Khaled Hosseini is widely acclaimed for his powerful novels depicting Afghan life and culture. Notable books like The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns explore friendship, family, and redemption.
If you enjoy reading books by Khaled Hosseini then you might also like the following authors:
Arundhati Roy is an Indian author whose storytelling captures human struggles with depth and emotional honesty. If you enjoyed Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, you will find a similar poignant power in Roy’s novel, The God of Small Things .
Set in Kerala, India, the book centers around twins Rahel and Estha, whose lives change forever after a tragic incident shakes their family and community.
Roy explores themes of social expectations, forbidden love, and broken innocence through vivid language and relatable characters. She crafts a touchingly human portrayal of how small moments can profoundly shape people’s lives.
Readers who enjoy Khaled Hosseini’s stories might also appreciate Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Her novel Half of a Yellow Sun brings readers into the heart of Nigeria during the turbulent 1960s.
The book follows the lives of Ugwu, a young houseboy; Olanna, a privileged woman from Lagos; and Richard, an English journalist. Their stories intersect through love, survival, and the devastating effects of the Nigerian Civil War.
Adichie’s writing vividly captures personal struggles against a backdrop of political turmoil, offering a deep, moving portrayal that readers will not soon forget.
Readers who appreciate Khaled Hosseini’s thoughtful exploration of human emotion and cultural depth will find a similar heart in the novels of Elif Shafak.
Shafak, a Turkish-British author, brings to life stories that bridge Eastern and Western traditions with vivid characters and beautiful storytelling.
Her novel The Bastard of Istanbul follows the intersecting paths of two families—one Turkish and one Armenian-American—connected by secrets and history.
Through vibrant characters, intimate family dynamics, and surprising revelations, Shafak explores identity, womanhood, and the complex ties between past and present.
Fans of Hosseini’s deep emotional resonance and cultural richness will likely find Shafak’s work engaging, memorable, and deeply moving.
Jhumpa Lahiri is an author known for thoughtful stories that explore both the immigrant experience and family identity. Readers who enjoy Khaled Hosseini’s layered and emotional storytelling might appreciate Lahiri’s novel The Namesake.
This book follows Gogol Ganguli, born in America to Bengali immigrant parents, who struggles to balance his family’s traditions and his own desire to fit into American culture.
The conflicts Gogol faces around his name, heritage, and personal identity create a rich and emotional narrative that moves gently but powerfully between Bengal and America.
Lahiri’s clear and evocative prose beautifully captures the quiet tensions and deep connections within immigrant families, themes that may draw in readers familiar with Hosseini’s profound explorations of culture and belonging.
Orhan Pamuk is a Turkish author whose stories explore identity, culture, and the tensions between tradition and modernity. If you’re drawn to Khaled Hosseini’s stories of family, history, and complex cultural dynamics, then Pamuk might be an author worth discovering.
In his novel Snow, a poet named Ka returns to his hometown in eastern Turkey after years abroad. He arrives amidst political tension and rising conflict between secularism and religious fundamentalism.
While trying to understand a series of mysterious suicides among local women, Ka reconnects with an old love. His personal journey unfolds alongside political intrigue, emotional reflection, and lyrical passages that vividly portray life in a small, isolated city.
Snow offers readers insights into the social dynamics of contemporary Turkey, with the kind of heartfelt storytelling lovers of Hosseini’s books will surely appreciate.
Readers who enjoy Khaled Hosseini’s novels may also appreciate the work of Amin Maalouf, a Lebanese-French author known for thoughtful stories set in the Middle East.
His novel Leo Africanus introduces readers to the remarkable life of Hasan al-Wazzan, also known as Leo Africanus. Driven from his home in Granada during the turbulent times of the Spanish Reconquista, Leo ventures across North Africa and the Mediterranean.
Through desert caravans, bustling cities, and the intellectual circles of the Renaissance era, Leo’s travels bring to life the history and cultures of the early 16th century.
Lovers of historical fiction full of vivid characters and emotional depth will enjoy joining Leo Africanus on his unforgettable journey.
Naguib Mahfouz is an Egyptian author known for vivid narratives and memorable characters, which readers of Khaled Hosseini will connect with instantly.
His novel Palace Walk, the first book in his Cairo Trilogy, introduces readers to the Abd al-Jawad family in early 20th-century Cairo.
Mahfouz paints a deep, rich portrait of Egyptian culture and family dynamics through the eyes of patriarch al-Sayyid Ahmad, a man who demands strict obedience at home but lives a completely different life beyond his doorstep.
As family secrets emerge and characters struggle with changing social values, Palace Walk explores themes of tradition, modernity, and the clash between old order and emerging freedoms.
Fans of Hosseini’s powerful family sagas and emotional storytelling will likely find a deep connection in Mahfouz’s descriptive portrayal of life, love, and societal change.
If you enjoy Khaled Hosseini’s heartfelt narratives about family, identity, and the complexities of cultural heritage, Salman Rushdie’s novels might resonate with you too. Rushdie has a unique talent for weaving together history, magic, and profound personal journeys.
One of his standout works, Midnight’s Children, follows Saleem Sinai, a boy born at the exact moment India gained independence. Saleem’s fate becomes intertwined with the nation’s own struggles and triumphs.
Through vibrant prose and imaginative storytelling, Rushdie explores themes of destiny, identity, and belonging, all set against the backdrop of India’s shifting political landscape.
This book combines personal stories with broader historical events, offering a reading experience full of depth, humor, and powerful emotional moments.
Readers who enjoy Khaled Hosseini’s nuanced exploration of culture and identity may also appreciate the work of Zadie Smith. Her novel White Teeth captures the lives of two families in multicultural London, tackling themes like immigration, race, and generational conflict.
Smith portrays vivid characters caught between tradition and modern life, with humor and sensitivity. The friendship between Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal offers moments filled with drama, humor, and profound reflections on the challenges immigrants face in a shifting society.
Through complex relationships and richly detailed stories, Zadie Smith crafts narratives that resonate deeply.
Readers who enjoy Khaled Hosseini’s powerful storytelling might find Hisham Matar equally captivating. Matar is a Libyan-American author known for his thoughtful exploration of loss, exile, and family ties.
His novel In the Country of Men takes readers to 1970s Libya, told through the eyes of nine-year-old Suleiman. Suleiman senses the tension in his household when his father becomes involved in political resistance against Gaddafi’s regime.
As he navigates childhood innocence amid grown-up secrets, Suleiman’s story paints an intimate portrait of family bonds tested by larger political chaos. Matar’s subtle but deeply emotional storytelling makes this book hard to put down and equally unforgettable.
Isabel Allende is a Chilean author known for emotional storytelling filled with vibrant characters and historical depth. Her novel The House of the Spirits spans several generations of the Trueba family, set against political turmoil in Chile.
Magic seamlessly blends with reality, bringing the family’s passions, tragedies, and strengths to life. Through love and conflict, we witness the fate of each character mirrored by the dramatic changes in their homeland.
Fans of Khaled Hosseini’s powerful stories of family bonds tested by political upheaval, such as The Kite Runner, will appreciate Allende’s richly woven tale of resilience and humanity.
If you enjoy Khaled Hosseini’s emotional depth and thoughtful storytelling, Kazuo Ishiguro may appeal to you. Ishiguro has a talent for creating profound narratives filled with nuanced characters and subtle human drama.
His novel Never Let Me Go is set in an alternate reality and follows the lives of Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth, three friends raised at an isolated English boarding school.
At first, their experiences seem ordinary, but gradually the characters begin to uncover unsettling truths about their identities and fates.
Ishiguro explores themes of memory, friendship, and the cost of humanity, giving readers a haunting look at life’s fragile beauty in the face of inevitable loss.
Michael Ondaatje is a Sri Lankan-born Canadian author known for lyrical prose and deeply human storytelling. If you enjoyed the evocative emotional narratives of Khaled Hosseini, Ondaatje’s novel The English Patient might resonate with you.
Set during World War II, this book weaves together the lives of four strangers in an Italian villa. Each character carries wounds, masks dark secrets, and searches for redemption.
Ondaatje blends mystery, loss, and passion, painting a story that explores how war reshapes identities and destinies. His writing captures the emotional power of Hosseini’s novels, offering readers a moving look into intimacy, history, and human connection.
Mohsin Hamid is a Pakistani author whose stories often explore complex relationships, cultural tensions, and the human experiences shaped by migration and identity—elements readers of Khaled Hosseini will find familiar.
His novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist follows Changez, a young Pakistani man who excels in a prestigious American university and lands a successful job in New York City. After the 9/11 attacks, Changez’s world shifts dramatically.
His sense of belonging is shaken, and he finds himself caught between loyalty to America and his roots in Pakistan. This novel examines personal and political conflicts, loyalty, and the struggle of finding one’s identity when the world around you changes suddenly.
Readers who enjoy Khaled Hosseini may find Rohinton Mistry equally engaging. Mistry is an Indian-born Canadian writer known for novels that explore the lives of characters facing difficult times with resilience and dignity.
In his novel A Fine Balance, set in 1970s India during political turbulence and the government’s harsh policies, four strangers unexpectedly cross paths. Their lives come together in a tiny apartment in Mumbai.
Each character tries to overcome their struggles, and the bonds they form offer hope and comfort in tough circumstances. The novel explores friendship, family, and survival within the realities of poverty and social upheaval.
Mistry’s realistic yet compassionate approach might resonate strongly with Hosseini’s readers.