A Thousand Splended Suns by Khaled Hosseini

This remarkable story spans three decades in Afghanistan, from the Soviet invasion to more recent post- Taliban days. We get a much closer look and idea of what it is really like to be a woman in this war ravaged country through Mariam and Laila. They form an unbreakable alliance after years of being married to the same brutal man, Rasheed. It is heartrending to see what happened to the women there, with no power to defend or represent themselves for justice and the most basic humanitarian treatment. Often in our own busy lives, we don't give too much thought beyond the quick news blurb or more statistics coming from Afghanistan. This beautiful, yet incredibly sad book shows the hopes, dreams and spirits of these two remarkable women. Their dignity and bravery in the face of such malice and degradation is an inspiration. They care about what women everywhere do- love, protecting their children, and having a purpose and happiness in their lives. 5 stars