Hizār Khurshīd-i Tābān: Persian 1403

Mariam was only fifteen when sent to Kabul to marry the troubled and bitter Rasheed, who was thirty years her senior. Nearly two decades later, in a climate of growing unrest, tragedy strikes fifteen-year-old Laila, who must leave her home and join Mariam's unhappy household. Laila and Mariam are to find consolation in each other, their friendship to grow as deep as the bond between sisters, as strong as the ties between mother and daughter. With time comes Taliban rule over Afghanistan, the streets of Kabul loud with the sound of gunfire and bombs, life a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality, and fear, the women's endurance tested beyond their worst imaginings. Yet love can move people to act unexpectedly, leading them to overcome the most daunting obstacles with startling heroism. In the end, it is love that triumphs over death and destruction. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is a portrait of a wounded country and a story of family and friendship, of an unforgiving time, an unlikely bond, and an indestructible love.