tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082470.post6267087964311403477..comments2024-03-28T22:51:28.222+05:30Comments on The Middle Stage: On Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid SunsChandrahashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07483080477755487202noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082470.post-67760742510853479202012-02-08T13:59:43.635+05:302012-02-08T13:59:43.635+05:30A Thousand Splendid Suns is a straightforward, riv...A Thousand Splendid Suns is a straightforward, riveting, and at times unflinching fortrayal of the grim lives some Afghani women lead. For these characters, disappointment, pain, and heartache are around every corner. I finished the book knowing more about the recent political history of Afghanistan and appreciating all the blessings I have by the providence of where I was born. This book strongly reminded me of Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See in that it exposes the very private world of women living in a rigid, oppressive society. Husseini gives a voice to those who may never have felt worthy to be heard.Portugalhttp://failure4life.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082470.post-76982554380570998912007-07-26T20:04:00.000+05:302007-07-26T20:04:00.000+05:30Chandrahas bhai, I agree with some of your cristic...Chandrahas bhai, I agree with some of your cristicisms at the technical level, but I think that misses point of Hosseini's craft. Hosseini is the most fetted writer s in the US these days, with more than a few jokes revolving around an archetypal character who has actually not managed to read "The Kite Runner" (picture an American Mulla Nasruddin). Hosseini, I think, proves that Americans are simply fans of Bollywood by any other name.<BR/><BR/>"A Thousand Splendid Suns" is a simple, classic story that serves first and foremost as a catalyst to bring the Afghan experience to the consciousness of the West without an excess of either guilt or happy endings. The simplistic portrayal of Rashid doesn't make since at a literary level, but he really is a great represent of many men (both good and bad) whom I've met in Afghanistan, and, at the end of the day, his motives, failings and inconsistencies are well represented. We don't know a lot about him--a problem in a society that is often over secretive. We find out that his son drowned because Rashid was drunk, but reading between the lines this could be the result of him not having an outlet to mourn the death of his wife, which is a very accute cultural phenomenon.Scott Bohlingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16421289031251633045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082470.post-41834791211601026412007-06-07T10:51:00.000+05:302007-06-07T10:51:00.000+05:30Dear Amitava - Before we train our guns we must fi...Dear Amitava - Before we train our guns we must first, I think, we must settle on what kind of alarm bells we are talking about. I was actually thinking of the fire-engine variety, which leads to one sort of meaning (too much crisis) and I think you are talking of the alarm-clock variety, which is another good metaphor but leading to a different meaning (too much contrivance). <BR/><BR/>I think both charges may be true, in which case we have just inaugurated the Alarm Bell school of criticism, which even with its severe limitations offers a two-pronged approach, fully one prong more than Deconstruction, New Historicism, and Neo-Marxism. <BR/><BR/>Let me waste no time in offering you my congratulations, O brother in arms and bells! Now when are you putting together The Alarm Bell Reader for your students?<BR/><BR/>As for an analysis of the amazing popularity of Hosseini - why, I fully agree with all those reasons you advanced the last time you were here. Only I forgot to take notes, and so must confess that I don't want to take any chances with repeating them here (as, for all we know, even Plato's writing up of what Socrates said is all misrepresentation). You just write up those points on your blog tomorrow, and I'll be the first one to leave a comment saying I couldn't agree more - I might even add some remarks original to me.Chandrahashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07483080477755487202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082470.post-14849861975042700942007-06-06T23:10:00.000+05:302007-06-06T23:10:00.000+05:30"His chapter endings are like an archive of narrat..."His chapter endings are like an archive of narrative alarm bells."<BR/><BR/>No, boss, I disagree. Nothing as dense as an archive in Mr Hosseini's writing. If we indeed use this simile, each chapter ending is like a tinny alarm bell going off at the hour it was set at the very beginning of the book.<BR/><BR/>(Having said that, I'm much in agreement with the modest praise. What I'd have appreciated more, however, is a quick analysis of the amazing popularity.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com