"[An] Astonishing story ... of immerse power, emotion and even, in the midst of horror, beauty." --Salman Rushdie

"Told with humor, humanity, and bottomless compassion for his subject. . . . It is impossible to read this book and not be humbled, enlightened, transformed." --Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner

"Lit by lightning flashes of humor, wisdom and charm.... An extraordinary work of witness, and of art." --Francine Prose, The New York Times Book Review

"A moving, frightening, improbably beautiful book." --Lev Grossman, Time

"A testament to the triumph of hope over experience, human resilience over tragedy and disaster." --Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

"An absolute classic.... Compelling, important, and vital to the understanding of the politics and emotional consequences of oppression." --Jonathan Durbin, People

"A sweet and sometimes very funny story of one boy's coming of age.... Strange, beautiful and unforgettable." --John Freeman, San Francisco Chronicle