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# Citywide Reads Picks Khaled Hosseini's 'The Kite Runner' for Santa Monica
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/051005-story-20050510-2/
- Published: 2005-05-10T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:01:27.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Community, Santa Monica, #archive-import

Set in Afghanistan and California over a period of three decades, the novel tells the story of the relationship between two boys and the complicated father-son relationship. The first Afghan novel to be written in English, the book includes an examination of the turbulent, recent history of Afghanistan.

Citywide Reads encourages people who live or work in Santa Monica to read the same book, and the program also schedules forums for discussions. This year’s Citywide Reads program began April 12 and ends May 21.

Hosseini was born in Kabul in 1965 and immigrated with his family to Northern California in 1980, where he has been a practicing physician since 1996\. “The Kite Runner” is his first novel and was a San Francisco Chronicle “Best Book of the Year.”

Hosseini’s talk at SMC is part of the college’s Literary Series and is cosponsored by the Santa Monica Public Library and the SMC Associates, a private organization that funds speakers and other special programs on campus.

A series of related events have been or will be held at libraries, bookstores and other locations throughout Santa Monica.

Sponsored by the Santa Monica Public Library, with support by the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library, the Santa Monica College Associates, and community, educational, and business partners, Citywide Reads invites participation in the following moderator-led public book discussions: ■ Wednesday, May 11 at 7 p.m. — Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, 1426 Montana Ave. ■ Sunday, May 15 at 2 p.m. — Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, 3150 Ocean Park Blvd. ■ Thursday May 19 at 7 p.m. — Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, 200 Santa Monica Blvd. Special Citywide Reads programs include: The acclaimed Arohi Ensemble performs traditional music of southern Asia at the Santa Monica Festival on Saturday, May 14, from noon to 12:45 p.m. Children will have an opportunity to decorate their own kites in a craft workshop that runs continuously from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the library booth. The festival runs from noon to 7 p.m. at Clover Park, 2600 Ocean Park Blvd.

Citywide Reads book discussions and events are free and open to the public. For more information, call the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 458-8600, or visit www.smpl.org/cwr. Walk in the sneakers of greatness

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 10, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051005.pdf?ref=smdp.com)