ABOUT THE URBAN SOALCE BOOK LOVERS' CLUB:

The Urban Solace Book Lovers' Club for started in 2010 as a result of a meet-up of writers whose stories were published in the book "Chicken Soup for the Indian Teachers Soul" inspired by the energy of this experience "The Urban Solace Book Lovers' Club was born. From there it has grown from strength to strength hosting its monthly meet on the second Sunday of every month. Over the years the club has hosted over 50 published authors to discuss their writings, and these writers were the best from Bangalore, India and around the world who have sought us out to experience this dynamic of our club. Today The Urban Solace Book Lovers' Club has a set of loyal supporters and a sterling reputation of being the longest running book club in the city in a cafe setting and is sought after by several writers from Bangalore and across the country to be featured in our experience.

ABOUT THE BOOK: THE KITE RUNNER

The Kite Runner is the first novel by Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini. Published in 2003 by Riverhead Books, it tells the story of Amir, a young boy from the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul. The story is set against a backdrop of tumultuous events, from the fall of Afghanistan's monarchy through the Soviet invasion, the exodus of refugees to Pakistan and the United States, and the rise of the Taliban regime.

Hosseini has commented that he considers The Kite Runner to be a father-son relationship story, emphasizing the familial aspects of the narrative, an element that he continued to use in his later works. Themes of guilt and redemption feature prominently in the novel, with a pivotal scene depicting an act of sexual assault inflicted upon Amir's friend Hassan, which Amir fails to prevent, and which ends their friendship. The latter half of the book centers on Amir's attempts to atone for this transgression by rescuing Hassan's son two decades later.

The Kite Runner became a bestseller after being printed in paperback and was popularized in book clubs. It appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years, with over seven million copies sold in the United States. Reviews were generally positive, though parts of the plot drew significant controversy in Afghanistan. A number of adaptations were created following publication, including a 2007 film of the same name, several stage performances, and a graphic novel. The novel is also available in a multi-CD audiobook read by the author.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: KHALED HOSSEINI

Khaled Hosseini born March 4, 1965) is an Afghan-American novelist, UNHCR goodwill ambassador, and former physician. His debut novel The Kite Runner (2003) was a critical and commercial success; the book and his subsequent novels have all been at least partially set in Afghanistan and have featured an Afghan as the protagonist.

Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, to a diplomat father, Hosseini spent some time living in Iran and France. When Hosseini was 15, his family applied for asylum in the United States, where he later became a naturalized citizen. Hosseini did not return to Afghanistan until 2003 when he was 38, an experience similar to that of the protagonist in The Kite Runner. In later interviews, Hosseini admitted to feeling survivor's guilt for having been able to leave the country prior to the Soviet invasion and subsequent wars.

After graduating from college, Hosseini worked as a physician in California, a situation he likened to "an arranged marriage". The success of The Kite Runner meant he was able to retire from medicine in order to write full-time. His three novels have all reached various levels of critical and commercial success. The Kite Runner spent 101 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list, including three weeks at number one. His second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns (2007), spent 103 weeks on the chart, including 15 at number one while his third novel, And the Mountains Echoed (2013), remained on the chart for 33 weeks. In addition to writing, Hosseini has advocated for the support of refugees, including establishing with the UNHCR the Khaled Hosseini Foundation to support Afghan refugees returning to Afghanistan.

ABOUT THE CURATOR: KALAVATHI RAJ

Kalavathi Raj lives in Bangalore. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Education. Being a former elementary school teacher, Kalavathi quit to pursue writing. She also dabbles into watercoloring and drawing doodles inspired by the green vistas of Karnataka.