I didn't remember what month that was, or what year even. I only knew the memory lived in me, a perfectly encapsulated morsel of a good past, a brushstroke of color on the gray, barren canvas that our lives had become.

I think the emancipation of women in Afghanistan has to come from inside, through Afghans themselves, gradually, over time.

My father and I did work for a while at the flea market and there really are rows of Afghans working there, some of whom I am related to.

I may not agree with all or even most of the tribal traditions, but it seems ti me that, out there, people live more authentic lives. They have a sturdiness about them. A refreshing humility. Hospitality too. And resilience. A sense of pride.

Those who saw Kite Runner loved the film, for the most part, people seemed to really like the film.

There [in The Kite Runner] certainly are, as is always the case with fiction, autobiographical elements woven through the narrative.

It is now your duty to hone that talent, because a person who wastes his God-given talents is a donkey.