A Thousand Splendid Suns by Jasmine

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Jasmine - July 2013 Scholarship Essay

In high school, we had a choice reading list, where we had to read a book and present it to the whole class. I think the teacher just wanted to give the class an insight into many different forms and types of literature that he knew 90% of us would never read. Frankly, I never really finished any of the books--I was too cool for that in high school (too bad that doesn't work for me anymore in college). Anyway, this time around, I chose A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini. I do not think there are enough words in the English language to express the roller coaster of emotions this book took me on. Since then I've read it three or four more times, each time just as heartbreaking. I cannot tell you if it was the writing, or just the complexity of the story itself that drew me in so deeply, but every page riveted every bit of my emotion. It is a story of brokenness and betrayal, along with true love and loyalty. A Thousand Splendid Suns changed the way I look at the world. It gave me sympathy for women in less fortunate countries, and made me wholly thankful to be a woman in the United States of America. Such strength comes from such brokenness, and I pray to one day be even half as strong as the characters portrayed in this book.