Khaled Hosseini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Khaled Hosseini
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Hosseini in 2013
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| Native name |
خالد حسینی
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| Born | Khaled Hosseini March 4, 1965 Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Occupation | Novelist, physician |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Education |
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| Period | 2003–present (as an author) |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Notable works | The Kite Runner A Thousand Splendid Suns |
| Spouse | Roya Hosseini |
Khaled Hosseini (born March 4, 1965) is a famous Afghan-American writer. He is also a special ambassador for the UNHCR, which helps people who have had to leave their homes. Before becoming a full-time author, he was a doctor.
His first book, The Kite Runner (2003), was a huge success. All his novels are partly set in Afghanistan and feature an Afghan main character. Hosseini's books have helped many people learn about Afghanistan's culture and its people.
Khaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. His father was a diplomat, so the family lived in Iran and France for a short time. When Khaled was 15, his family moved to the United States and became citizens there. He did not return to Afghanistan until 2003, when he was 38 years old. This experience was similar to the main character in The Kite Runner. Hosseini later shared that he felt a bit guilty for being able to leave Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion and later wars began.
After college, Hosseini worked as a doctor in California for over ten years. When The Kite Runner became very popular, he was able to stop practicing medicine and focus on writing. His books have been very successful. The Kite Runner was on The New York Times Best Seller list for 101 weeks! His second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns (2007), was on the list for 103 weeks. His third novel, And the Mountains Echoed (2013), was also a bestseller. Besides writing, Hosseini works to help refugees. He even started the Khaled Hosseini Foundation with the UNHCR to support Afghan refugees.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Afghanistan
Khaled Hosseini was born on March 4, 1965, in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was the oldest of five children. His father, Nasser, worked as a diplomat for the government. His mother was a teacher. Both of his parents came from the city of Herat. Hosseini has said that he has both Pashtun and Tajik family roots.
He remembers his childhood as comfortable and happy. He spent eight years in a nice neighborhood in Kabul. He recalls Kabul as a "growing, thriving, cosmopolitan city" where he often flew kites with his cousins.
Moving Abroad
In 1970, when Khaled was five, his family moved to Iran because his father worked at the Afghan Embassy in Tehran. They returned to Kabul in 1973.
In 1976, when Khaled was 11, his father got a job in Paris, France, and the family moved there. They could not return to Afghanistan after 1978 because of a big political change called the Saur Revolution. In 1980, after the Soviet–Afghan War started, his family asked for political asylum in the United States. They settled in San Jose, California. When Hosseini first arrived in the U.S. at age 15, he could not speak English. He described it as a "culture shock" and felt very new to everything.
Even though they were far away, the family heard sad news about friends and relatives in Afghanistan. Many people were arrested, killed, or disappeared. This made a big impact on Hosseini and his family.
School and Becoming a Doctor
Hosseini finished high school in San Jose in 1984. He then went to Santa Clara University and earned a degree in biology in 1988. The next year, he started medical school at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, graduating in 1993. He completed his medical training in 1997. He worked as a doctor for more than ten years, even after his first book was published.
Writing Career
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His Famous Novels
In 2003, Hosseini published his first novel, The Kite Runner. It tells the story of a young boy named Amir who tries to connect with his father and deal with a difficult childhood event. The story takes place in Afghanistan and also in the San Francisco Bay Area. This book was the best-selling novel in the United States in 2005. Hosseini also read the audio version of the book himself. The Kite Runner was made into a movie in 2007. Hosseini even had a small part in the movie!
His second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, came out in 2007. This story is also set in Afghanistan. It explores similar themes to his first book but from the point of view of two women, Mariam and Laila. Their lives become linked after Mariam's husband marries Laila. The story covers 30 years of Afghanistan's history, from Soviet control to the Taliban and beyond. This book was also made into an audiobook and its movie rights were bought.
Hosseini's third novel, And the Mountains Echoed, was released in 2013. Before it came out, Hosseini said he is always drawn to family stories. He explained that his new book is about brothers and sisters and how they love, hurt, betray, honor, and sacrifice for each other.
Helping Refugees with UNHCR
Khaled Hosseini is a Goodwill Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He works with the Khaled Hosseini Foundation to provide help in Afghanistan. He was inspired to start the foundation after visiting Afghanistan with UNHCR in 2007. The organization raises money to build homes for refugees returning to Afghanistan.
In 2018, Hosseini released an illustrated short story called Sea Prayer. He wrote it after hearing about a three-year-old refugee boy, Alan Kurdi, who drowned trying to reach Europe. The money from this book helps the UNHCR and the Khaled Hosseini Foundation.
What Inspired Him
When he was a child, Hosseini loved reading Persian poetry. He enjoyed the works of famous poets like Rumi and Hafez. He also mentioned that a Persian translation of Jack London's White Fang was very important to him when he was young. He also enjoyed translations of Alice in Wonderland.
He also loves the music of Afghan singer Ahmad Zahir. Hosseini calls Zahir "the Afghan Elvis." He says Zahir's music is one of his most important memories from his time in Afghanistan.
Personal Life
Khaled Hosseini is married to Roya, and they have two children. They live in Northern California. He can speak Persian and Pashto fluently. He has described himself as a Muslim who respects his faith. In 2022, Hosseini shared on social media that his 21-year-old child had come out as transgender.
Awards and Recognitions
Khaled Hosseini has received several awards for his work:
- In 2008, he received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.
- In 2014, he received the John Steinbeck Award from San Jose State University.
His books have also won many awards:
- The Kite Runner won the Exclusive Books Boeke Prize in 2004.
- A Thousand Splendid Suns won the California Book Award for Fiction (Silver Medal) in 2007. It also won the British Book Award for Richard & Judy Best Read of the Year and the Book Sense Book of the Year Award for Adult Fiction in 2008.
- And the Mountains Echoed won the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction in 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Khaled Hosseini para niños
- List of best-selling fiction authors
