COC hosts activities surrounding "The Kite Runner" to build enthusiasm.

College of the
Canyons has four upcoming events—a kite-making workshop, a kick-off party, a
lecture on Afghanistan history, and an international student
panel—in conjunction with the college’s Book of the Year activities celebrating
“The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini.

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A kite-making
workshop will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 30 in the college
library, Room 206. Led by math professor George Rhys, the workshop will teach
attendees about kite flying traditions while learning how to make a kite.  Materials are provided, but space is limited.
To RSVP, call Susan Cooper at (661) 362-3708.

On Tuesday,
November 11, COC history professor Sarah Burns will lecture on the history of Afghanistan to familiarize readers with the setting
and historical context of the book. The lecture, “Caravanning through Afghanistan, a Corridor to Empire,” will take place
from 1 to 2 p.m. in the college library, Room 206.

Later that day,
the Book of the Year kick-off party will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Barnes and Noble bookstore
located at 23630
Valencia Blvd.  Refreshments will be
served, and proceeds of the book sales will be donated to the college’s
Foundation to promote literacy.

On Tuesday,
December 2, from 3 to 4 p.m. in the college library, Room 206, a panel of
international students will use the book as a jumping-off point for discussing
Central Asian traditions, values, and customs.

“The Kite
Runner” begins with, “I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a
frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.  I remember the precise moment,
crouching behind a crumbling mud wall, peeking into the alley near the frozen
creek. . . . Looking back now, I realize I have been peeking into that deserted
alley for the last twenty-six years.”  “I
think this quote captures so eloquently what the book is about,” said Susan
Cooper, an English professor at the college. “I think many of us are still peeking
into the deserted alleys of our own childhoods.”

The book was
chosen not only because it has “universal themes and wide appeal but because it
has application across disciplines,” said Cooper.  “Its setting, Afghanistan, is currently in the news, and this book
will help readers understand Afghanistan, its culture, and its people.”

Besides bringing
together the college community, the Book of the Year project was implemented to
allow students the opportunity to make connections between disciplines and to become
equal participants in the kind of wide-reaching, ongoing, and open-ended
conversation that characterizes academia.

All events are
free and open to the public.

For more
information about these Book of the Year events, visit http://www.canyons.edu/offices/library/BookOfTheYear.