Book: A Thousand Splendid Suns

Well written novel set in the Taliban period of Afghanistan and the lives of two different women living through a lengthy period of civil unrest and war. Mariam grew up as a harami, an illegitimate child of a small town businessman while Laila, a proud daughter of a progressive urban teacher. Difference in age by more than a decade, they were forced to marry an eldery shoemaker due to the unforseeable circumstances in life.

While, the author may be of Afghanistan origin, he have lived in US for most of his life. That may alter his worldview on Afghanistan as compared to a true local. He did went back of many occasions, and some parts of the novel were based on the stories he heard. Nevertheless, this is one of the best sources to understand the culture and history of Afghanistan.  

This is one of the best novel I've ever read, so go ahead and get it.