Out of desperation, Saboor, who is a poor farmer in Afghanistan, sells his three year old daughter, Pari, to a wealthy couple living in Kabul. Pari's older brother, Abdullah, is completely distraught over the loss of his beloved sister. Pari grows up, not knowing or remembering her biological family, but a letter left for her by her deceased uncle reveals the details of the adoption and Pari is then able to search for the family she didn't know existed. A reunion occurs, but perhaps doesn't have the happy ending one might have hoped for. Hosseini is a wonderful storyteller. And the Mountains Echoed relates how one man's decision to give his young daughter up for adoption affected numerous lives over the course of several generations. Think six degrees of separation. The book covers a 60 year span and is written from the viewpoint of several of its characters who divulge information about the adoption while also providing examples of acts of love through their own life stories. What does it mean to love someone? How does a person show love for another? What might seem like a loving act to one person may be an unspeakable act to another. A powerful and heartbreaking book.