tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post7447582900629418047..comments2024-03-27T14:57:37.031+05:30Comments on Jabberwock: Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid SunsJabberwockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-10860222436372739452015-05-15T21:59:33.229+05:302015-05-15T21:59:33.229+05:30The majority of this book is sad and depressing. I...The majority of this book is sad and depressing. Ironically, I do not like sad books or sad movies but I have to admit that this book was the exception. When I finished reading the book I remember shutting it and saying to myself out loud, "Wow, that was a great book!" I really enjoyed it and once again, I am already waiting for his next book.<br /><br />Mica<br /><a href="http://popdust.com/2015/04/10/myfeed/online-dating-reviews-best-worst-experiences-plenty-of-fish/" rel="nofollow">Reviews Plenty of Fish</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00118707550077647899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-26520944368409949912012-02-08T13:27:20.241+05:302012-02-08T13:27:20.241+05:30A Thousand Splendid Suns is the type of book that ...A Thousand Splendid Suns is the type of book that will make you cherish the simplest pleasures that your life contains. It makes you see how love, friendship, and hope can help you overcome even the most devastating times! Read this book and you will gain a new appreciation for the slightest comforts you have in your everyday life!UKhttp://honest4goodness.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-2404546132488242432008-05-25T08:56:00.000+05:302008-05-25T08:56:00.000+05:30Hi Jai, About "the Kite Runner". I was delighted w...Hi Jai, <BR/>About "the Kite Runner". I was delighted with the first two hundred odd pages and then I found that it was pandering to the Western audience by getting into the politically correct position on Afghanistan. Somehow all that politics and social observations just didn't go with the plot and seemed to be an artificial device to distract from the main story. It wasn't woven into the story as good books do, but rather once they book moved to the USA it seemed to lose its power, and the return to Afghanistan was even more disastrous. <BR/><BR/>Yet, despite all this, I found the book worthwhile and you might see why from my review of this book on sulekha: <BR/><BR/>http://lata-jagtiani.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/05/the-kite-runner-by-khaled-hosseini.htm<BR/><BR/>Meanwhile I am glad I chanced upon your blog today, will check it out more thoroughly over time.<BR/>Cheers<BR/>Lata JagtianiLATA JAGTIANIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14889491308963520023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-66829981780328949472007-10-22T14:54:00.000+05:302007-10-22T14:54:00.000+05:30Anyway, for those interested, I have my review on ...Anyway, for those interested, I have my review on sandyi.blogspot.comSandhya Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14447589463166718231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-91241644013337513042007-10-22T13:49:00.000+05:302007-10-22T13:49:00.000+05:30ummm....nice discussion on The Kite Runner.I got t...ummm....nice discussion on The Kite Runner.<BR/>I got to agree partially with Falstaff, when he says this is a trite, ludicrous piece of work. <BR/>But I still don't hate it as much as he does. I enjoyed the first 100 pages, though this is again a 'set up' narrative. <BR/>The second half, of course, is distasteful to the extreme, in its totally manipulated plot points.<BR/><BR/>So no doubt, from the critical standpoint, I wouldn't rate this Hosseni book highly at all. But again, you know, Kite Runner is like your standard Bollywood potboiler, with too many bizarre twists and turns and heightened melodrama. It's got its market and these are inoffensive if viewed in a purely non intellectual sort of way.<BR/>There's only a problem when people read its monstrous commercial success as an emphatic proof of its critical worth.<BR/><BR/>And also again, as Jabberwock says, "If the book can hold attention of the casual reader, perhaps serve as a stepping stone for him to move to better things (or not, for that matter)."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-23813303795617932402007-10-18T11:14:00.000+05:302007-10-18T11:14:00.000+05:30Agree with Anon on the last comment. Every time I ...Agree with Anon on the last comment. Every time I read Falstaff, I inevitably end up doing a "here-he-goes-again" eye-roll. Not because he doesn't have talent (he does) but his observations are always so predictably pretentious and brimming with self-importance. Maybe if he kept his ego in check and stopped believing that he is the ultimate authority on all things literary, his criticisms might actually hold some weight.<BR/><BR/>"Why read Hosseini when you can read, say, Jon McGregor, or DY Bechard." That's exactly the kind of pompous line that annoys me. To each his own, Falstaff. Not everyone needs/wants to read or listen to classical text/music to derive enjoyment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-35883851718887054622007-10-09T22:33:00.000+05:302007-10-09T22:33:00.000+05:30How many books has Falstaff written? It's so easy...How many books has Falstaff written? It's so easy to be critical, isn't it? <BR/><BR/>After my experience in English Literature graduate programs, I find that while overly critical people think they are so smart, their eagerness to find fault rarely coincides with intelligence. <BR/><BR/>Even an idiot can scream and scream and stomp his feet. Please spare everyone the unending torment and give other people space and respect for their opinions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-68057832834136343142007-06-27T17:36:00.000+05:302007-06-27T17:36:00.000+05:30Who is Khaled Hosseini?Who is Khaled Hosseini?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-24444752148239721292007-06-24T13:13:00.000+05:302007-06-24T13:13:00.000+05:30I feel like being pompous and saying: Thank you Ja...I feel like being pompous and saying: Thank you Jai, Falstaff and the rest for a most interesting discussion.akhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15385267278249934192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-42204525024078382592007-06-21T15:41:00.000+05:302007-06-21T15:41:00.000+05:30Sej: I got all of that all along. The point is thi...Sej: I got all of that all along. The point is this beautiful line of yours is crap. Read it: "for the first time, Laila experienced the strangest feeling of telling a lie that was actually the truth...". What does that mean, anyway? It's the kind of thing that a clueless writer says when he wants to sound deep. <BR/><BR/>I have no problem with your having a different opinion. I'm just saying your taste in lines is terrible. You're the one who is "outraged" by that.Falstaffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09791162324919462038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-6670175160457757852007-06-21T10:00:00.000+05:302007-06-21T10:00:00.000+05:30(Sigh)...Okay, here goes... one last post, for old...(Sigh)...<BR/>Okay, here goes... one last post, for old time's sake. <BR/><BR/>Dude, calm down. Let me show you some stuff from my first post, since you don't seem to understand when someone is partially agreeing with you AND AT THE SAME TIME has done you the disservice of having a slightly different opinion. <BR/><BR/>1)"I agree with most of the accusations thrown at Hosseni in this forum"... and that includes the fact that he DOES NOT write particularly well. I am sorry for not making that clearer, did not anticipate mad attack in open forum. <BR/><BR/>2)BUT the thing is, I am a sucker for a beautifully worded line. And I found many of them IN KITE RUNNER... enough to FORGIVE him for the MELODRAMA that he unleashes towards the end... <BR/>Plus AND MINUS.<BR/><BR/>3) Yes, take Hosseni out of a third world scenario and he might not come up with anything anyone would want to read... <BR/><BR/>3)His second book DISAPPOINTS...<BR/><BR/>4)I usually, find something nice about each book I read, unless it's total crap, but I wouldn't nec recommend it. I am NOT overwhelmed by A thousand splendid suns... and would not recommend it...<BR/><BR/>Okay, now, having said ALL that...again, yes, Hosseni is NOT a great writer. He manipulates. DESPITE this knowledge, I found LOTS of things in his book, more in KR than the second, to take away. <BR/><BR/>I am sorry for having a contradictory opinion. I apologise for liking lines that at some level, made an emotional connect. No outrage taken. <BR/><BR/>And jai, am sorry to take up so much space in this forum. I anticipate a no-holds barred reply to this, but am done. Promise. <BR/>Bye and best. :)Mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18114615509062749743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-36165115944654555942007-06-21T09:33:00.000+05:302007-06-21T09:33:00.000+05:30Okay, peace! Tough love is hard to resist...Okay, peace! Tough love is hard to resist...Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-53168756579682158042007-06-20T21:55:00.000+05:302007-06-20T21:55:00.000+05:30Jai: "Instead, I'll point out that it feels strang...Jai: "Instead, I'll point out that it feels strange to have written a blog with hundreds of long posts on books and films (with careful explanations of what I liked about them) and to then be accused of "simply stating my opinion and claiming I'm entitled to have it"."<BR/><BR/>ah, but that's why I was disappointed - because it's so unlike you to be unwilling to engage in a discussion and just cop-out by saying things like "i don't have the energy levels" and "throwing in the towel is the more heroic option". It wasn't meant to be a larger personal comment (and I apologize if that's how it came across) just an observation specific to this post. I wouldn't be bothering to "swamp you with words" if I didn't think you were open to / capable of sensible discussion. Think of it as a kind of tough love. :-).Falstaffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09791162324919462038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-72312305083574213842007-06-20T20:57:00.000+05:302007-06-20T20:57:00.000+05:30And I'm disappointed. I expected more from you.Dud...<I>And I'm disappointed. I expected more from you.</I><BR/><BR/>Dude, that's your problem, not mine, and I hope you get over the disappointment soon. Read some poetry. Lift some barbells. Write a long post. Whatever works.<BR/><BR/>The "What makes civilization civilisation" bit makes me want to say something very sarcastic, but I'll refrain. (Was the spelling of the first "civilization" in the US style and the second in the Brit style deliberate, btw? Clever.) Instead, I'll point out that it feels strange to have written a blog with hundreds of long posts on books and films (with careful explanations of what I liked about them) and to then be accused of "simply stating my opinion and claiming I'm entitled to have it". Do read my earlier comment properly.<BR/><BR/>And *deep breath* much as I'm disinclined to pick on another specific point and thus extend this commentfest, here's one. You ask <I>How deep a cave would you have to live in to not have come across an endless stream of articles and news stories talking about the Taliban?</I><BR/><BR/>I sympathize with this to an extent, since I felt much the same way when (for instance) some people I know were "deeply moved" and "inspired to think" by Aishwarya Rai's banal speech at the end of <I>Provoked</I> - where she essentially tells all women everywhere not to take abuse lying down and to stand up for their rights. To me, the horrifying question was: did they really need <I>this</I> film with <I>this</I> script to bring them to such an obvious conclusion? Had it never occurred to them before that domestic abuse is unacceptable?<BR/><BR/>But (and this may simply be a reflection of the circles I move in, the people I know, etc) it's much easier for me to accept that many people <I>do</I> in fact live in a cave when it comes to exposure to articles/indepth features about life in Afghanistan. And that, regardless of your dogmatic insistence on the in-authenticity of Hosseini's writing, his books have at least opened a small window for such readers (perhaps eventually helping those of them who are interested enough to go a bit further and read more authentic writing about the country).<BR/><BR/>I'm sorely tempted to comment on this obsession you have with driving your point/point of view home by swamping everyone else in words, but I won't because it'll get too personal. And we don't want that, do we - because then civilisation won't be civilisation anymore. Or something.Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-91865830450274629462007-06-20T19:18:00.000+05:302007-06-20T19:18:00.000+05:30Jai: Yes, it is a cop-out. And I'm disappointed. I...Jai: Yes, it is a cop-out. And I'm disappointed. I expected more from you. What makes civilization civilisation is that instead of simply stating their opinions and claiming that they're entitled to have them, people are willing to discuss and defend their points of view. Which is why it's irrelevant whether you could or could not convince me, it only matters whether you're willing to try.<BR/><BR/>There's probably no point to this and I should probably stop, but for the last time - this is not about whether The Kite Runner is great literature - it's obviously not. It's about whether the book has any merit whatsoever - I'm not saying it's "not a great book", I'm saying it's a crap book that no one with any respect for their intelligence or access to a decent newspaper should bother reading. <BR/><BR/>What is the merit of this book? Your post acknowledges how terrible the writing was. You suggest that the book was worth reading because of the reality it portrayed. But do we have any reason to believe that the reality it portrayed was remotely authentic? Certainly the story was ludicrous - the plot was riddled with logical inconsistencies, fraught with cheap sentimentality and improbable coincidences, and engaged in the kind of melodramatic heroics one associates with bad Hindi films. Plus it was almost nauseatingly predictable. And the little that it did describe Afghanistan under the Taliban, didn't provide any fresh insights or tell me anything I didn't already know or hadn't already imagined, nothing I couldn't have got from a combination of the daily newspaper, James Clavell novels and / or Harrison Ford films. I'm not sure Hosseini even needed to visit Taliban-ruled Afghanistan to write that book, if he did at all. So how is his portrayal of Afghanistan valuable? What is unique about it and why do you think it's authentic? I'd genuinely like to know. <BR/><BR/>Nor is it exactly the case that he was writing about a particularly marginal or ignored group of people. How deep a cave would you have to live in to not have come across an endless stream of articles and news stories talking about the Taliban? If he'd been writing about, say, the plight of some obscure tribe in the Pacific who no one would otherwise ever had heard of, I might be more lenient on the whole "he's bringing these things to people's attention" argument - though I'd still think it was the proper preserve of non-fiction. But could he have picked a more obvious tear-jerker of a country than Afghanistan? <BR/><BR/>(Oh, and I didn't think you thought the writing was particularly good. My repeated comments about the bad quality of his writing are more for the other commenters who were talking about "his great lines" - yes, Sej, this means you - feel free to be outraged some more.)Falstaffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09791162324919462038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-88202775217945949022007-06-20T14:22:00.000+05:302007-06-20T14:22:00.000+05:30Hi, Was initially outraged at being referred to so...Hi, <BR/>Was initially outraged at being referred to someone who likes faux-poetic stuff. But then, read that you're throwing in the towel. Here's mine too. For the same reasons. Fun while it lasted tho.Mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18114615509062749743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-35075119391384917152007-06-19T20:02:00.000+05:302007-06-19T20:02:00.000+05:30And ya, I'm completely aware that the previous com...And ya, I'm completely aware that the previous comment is a cop-out. Chicken-wock!Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-80246843882901178372007-06-19T19:59:00.000+05:302007-06-19T19:59:00.000+05:30I'm perfectly willing to be convinced that I'm doi...<I>I'm perfectly willing to be convinced that I'm doing Hosseini a disservice...</I><BR/><BR/>See, here we come to the gist of the misunderstanding: I'm not trying to "convince" you of anything. I'm perfectly happy if we stay in our respective corners scowling at each other until FSM stubs us both out. I seriously doubt I'd be able to "convince" you anyway; if I tried, I'd be immediately swamped by a 1000-word comment explaining why each of my arguments is flawed, and I simply don't have the energy levels to deal with that sort of thing. (This would be true most times, but it's especially true these days - I have more important things going on in my life than the struggle to understand/appreciate how Genuine Art can transcend such petty things as "popular emotional response".) So throwing in the towel is always the more heroic option. (Unfortunately, this doesn't mean I'll stop blogging anytime soon. Too self-important for that.)<BR/><BR/><B>P.S.</B> W.r.f to "what exactly do you like about his writing" - check the post again, you'll find at least part of the answer there. (And one last time, if it matters: I don't think the guy is a Great Writer or an original one. But it should be possible to discuss books outside those fences.)Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-22870101815836742612007-06-19T18:45:00.000+05:302007-06-19T18:45:00.000+05:30jai: Who said these discussions were meant to add ...jai: Who said these discussions were meant to add up to anything? :-). <BR/><BR/>Though, actually, I feel like we're making progress on this one. My initial understanding of your argument was that since Hosseini's books strike an emotional chord with people, this makes him a good writer - a point of view I clearly disagree with. <BR/><BR/>From your last comment, however, it sounds like you're saying you think his writing has genuine merit (unlike, say, the writing of Coelho). Now there's something I'd love to hear more about - what, exactly, do you like about his writing (and please tell me it isn't faux-poetic lines like "Laila experienced the strangest feeling of telling a lie that was actually the truth" - yech!). I'm perfectly willing to be convinced that I'm doing Hosseini a disservice and that he is actually a talented and original writer, capable of quality prose, cogent storylines, or characters with depth. Just as long as we're clear that popular emotional response isn't, by itself, evidence of anything. <BR/><BR/>And I'm not just being difficult, really. I'm genuinely curious to know.Falstaffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09791162324919462038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-48695175140622568752007-06-19T13:41:00.000+05:302007-06-19T13:41:00.000+05:30Space Bar: there's obviously a lot that can be sai...Space Bar: there's obviously a lot that can be said on this topic, but part of the point is simply that I don't agree with your (and Falstaff's) assessment of Hosseini's writing. About the other writers you mention...I haven't yet succeeded in taking Coelho to heart (despite my attempts to find something good in every book) but I enjoyed <I>The Da Vinci Code</I> enormously for what it was (a heck of a good page-turner) - and while I wouldn't ever want to reread it, I'm not going to deny that initial enjoyment just because it's become an undeserved publishing phenomenon or because P3Ps sing its praises.<BR/><BR/>See what I mean about none of these discussions ever really adding up to anything?Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-2273287709704871372007-06-19T05:20:00.000+05:302007-06-19T05:20:00.000+05:30Haven't read the book but several comments here ma...Haven't read the book but several comments here make me want to.<BR/>It seems to have gathered many emotional responses, esp. at Amazon.com. In particular, this one was quite emotional-<BR/>"I am so removed from the situations and characters in your books. I am a white gay male that lives in the Midwest of the United States. Yet, I have rarely been so moved by characters in a book, both "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns". I was moved to tears, big sobbing tears, in the middle of a packed coffee shop as I finished reading "Suns". I drove home after, still crying, and cried for about an hour after arriving home."<BR/><BR/>Since time in life is limited, as is life-how many commentators here will care to recommend this book?<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>http://libertynewscentral.blogspot.com/Gurmeethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13280972685660325099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-44386104240237066922007-06-15T14:59:00.000+05:302007-06-15T14:59:00.000+05:30I liked Kite Runner. Actually, I loved it. I loved...I liked Kite Runner. Actually, I loved it. I loved it despite the knowledge that at some parts, I was being manipulated. I agree with most of the accusations thrown at Hosseni in this forum, but the thing is, I am a sucker for a beautifully worded line. And I found many of them in Kite Runner... enough to forgive him for the melodrama that he unleashes towards the end. "For you a thousand times over", I confess, slightly sheepishly, made me cry. Yes, take Hosseni out of a third world scenario and he might not come up with anything anyone would want to read, though I do think that he does understand relationships better than Mills & Boons. I have read just of those horrors in my entire life, and well, there's no contest there. His second book disappoints, because like you say, he nudges you feel emotion, to cry... and you resent that. Just like a Karan Johar film, where subtlety is an alien concept (though I don't think this book is like a Karan Johar film any more than I think it's an M&B). But even here, I stumbled over more than a few great lines... "and for the first time, Laila experienced the strangest feeling of telling a lie that was actually the truth..." or something to that effect. I usually, find something nice about each book I read, unless it's total crap, but I wouldn't nec recommend it. I am not overwhelmed by A thousand splendid suns... and would not recommend it. But Kite Runner? Yes, in a heartbeat.Mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18114615509062749743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-34892765425257456832007-06-15T01:04:00.000+05:302007-06-15T01:04:00.000+05:30Just finished the book last night. Saw the post ye...Just finished the book last night. Saw the post yesterday but refrained from reading it because i wanted to form my own opinion. I will agree with you on most points though.<BR/><BR/>While it is difficult (and unfair to the author) to pick one book over the other, i think I will probably rate "The Kite Runner" a notch above this one. It could be primarily due to unreasonably high expectations after reading "the kite runner" or the feeling that the author was trying a little too hard to cater to the wide (western) audience in this book. He was obviously aware of the burden of expectations that he carried.<BR/><BR/>All said and done, both books are wonderful when considered in isolation. I do agree that the author has grown as a writer with this book. Looking forward to the next book :-)tintinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02130285193132049074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-57361462363451327142007-06-14T09:10:00.000+05:302007-06-14T09:10:00.000+05:30I'm going to be one of annoying people who agree m...I'm going to be one of annoying people who agree madly with everybody: Jai, as you know, I have no problem reading low-brow stuff, and I admire your ability to find something good in every book. But I also agree with Falstaff when he says that this is terrible tripe - the kind of writing that Brown, Coelho and Hosseini do.<BR/><BR/>That said, I think one fruitful way of approaching this whole question of 'literature' vs. trash - without attempting to create a canon - is to acknowledge that as a reader, you can always approach any work with a level of intelligence that the work may or may not match.<BR/><BR/>So even if a piece of work is crap, with stock characters, Hallmark Card dialogue and the most barf-inducing seniments drenching every page, it is still worth studying as, at the very least, a phenomenon. Or as a representation of aspirations, of what an author thinks people want to read. In effect, you could read badly written novels for subtext, and that would still be a good enough experince. <BR/><BR/>On the other hand, these days if a book doesn't absorb me, I abandon it. Depends on what kind of a mood I'm in.<BR/><BR/>Guess I sat on the fence with great firmness and conviction!Space Barhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08251329008160756254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-60516122677813170072007-06-13T22:12:00.000+05:302007-06-13T22:12:00.000+05:30Ow, ow! I admit defeat.Ow, ow! I admit defeat.Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.com