The Book Pile: What is the What
Valentino Achak Deng, the real-life narrator of Dave Eggers' What is the What has an important story. One that must be told over and over and over.
What is the What is a novelized account of Deng's life beginning with his early childhood in Southern Sudan, to his displacement as a Lost Boy, to his resettlement in the United States.
The story is a powerful one. Often horrible, sometimes funny, and always compelling. Knowing that the story was true sometimes left me in disbelief that some of the tragedies within its pages can happen in this world, and continue to happen.
Eggers is without a doubt a talented writer. The source material here only ramps up his talent.
What is the What is a novelized account of Deng's life beginning with his early childhood in Southern Sudan, to his displacement as a Lost Boy, to his resettlement in the United States.
The story is a powerful one. Often horrible, sometimes funny, and always compelling. Knowing that the story was true sometimes left me in disbelief that some of the tragedies within its pages can happen in this world, and continue to happen.
Eggers is without a doubt a talented writer. The source material here only ramps up his talent.
"I cannot recall the last time I was this moved by a novel. What Is the What is that rare book that truly deserves the overused and scarcely warranted moniker of 'sprawling epic.' Told with humor, humanity, and bottomless compassion for his subject, one Valentino Achak Deng, Eggers shows us the hardships, disillusions, and hopes of the long-suffering people of southern Sudan. This is the story of one boy's astonishing capacity to endure atrocity after atrocity, and yet refuse to abandon decency, kindness, and hope for home and acceptance. It is impossible to read this book and not be humbled, enlightened, transformed. I believe I will never forget Valentino Achak Deng."
