The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini

Nothing about Khaled Hosseini's critically acclaimed 2003 debut makes it seem a slam dunk for casual readers. The Kite Runner details the tumultuous life of a young Afghan boy (including the rape of his best friend), set against the disintegration of his country and the rise of the Taliban. But the book has still sold more than 10 million copies worldwide — putting it in an exclusive club that many of these other airport best sellers can't match.

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