What is the What
by Dave Eggers
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Book Reviews of What is the What
Book Review: Incredible Book!
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow! This book is SO well-written. It's informative, gripping, honest, and perceptive. This book is largely a biographical account of one "Lost Boy" of Sudan, but as the author explains it is classified as a novel because the main character, Valentina Achak Deng, could not always recall details from early childhood. This "Lost Boy" was given a prophecy by a cleric that he would speak for so many, and I believe that he has accomplished this with this book; although, I have no doubt that he will continue to speak for many and benefit all of us. While his story is sad, horrific, he still always seemed to hold out hope that there would be justice in the world. As for the title, I'm still not 100% sure what he is referring to, but it is a phrase he refers to frequently throughout the book, and he seems to be constantly seeking the answer to the mystery. Maybe "What is What?" is indicative of his quest for understanding of how the world could possibly let happen to him what did happen to him and so many others. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in what life was/is truly like for so many Sudanese suffering through decades of war.Book Review: Absolutely Amazing
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the most compelling books I've read in years. I picked this up after having watched the documentary, God Grew Tired of Us (also highly recommended) and, while I realize that the story of the Lost Boys has been told and retold, it hasn't been portrayed in such a moving and heartfelt way as in Egger's book. It is both funny and sad, deflating yet inspirational.
If you are already familiar with the Lost Boys' stories, you will find this book enlightening. It is sufficiently detailed to help the reader understand the types of atrocities these children endured during their time in Sudan and their struggles once reaching the US - in a way that the documentaries are not able to fully convey. If you are not already familiar with them, I think you will find the book moving and inspirational nonetheless. More than just telling the amazing story of a group of boys, it highlights the role of the Western world in developing countries, the impact that US charitable organizaitons can have on the lives of the less fortunate and the issues with which many African countries have struggled for centuries.
Book Review: A Lost Boy's Search for Home and Humanity
Summary: 4 Stars
Categorized as fiction/biography, acknowledging that lives are partially imagined, this book enters a new frontier as a novelized memoir. Written by the skilled and unconventional writer, Dave Eggers, we are transported between war torn Sudan and the stifling inefficiency of inner-city Atlanta as Valentino Achak Deng, tells the story of his life in a first person narrative that covers a great deal of personal detail with the detachment of an observer. As Valentino strives to survive and reconnect with a parochial identity, he is challenged to broaden his sense of self. While the book begins with a simplistic portrayal of life in Sudan, Arab against Dinka, the perspective broadens to reveal how individuals are shuttled around the planet as powerful forces fight to control resources, especially in the winner takes all category of oil. While Valentino's fate was especially trying, or perhaps not, since he did survive the civil war, we are forced to confront our own sense of being lost and how economic and political currents constantly put us in unfamiliar places.
Book Review: So Much Better Than I Thought
Summary: 5 Stars
I thought I was going to be totally bored by this book. But I love Dave Eggers, so I decided to give it a try. And now I have to say that nobody, nobody, could take this kind of content and make it as interesting and entertaining as Dave Eggers.
He tells you from the start "What is the What" is a semi-autobiographical book, making it feel real.... As though even if all of this hadn't happened to main character Valentine himself, it likely happened to another Sudanese refuge. The story jumps back and forth from Valentine's current life in Atlanta to his incredibly long journey to America from a small Sudanese village. This breaks the book up nicely, as his journey is a heavy one and difficult to handle at some points.
The book made me realize how ignorant I am about Sudan... I couldn't have even told you who the Lost Boys were before I read it. Sad, but true. This is the kind of book that you'll find yourself trying to describe to friends. Or that you'll randomly start thinking about in the middle of the day. And that's the kind of book I like.
Book Review: This book should be read by everyone and studied in college
Summary: 5 Stars
I chose this book while browsing through The New Yorker ads. I liked the review of the book and decided to purchase it. This book is a historical biography of a young man's struggles in Sudan and later in the US as an immigrant. The protagonist describes his suffering from young childhood until his arrival in the US. His suffering began with the terrorist attacks, followed by his loss of his entire family when he was still a very young boy, then moving from one place to the next in his escape from the attacks, and finally reaching the bordering country Ethiopia. The struggles are so vivid and terrifying that I never even imagined how much suffering goes on in Sudan. I very strongly recommend for everyone to read this book and continuously encourage everyone I know to read it. This is an unforgettable drama. Once you start reading it, I guarantee you that you will not be able to put it down until you finish the book. This is a very educational book to read for the entire public at this historical time. Read it! You will not be disappointed!