Khaled Hosseini offers a vivid portrait of Afghanistan in “The Kite Runner,” detailing its unique customs and traditions, though the book is tied together by a more intimate tale: the unlikely friendship of two young Afghan boys, Amir and the son of his father’s servant, Hassan. Against the backdrop of the rising Taliban regime, Hosseini weaves a powerful tale of betrayal, redemption, and loss. “The Kite Runner” remains an enduring classic, perhaps more relevant now than ever before.