What is the what?

what is the what: the autobiography of valentino achak deng : a novel

this is called a novel since it is david egger's creative retelling of valentino's tale, yet it makes the story no less poignant, relevant, or deserving to be read. valentino is one of the "lost boys" of sudan, an ever growing group of refugees that walk to ethiopia in search of freedom from a country filled with strife and civil unrest. this is a sad, clear picture of just a few of the african problems that exist. we often hear now of the tragedies of darfur - sudan is yet another country to be added to the list. sobering reading, but recommended for a greater awareness of our world's difficulties.