Fiction Frenzy

For me reading fiction comes and goes. I can go for a couple of years and not read any. But then, that one really special book comes along...the book I just can't put down, not to make dinner, not to run carpool, not to pay bills (kidding)...and I'm on another fiction frenzy.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini started this one. And, in my typical fashion, as soon as I finished it I bolted to the bookstore (the very same day) in search of his second book. A Thousand Splendid Suns was just as consuming.

Both stories are set in Afghanistan of which I barely paid attention to before 9/11 and, honestly, not even so much since. But that's about to change.

And so is my short-lived fiction frenzy.

When I picked up A Thousand Splendid Suns I also grabbed the The Middle East for Dummies. The very last copy on the shelf. Now, you may be embarrassed for me that I so openly admit to owning and to reading this quick fix history book on the Middle East...but, it was the LAST copy. You know what that means, right? Yeah, I'm not the only one who threw their hands up and said, "Okay, you got me...I have no idea what has or is going on. Pleassssssse someone explain it to me." Because I really want to understand.

So there you go. Really great fiction leads right back to the reality of non-fiction. And in more than one way.

The author of those remarkable stories (that have had my kids eating Easy Mac for the last four days) saves a special section in the back of the book to tell of his involvement with UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. You can read more about Khaled Hosseini here.

And if you are looking for a really great summer read, I've just suggested two.

:-)