MONDAY JUNE 4 IS A PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN NZ

Yes it is a long weekend here so Bookman Beattie has scooted up north where he is busily reading, and greatly enjoying, Khaled Hosseini's brilliant new novel A Thousand Splendid Suns which he is reviewing on Radio New Zealnd National on Tuesday morning.

Hosseini's first book, The Kite Runner, was a huge international success. This new title is also set in Afghanistan.