What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng

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July 20, 2026

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What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng is a 2006 novel by Dave Eggers. It chronicles the life of Valentino Achak Deng, a young man from South Sudan who survived the destruction of his village during the country's civil war. The narrative follows his arduous journey to find safety and eventually reach the United States. The book highlights the immense challenges faced by refugees, including loss, displacement, and the struggle for survival amidst conflict and famine. Eggers, known for his work in literature and literacy advocacy, used Deng's story to shed light on the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.123

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Dave Eggers
…books followed Eggers’s memoir, notably What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng (2006). The book chronicled the story of a South Sudanese man who had survived the destruction of his family’s village during Sudan’s civil war and made his way to the United States. In 2007 the…
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…books followed Eggers’s memoir, notably What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng (2006). The book chronicled the story of a South Sudanese man who had survived the destruction of his family’s village during Sudan’s civil war and made his way to the United States. In 2007 the…
Read More