A Thousand Splendid Suns

The title for the book A Thousand Splendid Suns is based off a seventeenth century poem called Kabul, which is the city the novel mainly takes place in. The poem is an ode to the city of Kabul, and its magnificance and glory. The author of the book, Khaled Hosseini says he came acrorss this poem while looking for a verse of poetry to reflect the agony that comes with leaving ones home, their cherished city, but also found an “evocative title in the phrase a thousand splendid suns”. Khaled Hosseini himself was born in Kabul, and spent 8 years of his life within the city. He therefore is able to relate to the poem, and its flattery of the city.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaled_Hosseini