What Is the What

By: Dave Eggers

Narrated by: Dion Graham

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The epic novel based on the life of Valentino Achak Deng who, along with thousands of other children —the so-called Lost Boys—was forced to leave his village in Sudan at the age of seven and trek hundreds of miles by foot, pursued by militias, government bombers, and wild animals, crossing the deserts of three countries to find freedom.

When he finally is resettled in the United States, he finds a life full of promise, but also heartache and myriad new challenges. Moving, suspenseful, and unexpectedly funny, What Is the What is an astonishing novel that illuminates the lives of millions through one extraordinary man.

“A testament to the triumph of hope over experience, human resilience over tragedy and disaster.” —Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

"An absolute classic. . . . Compelling, important, and vital to the understanding of the politics and emotional consequences of oppression.” —People

©2006 Dave Eggers (P)2007 BBC Audiobooks America

Critic reviews

"Engrossing." (Publishers Weekly)

Couldn't put it down

This is an engaging, powerful book, deftly written and superbly narrated. Eggers' book, though "fiction," is a lesson in history, suffering and the resilience of the human spirit. I recommend this book without reservation.

A riveting tale

Both the author and the narrator create an excellent and authentic picture of the southern Sudan and its tragic undoing. I lived in Juba during part of the period covered, and I read (listened to) the book to fill in and explain historical events. I was not disappointed. The tale is riveting and devastating and filled with pathos. It is beautifully read and recalls the voice of so many southern Sudanese friends.

First Rate Writing and Narration

Dion Graham's narration is always perfection. Nevertheless, the listener will have to adjust to a very long book narrated with a strong, but authentic, accent.
This book is what I consider a volume of naturally-gifted writing. Eggers expertly combined fact with fiction to present what sounds like a true firsthand account. Well done!

Experience the Experience

I really enjoyed listening to this book about a Sudanese refugee who experienced the Sudanese civil wars, where the author provides a horrific account of the brutal tragedies. This is a semi biographical story, but it reads as though every part of it is real. The main character, Valentino Achak Deng, at age 8, is exiled from his village in southern Sudan and eventually joins thousands of other Lost Boys who were also exiled from their villages. They walk forever in their quest to reach a place that would be permanent. It is the first time that I have read an accurate account of what a refugee camp is like. I read about one in "Infidel" but it was for only a period of a couple days. Valentino was in the temporary Ethiopian refugee camp for 10 years, after which he does end up in Atlanta, Georgia and that is another story. If you listen to this book by audio, you will not be disappointed. It is excellent.

A truly Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

Totally crestfallen that this book is finished and (hopefully) empowered that my role in it has begun