Good people of r/AskHistorians. I've been tasked with teaching THE KITE RUNNER next year and I am, I'm ashamed to say, a dummy about Afghan history. What dilettante-friendly resources would be good for me to read to help me understand this book as best I can before I dive into teaching it?
I would highly recommend "A Military History of Afghanistan - From the Great Game to the Global War on Terror" written by Ali Ahmad Jalali, published by the University of Kansas.
It's not terribly long, but it is jam-packed with history. The book really opens the readers eyes to just how much blood has been shed in Afghanistan over thousands of years and paints vivid pictures of the fiercely independent Afghans throughout the centuries.
Edit for spelling.