The rope that pulls you from the flood can become a noose around your neck.

The bulk of our efforts [in The Khaled Hosseini Foundation] has focused on helping build permanent shelters for returning refugees who are homeless, living out in the open or in makeshift homes. This is an area of urgent need as Afghanistan's natural elements are quite harsh, with very hot summers, and freezing winters.

For courage, there must be something at stake. I come here with nothing to lose.

Nothing wrong with cowardice as long as it comes with prudence. But when a coward stops remembering who he is... God help him.

The warlords took part in atrocities during the civil war in Afghanistan. They looted, they raped, they killed. They have become incredibly empowered and entrenched. They live in mansions, they have jobs in the government, and they're incredibly powerful. In Kabul, people don't want to speak about it too publicly, because these people are essentially like Tony Soprano.

All my life, she gave to me a shovel and said, Fill these holes inside of me, Pari.

It's wrong to hurt even bad people. Because they don't know any better, and because bad people sometimes become good.