‘Kite Runner’ Author Hosseini to Speak at Penn State

‘The Kite Runner’ author Khaled Hosseini will lead off Penn State’s Distinguished Speaker Series for 2010-2011, the university has announced.

Hosseini is scheduled to speak at 8 p.m. Thursday in Eisenhower Auditorium on the University Park campus. His Penn State talk will be free and open to the public, but tickets are required.

Free tickets can be picked up between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Eisenhower Auditorium, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the HUB-Robson Center, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center and between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Penn State Downtown Theatre Center.

Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, and later moved to the U.S. when his family sought political asylum, according to a biographical note from Penn State. His father was once a diplomat with the Afghan Foreign Ministry.

Hosseini became a doctor and began writing ‘The Kite Runner’ during his medical career, which ended in 2004, according to the note. The book has been published in 48 countries. ‘A Thousand Suns,’ his second novel, was released in 2007.

Right now, Hosseini provides humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan through his own foundation, according to the biographical note. He has worked with the United Nations Refugee Agency.