What is the What
by Dave Eggers
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Book Reviews of What is the What
Book Review: Great read
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a fictionalized account of a real-life Sudanese refugee, Valentino Achak Deng--one of the young boys driven out of Sudan by the Islamist government in the `80s and `90s who came to be known as the "Lost Boys." The suffering that he and the thousands of other refugees went through is unimaginable. Most of the boys fled southern Sudan in groups after seeing their families shot, burned, stabbed, or butchered by government soldiers. During their flight, some are killed by soldiers, some taken by lions, and many starve to death. It is a violent, desperate trek that takes them into Ethiopia, where they settle for some time, only to be chased out by Ethiopians. The scene of this flight, as thousands of refugees try to cross the Gilo river, mothers losing their babies, some being eaten by crocodiles, and Ethiopians firing at them from the bank, is the probably the most horrific scene in a book filled with them.
Eventually, many of the boys were relocated to the U.S. where they were promised opportunity. And while the situation here was certainly better than in Sudan, the opportunity is harder to come by. They're scattered across the country, and Deng winds up in Atlanta. "God has a problem with me," he says, after a string of exceptionally bad events. After what he's been through, it seems like an understatement.
Eggers does a great job at creating a believable and likable voice. Deng is a real person, and Eggers spent much time interviewing him prior to writing the book. The authenticity of it all comes through, and Eggers own voice from his previous works, which is great but sometimes a little too clever for its own good, is non-existent in this story. Probably the greatest weakness of the book is also its strength. By fictionalizing the account, Eggers can build the narrative for a better read, but he also leaves it open to the question of what actually happened. Still, as he says in the forward, any of this could, and much of it did happen. And for anyone familiar with the history of the genocide in Sudan, as horrible as the events are, they're all plausible.
Book Review: Stunning Vision of Hope & Despair
Summary: 5 Stars
If "What Is the What?" was a traditional novel, it wouldn't be believed. Instead, it's a novelized memoir of a boy who survived unspeakable horror and tragedies to emigrate to America and to try to build a modern life.
I can't recall ever reading a book that moved me as much as this one. Knowing that it's true in its essence, even if the actual quotes are fiction, gives it a power that is hard to match. It's like a Holocaust memoir, but current.
Other reviewers have recited the facts of the story. The civil war in Sudan, the razing of villages and thousands of murders, kidnappings, rapes, and beatings. The young men and boys who fled their homes and, for a precious few, survived hunger, animal attacks, disease, and starvation to reach refugee camps in Ethiopia. And how they were driven from Ethiopia in another spasm of violence, and they walked to Kenya, where they lived in primitive conditions for a decade.
The terror and sadness and utter exhaustion of those kids is rendered deeply. But so is the unquenchable human spirit to overcome hardship, and the ability of people to find humor even at dark times. The prose of the book (written by David Eggers in a form of an as-told-to book by Valentino Achak Deng) varies from flat recitations of violent incidents to beautiful evocations of Deng's hopes for his future. Deng brings a wonder to every aspect of life, as even the simplest thing that we take for granted remains new and wonderous to him.
The examples of memorable scenes are endless, but here are a few. 1. When Deng and Tabitha spend two hours in a supermarket in Nairobi on a quasi-date. 2. Deng's initial escape from his village, after watching its immolation. 3. Deng's benefactor in the desert, giving him cold water and fruit -- and Deng saying that the water was so cold that he couldn't close his eyes. 4. Deng's real and imagined conversations with little Michael, who was guarding him during a robbery. And more.
This book will change your life -- and your appreciation of your own life. Read it.
Book Review: He was saved for a reason!
Summary: 5 Stars
What is the What is a narrative tale of the life of Valentino Achak Deng. It recounts the history of the Sudanese war and describes the conflict between the North and the South, the government of Sudan, the rebels, the Dinka people, the Arabs and the muraheleen, the SPLA, as well as the NGOs and world organizations that sought to help. More importantly it tells the journey and the painfully descriptive stories of Achak and many other Lost Boys in their attempt at survival and escape from a genocide that destroyed their homes, and killed their loved ones before their own eyes.
This horrible tale is amazing and stunningly written. This survival story of devastation and evil in its rarest form, is told through the eyes of a young man whose emotions and character reflect that of friendship, love, hope, and faith. At every turn it seems that the world, God, or both must be against Achak, and even he himself on occasion had questioned his fate and God's plan, accepting defeat and choosing to die. It is one harrowing tale after the next how he escapes iminent death from fire, bullets, tanks, land mines, the machete, lions, crocodiles, vultures, drowning, disease, starvation exhaustion, car crashes and even 9-11 plan crashes. However, despite the thousands that perished around him everyday, Achak continued to live. There must have been a reason he was chosen to survive such and appalling and horrific ordeal, and Achak sought to realize this and achieve his purpose.
Ackak eventually emigrated to the United States and worked to receive an education. The money made from What is What was used to start an organization and school back in his home village in southern Sudan. This organization and the school continues to grow despite the unstable political environment there. This story shows the very worst and best of humanity and the unparalleled story of how one person can make a difference and change the world. No one who reads this novel, will remain untouched or unchanged.
Book Review: "What" is Amazing!
Summary: 5 Stars
My first surprise on opening the cover of Dave Eggers novel What is the What was the subtitle The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng. As my mind struggled to reconcile finding the word "autobiography" on a book plucked from the fiction shelves, I proceeded on to the book's content - a first person memoir of the life of a refugee. Eggers' voice disappeared as the pages turned and the story became solely that of Deng one of Sudan's "Lost Boys" struggling to make a life for himself in America while haunted by the memories of the existence he left behind.
As the story unfolds in the present, Valentino takes his encounters with strangers in America and uses them to mentally reflect on his experiences in Africa. By silently telling others his story (which translates as a complete narration to the reader) he seeks their understanding, their sympathy and their grace and as a reader I couldn't help being captivated by his turbulent journey. There is joy in his childhood in a remote village where a bicycle is a prized and wondrous possession. There is fear in his flight across the wilds of Sudan narrowly avoiding lions and slower killers like disease and starvation. There is desperation in his life at the refugee camp dreaming of something better for himself and wondering if his family has survived as well. There is awkwardness to his arrival in America and the culture clash of living as an outsider in a new homeland.
What is the What is a highly emotional and moving book. Eggers has expertly blurred the lines between fact and fiction to create a fully realized and seamless narration of hardship and endurance in the life of a refugee. With an overarching theme of compassion for others in the face of evil, Valentino Achak Deng's story is immensely powerful. This is a book that will stay with you, will keep you thinking and and reflecting on it, long after the back cover is closed.
Book Review: Nuggets of gold buried in too many pages
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a story of Achak Deng, a young Sudanese, who was separated from his family due to the civil war in Sudan that began in 1983. The book is written in the first person by Dave Eggers. Deng wanted his story told well and as per the preface Eggers was chosen to tell it because Deng "is not a writer". The book proceeds will be used to "improve the lives of Sudanese". I had very high hopes after reading the preface. Deng had an excellent story to tell and he made a wise decision to let a writer tell it. Unfortunately, I don't think Eggers did it justice.
Given the length of this book, you surprisingly learn little about the politics and culture of Sudan which is very important in understanding Deng's story. The little that Eggers writes about politics and culture is shallow and often told from the viewpoint of an "elder" and understood by Deng as a 7 year old. For example, in one part, a teacher tries to explain to Deng (when he was crossing the desert to Ethiopia) why Khartoum was attacking his village. It appeared that Eggers lacked the curiosity to delve deep into the politics and culture of Sudan. It was a lost opportunity to enlighten the readers.
The story follows Deng's life for about 15 years from traveling under unbearable conditions to life in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya. A lot happens in 15 years and I found many of the events that Eggers chose to write about as odd. Similarly, I was surprised at the stuff he left out. For example, for a large portion of his time Deng lived with a family in a camp in Kenya and yet you learn very little about his day to day life with this family. Yet Eggers dedicates way too many pages to the time when his plane to the US was delayed due to 9/11. After reading through Deng's sufferings a one week delay in air travel does not require so much ink.