The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Hosseini in 2003, is not a new book, but it’s one that I’m embarrassed to say I hadn’t gotten around to reading until now. Once I started it, though, I couldn’t put it down.

The book follows Amir, who grew up the privileged son of a successful businessman in the relatively peaceful time before the monarchy was overthrown in 1973. The ethnic and religious discrimination that tears apart the country today was strong even then, but Amir was spared. The servant boy who worked in his home, Hassan, was not. While Hassan and his father were treated like family in Amir’s home, they were mistreated in the wider community. This was a challenge for Amir, who grew up with and played daily with Hassan; their friendship was hindered by society’s expectations. When the boys are 12, a tragic incident drives a wedge in their relationship and forces Hassan and his father to leave Amir’s home. Amir is wracked with guilt for the rest of his life, through his family’s escape when the Soviets invade Afghanistan in 1979 and his adulthood in America.

Many years later, a family friend still in Afghanistan contacts Amir, now a married man and published author. That phone call forces Amir to return to modern day, war-torn Afghanistan. He must face the devastation of his childhood homeland and, if he has the courage, right the wrong he committed against Hassan.

The glimpse into the culture and history of Afghanistan was eye-opening, revealing the history and consequences of deeply rooted differences that still divide the country. The book widened my understanding of and empathy for the generation that grew up after Amir, the children who never knew life without gunfire, bombs and war. It helped me understand that no matter how long our soldiers are in the country trying to rebuild it and keep peace, the fighting and intolerance have been around longer. Those differences are not easily overcome.

But even without that historical element, the story of friendship, betrayal, courage and redemption was riveting. Amir is the main character and tells the story, and while he is not always likeable, he is very realistic. He has the petty jealousies of a child, the yearning for his father’s approval, and the cowardice of not speaking up for himself and his friend Hassan. He struggles with the transition to America and with coming to terms with his past.

The story gets its name, The Kite Runner, from the person who outruns all of his competitors to retrieve the last and most valued kite knocked out of the annual kite fighting competition. With kite strings coated in glass, the contest is painful but the winners are granted highest honors. Hassan was Amir’s kite runner, willing to do anything for the person he considered more his friend than master. As a child, Amir could not return that loyalty. To find out if he can as an adult, you have to read the book.

While the book is often heartbreaking, it ends on a hopeful note. I recommend this to anyone interested in historical fiction and global issues. I also think anyone who likes a good story about friendship, betrayal and redemption will also enjoy it. It’s 371 pages and can be a little slow at the beginning, but it’s worth sticking with it.

You know what’s so dope?  Avoiding problems in my life and watching TV shows whose characters have more interesting lives than I do. So dope, trust me. In recent years, TV has become more than just schlock to numb your brain. Many would argue it has become the new form of artistic media replacing movies for quality, creativity, and tone. There’s no denying that shows have become even more of a fixture in people’s lives in the past years. With Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and On Demand, there are so many options at one’s disposal that it can be daunting. Don’t worry, I got you. I’ve spent many wasted hours watching TV and I feel immense shame for it. But at least I can guide you guys to some good shows right? . . . I’m so lonely.

Let’s start with the basics: any show that you’ve heard about but you still need to watch. People talk about them for a reason.

Breaking Bad: Imagine if Mr. Decie decided that he couldn’t support his family being a teacher anymore. Now imagine he also has an illness where the meds cost an immense amount of money. Then picture me as a burnout who loves shouting profanities. Now imagine we join up and make a meth empire with his chemistry expertise and my street smarts. Would you watch that? If so, you will like Breaking Bad.

Parks and Recreation:  This show is so awkwardly funny and I can’t stop watching. Amy Poehler is spot-on as the mostly insane park manager. Even though I’m only three episodes in, I can tell it’s good.

The Office: Hey, did you know this show was funny? If no, please remove yourself from my presence forever. Steve Carrell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski and the rest of the cast are perfect for the show’s slow, awkward tempo. (The producer is the same as Parks and Rec so it has a similar feel.)

American Horror Story: The only show in recent history that can make me uncomfy from just its intro. Each season is its own story with only the actors returning and nothing else. So far they’ve given us a dandy murder house, a demon/alien/psycho asylum, witches be b*tches, and a circus freak show. The upcoming season is in a hotel and features Lady Gaga. How wonderful.

The lesser knowns: Shows that might have gone under your radar, but should be on your radar.

Peaky Blinders:  First point . . . The main characters have razorblade hats, SECOND POINT . . . they have sick hair cuts. THIRD FU%^ING POINT . . .  It’s a really complex gangster show taking place in early 1920s Birmingham, England, focusing on the Peaky Blinders gang’s rise to the top of the criminal underworld through murder, treachery, and quick thinking. The main character is a cold heartless leader, while both brothers are maniacs, doing whatever– and I do mean whatever — it takes to help their brother.

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia:  The main characters of this show have become more and more scumbaggish with each season and it’s amazing. It follows four friends and Danny Devito running a bar and just . . .just  barely functioning in society. They bumble through the most awful situations with no tact or class. It’s brilliant, plz watch plz.

The Sopranos: Another gangster show or more specifically, the Italian mob. This show follows Tony Soprano, an overweight, incredibly damaged, and ruthless crime boss and his life, family, and “job” (waste disposal). It’s set in New Jersey so you really get the depressed feel that plagues Tony, and anyone who lives in New Jersey for that matter. It’s an interesting tale of a man with plenty of exterior power, control, influence. But in truth, he’s falling apart episode by episode… and so is his life. THE FEEL GOOD SHOW OF THE CENTURY.

That’s my list of things I’ve spent hours of my life on. Instead of forwarding myself in education, I watch TV. I do this for you people. Hope you’re happy.

If any on you have ever viewed a television show on HBO, you know that they often feature naked women.  A lot of naked women.  HBO’s GIRLS is no different.  However, one aspect is.  The women on this show look like women that you see every day.  None of them conform to what the entertainment industry deems as beautiful.  Let me make it clear that when I say “entertainment industry beautiful” I do not believe that this is a legitimate definition of beauty, but I’ll get into that later.  Recently, on this show the star (and head writer and director and also she’s only 28), Lena Dunham, engaged in explicit acts with the actor Patrick Wilson.  Wilson absolutely fits the description “entertainment beautiful.”  He is tall, muscular and has a jawline that could cut granite.  After the episode aired, and audiences had seen an eyeful of these characters, there were some shocking reviews.  Real journalists, with actual journalism degrees, tore this episode apart because they found Dunham’s writing wildly unrealistic.  They claimed that a guy like that could never go for a girl who looks like that.

This statement is ludicrous for a number of reasons.  The first one being the absurd idea that a woman’s only worth is determined by the way she looks.  Are the attributes of this character immediately discarded simply because she is not a size two with bright skin, and shiny hair?  The fact that people find the idea of a handsome man having sex with a woman who is less hot than him unrealistic is simply horrifying.  There are many, many examples of female “10s” hooking up with male “5s” in television and movies.  If you need proof, look at every raunchy, high school-themed comedy that has come out in the past 20 years.  Every time one of these movies comes out, there are no comments on the sexual eligibility of these male characters.  So why are female characters subjected to this kind of judgement?  The negative reviews of this demonstrate the fact that, in our culture, it is absolutely normal to view a man as more than a body, but ridiculous to look at a woman for the whole woman that she is.

The second problem I have with these reviews is this: who the hell has the right to say that Lena Dunham is not beautiful?  Who has the right to determine the beauty of another?  Despite what we are led to believe by the Internet, there is no one standard for beauty.  Someone cannot be too fat or too skinny to be beautiful.  Someone can not be too pale or too dark, too tall or too short.  I don’t mean to preach, but I despise the fact that we are continually encouraged to view our bodies as inadequate.  If you still believe that a guy like Patrick Wilson will not get with a girl like Lena Dunham, then I suggest you read this tweet from Wilson’s wife.

This issue is very important to me because I believe that it provides a single example of a major issue in our country.  We are bombarded with images and statements that enforce negative opinions of ourselves.  We are set up to feel inadequate and inferior, when in reality the only thing to be ashamed of is claiming that a guy like that could never get with a girl like her.  I am not going to tell you that real beauty is on the inside because I am sure that wonderful message is being spread by mothers everywhere, but I am going to tell you that no one has the right to judge your beauty.  That privilege is yours, and yours alone.