- Paperback: 560 pages
- Publisher: Penguin (3 July 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0141015748
- ISBN-13: 978-0141015743
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.7 x 3.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 45,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
What is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng
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Product Description
Review
Read Dave Eggers' What is the What – it's the best book of the year (Guardian )
If there was ever any doubt that Dave Eggers is one of our most important storytellers, What Is the What should put it to rest... [A] strange, beautiful and unforgettable work (San Francisco Chronicle )
'A remarkable book: harrowing, witty, wretched, delightful; and always compelling, always surprising' London Review of Books
If there was ever any doubt that Dave Eggers is one of our most important storytellers, What Is the What should put it to rest... [A] strange, beautiful and unforgettable work (San Francisco Chronicle )
'A remarkable book: harrowing, witty, wretched, delightful; and always compelling, always surprising' London Review of Books
Review
'A stirring tale, told with admirable simplicity by a classy writer'.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I couldn't put this one down. Even tried to read it on the subway when it was rattling about and I could hardly hold the book still. It is often heartbreaking but always honest and there is no self-pity in the tale, which is incredible. The only thing I didn't like was the use of a tale from his life in America to provide a backdrop to the "real" story of how he came to live in America. I found it a bit disorienting to switch between now and then without much warning. Perhaps it is just not a style that suits me very well and if you, the reader, know about it from the start it might not bother you. Apart from that I really enjoyed it. I had heard of the lost boys before but didn't know much about them. Here is one who tells what it was like to become a lost boy. The other stories are just as shocking. His details of how he struggled to adapt to America are also fascinating. How much we take for granted! Yet the book doesn't disillusion - it gives hope for the future. If Valentino can turn out well then I guess there is hope for this crazy world.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Perhaps in telling the story of Sudanese Lost Boy, Valentino Achak Deng, who has seen things no one should ever see, Eggers has stumbled upon a way to truly break our hearts and inform them without being self-conscious or tragically hip. This is a tough and beautiful read, especially given the fresh horrors befalling the people of Sudan in the current conflict.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
i have enjoyed reading this book very much, not only is it very informative, but it manages to describe the plight of human beings and the way refugees and immigres behave and are treated. It is an epic story of our times, I doubt that any immigrant or person who has gone through hard times at their own country would not be able to empathise! a very good read, and also although the book tackles some depressing and gloomy events, it retains its sense of humour and lightness of touch.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Brilliant Book
This book is brilliant.... A sad true story where you travel along with a young boy through his tough journey to aparent safety...
Published 2 months ago by TraceyS
You can't dismiss people as a political problem once you know them
Thank you Dave and Achak for sharing this bewildering story with such grace and warmth. I only wish, Achak, that you never had to endure any of these unimaginably depraved, cruel... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Justine
Fascinating, rewarding & important
WITW is an amazing story, well written. It is incredibly moving and really opens your eyes to the realities of the horrors of the on-going wars in Africa and to the hardships... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Garth Algar
A brilliant read
What is the what is a peculiar title. Don't let it put you off. I read it because I am interested in Sudan but I'd recommend it to anyone. Read more
Published on 18 May 2010 by Louise Wright
Hard to get into
Having lately read Khaled Hosseini's 2 splendid books, I tried to find out more about the author and found that he recommended this book. Read more
Published on 6 April 2010 by Flojo
brilliant
I absolutely loved the way this was written, after reading how and why etc. I had never heard of the Lost Boys and was utterly horrified. A serious education.
Published on 23 Feb 2010 by M. Evans
A tribute to South Sudanese
Hard to recommend this enough. Almost overpowered by guilt at the enjoyment of a work that relates so unbelievably much horrendous suffering. Read more
Published on 3 Oct 2009 by Ton
Informative
The way the story is narrated is the most interesting and attractive aspect of this book.
If you want to know about Sudan and gain some greater insight to a country that is... Read more
If you want to know about Sudan and gain some greater insight to a country that is... Read more
Published on 27 Sep 2009 by Choudhry
A well-constructed story
Using the techniques of novel-writing, Eggers has created an engaging account of the life and struggles of a refugee. Read more
Published on 18 Mar 2009 by D. K. Bagshaw
A Journey in Search of the What
What is the What is the result of a collaboration between Valentino Achak Deng, a Sudanese refugee, and the writer Dave Eggers. Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2009 by Herman Norford
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