Khaled Hosseini (b. 1965, Kabul) is an Afghan-born American novelist, author of the global bestsellers The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. His books have been translated into over 70 languages and sold tens of millions of copies. Hosseini depicts Afghanistan’s fate through intimate stories, blending drama, history, and a deep humanist outlook.
✨ His family fled Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion, and he grew up in the US. 📖 The Kite Runner was rejected multiple times before becoming a bestseller. 🎬 Adapted into a successful 2007 film, with Hosseini consulting on the script. 📚 Also wrote And the Mountains Echoed, a family saga tied to Afghan history. 🌍 His works were the first Afghan novels to gain mass global readership. 🏥 Founded the Khaled Hosseini Foundation to support refugees and war victims. 💡 Worked as a practising physician before turning to writing. 🖋 Says he “doesn’t invent stories but lets characters lead him.” 🎤 Serves as a UNHCR goodwill ambassador. 😅 Funny fact: his wife, first reader of The Kite Runner, said “this isn’t a novel, it’s life.” 🤔 Curious note: even after his debut’s success, he kept working as a doctor, doubting writing could sustain him.