Chapter 1
The narrator, Amir, recalls a day in the winter of 1975 that changes his life. Amir also recalls about a phone call he received the summer before from his friend Rahim Khan, who requests that Amir visit him in Pakistan. Amir now lives in San Fransisco.
Chapter 2
Hassan is introduced in this chapter. Hassan is one of Amir’s childhood friends and his father Ali works for Amir’s father, who Amir calls Baba. Amir’s father is well-to-do and they own an estate in an affluent neighborhood in northern Kabul.
Chapter 3
Amir wants to be closer to his father Baba, but he fears that Baba blames him for his wife’s death, as she died while giving birth to Amir. Amir overhears a conversation between Rahim Khan and Baba, in which Baba says that Amir does not stand up for himself, while Rahim just says that Amir lacks a mean streak. This causes Amir to start feeling jealous and snap at Rahim.
Chapter 4
Baba’s father adopted Ali and raised both Ali and Baba. In the present day, Ali and Hassan work as Baba’s servants and are very grateful to him. Amir goes to school while Hassan does not. Once, Amir told a story to Hassan who said he enjoyed it very much, and wished for Amir to write more stories. Amir thus wrote his first story and showed it to Baba, however he was not interested. After reading the story to Hassan, Hassan manages to point out a problem in the plot, which angers Amir as he goes to school while Hassan does not.
Chapter 5
While Amir and Hassan are talking, they hear an explosion and gunfire and encounter the school bully Asseff. Asseff hates Hassan because he is a another type of Muslim known as Hazara. Asseff is half German and he feels that the prime minister should get rid of the Hazaras. Hassan takes out a slingshot and Asseff backs off. For Hassan’s 12th birthday party, Baba arranges for Hassan to undergo a surgery to remove his left cleft lip, and after the surgery it is hardly visible.
Chapter 6
During a cold months, school is shut down. Kites are a popular activity and both Baba and Amir are interested in kites. Kabul organizes a kite-fighting tournament, and Baba takes Hassan and Amir to have their kites made.
Chapter 7
In the end, Amir wins the tournament and wonders if Baba was proud of him as he was observing the tournament. Later, Amir finds Hassan cornered by Asseff and his friends, who beat him up. However, Amir was too scared to intervene, and later when he saw Hassan, he pretended he did not witness what had happened. Amir gives the kite he won to Baba, who said that he was proud of Amir.
Chapter 8
Baba now spends more time with Amir and takes him out on a few outings. Hassan attempts to be friendly with Amir once again but is pushed away by Amir as he feels guilty for not helping Hassan on the night of the kite fight. Amir angers Baba by asking him if he ever thought about getting new servants. Baba throws a huge thirteenth birthday party for Amir. Asseff presents Amir with a gift- a biography of Hitler, who Asseff adores as his idol.. Rahim Khan tells Amir that he can talk to him anytime and gives a blank book for writing.
Chapter 9
Amir realizes that he cannot live with Hassan anymore. Amir lies and tells Baba that Hassan stole his birthday money and watch, a gift from his father. Baba talks to Ali, and then confronts Hassan with Amir. Hassan admits to stealing to protect Amir. Amir realizes that Hassan knew everything- including his hiding behind the wall instead of helping him. Baba surprises Amir by forgiving Hassan. Ali tells Baba they are leaving. Baba begs them to stay, but they leave. This is the first time Amir sees Baba cry. Baba drives Ali and Hassan to the bus station.
Chapter 10
In March of 1981, Amir and Baba flee Kabul secretly as Russian spies lurk everywhere and head for Pakistan. At the border, they are stopped by soldiers. Baba protests and the young soldier pulls a gun on Baba, who won’t back down. An older officer stops the younger soldier and allows them to pass. The group is supposed to change vehicles, but the second truck has been broken for weeks. Baba nearly kills the man when he realizes the man only transported them for the money. They will have to wait for the truck to be repaired, along with thirty other refugees. In the basement, they meet Kamal and his father, friends from Kabul. All of the refugees are transported in a fuel truck to Pakistan. Kamal dies during the trip, apparently from gas fumes. Kamal’s father kills himself because he feels that he just lost his last valuable aspect in life.
Chapter 11
Baba and Amir settle in Fremont, California. Baba does not fit in and is not happy working at a gas station. Amir graduates High School in 1983 at the age of 20, after graduation Baba takes him out to dinner and then to a bar where they drink. Amir displeases his father when he tells him he wants to major in English in college. After that, Amir meets Soraya, the daughter of Baba’s old friend, General Taheri.
Chapter 12
Amir wants to get to know Soraya better and lets her read one of his stores. However, General Taheri spots them and throws Amir’s story away. Baba is diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, but refuses treatment and collapses due to a seizure at the flea market. Soraya and her family visit Baba. Days later, Baba arranges Amir’s engagement to Soraya.
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