written: Nov. 7, 2007

 

The Kite Runner by Khalid Husseini is the kind of book you read and then spend several months trying to get everyone else you know to read it too. It's the kind of book that stays with you a long time. I've done my share of recommending it to people. I got my mother to check it out of the library and she loved it so much, she got my father to read it. He never reads books, so this, you see, is quite a novel. (If you've already read it, please follow up with Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns).

 

I had the pleasure of inviting several hundred KMOX listeners to be among the first to see the movie version of "The Kite Runner." It's expected to hit theaters some time before Christmas. Reading the book first is not required, but the movie is in Farsi with English subtitles, so if you can't read,I wouldn't recommend it! The director, Marc Forster, wanted the movie to be faithful to the book and felt if the actors (many Afghans along with Iranians and an Egyptian) were speaking English with silly accents, it would take away from the authenticity. It was a gamble, but I applaud him for the decision. The movie is faithful to the book, really bringing it to life, and the Afghan boys who play Amir and Sohrab are excellent.

 

My friend, Qayum Mohammad of Sameem Afghan Restaurant (www.sameemafghanrestaurants.com), was invited to the screening. He is from Kabul, Afghanistan, and I am sure this is the first Hollywood movie he's seen about his homeland since coming to the U.S. This week, I had the pleasure of meeting Hamayoun Ershadi, the Iranian actor who plays Baba in the movie. He was very gracious and a little wistful that he would not have time to eat at Sameem before heading off the Kansas City. He said one of the great things about the movie was the spreads of delicious Afghan food! That interview with Mr. Ershadi will run on Total Information AM closer to the release date of the movie.

 

Which did I like more? I just won't decide. I say BOTH.