt reading it and for days following. The brutality of men, the strength of women, the resiliency of children, and hidden all throughout, the compassion found in surprising places. Like I said, I struggle with how educated I really want to be sometimes, but came away from this book with a greater respect for my country, our leadership and the people who need our help being liberated. If you have some time (you won't need much, you won't be able to put it down), I recommend this book. And I warned you, it will tear at your heart strings, but you will walk away (or run, like I did) a better person for having read it. Then go pick up some trashy, chick-literature to chase the blues away.