Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of child sexual abuse, rape, and graphic violence.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The Kite Runner was Khaled Hosseini’s first novel. If you have read any other of his books, how does it compare to later novels like A Thousand Splendid Suns or And The Mountains Echoed? Did anything about the book strike you as typical of a first-time author?

2. How familiar were you with Afghan history and culture prior to reading the novel? Did anything about the novel surprise you or challenge preconceptions you may have held about Afghanistan and Afghani people?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The character of Baba hides the reality that Hassan and Amir are half-brothers. Why does he do so, and is his decision justified? Have you ever felt that you had to keep a significant secret, and if so, why?

2. Amir desperately craves his father’s love and approval, which leads him to at times feel jealous of Baba’s affection for Hassan.