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joshbriggs 's review for:
What Is the What
by Dave Eggers
File under life immitating art, or any of those phrases. What is the What is a book that everyone should read. It is well-written, begs interesting questions about society, religion, global economy, all of the tough questions, and still manages to maintain a great deal of heart, and humor and human experience that keep the reader engaged and caring. It reads very easily and quickly for its 475 pages & neo-historical context, and the fact that it is a true story makes the central character Achak, and many of his companions truly unforgettable, and remarkably literary in their struggles and uncertainties. Not to mention this book deals with Sudan and East Africa - probably the least-covered topic of any part of the American public school system, so the awareness-factor alone here makes this worthwhile.
The 5th star I'm keeping, if only for the fact that the end came a little too abruptly, and I found the closing statements a little obvious.
But still! Remember! This man is real, and his struggle is real. I was hiking in Colorado in the dead of winter when reading this. 7 miles up, 7 miles down. And I almost put this book aside prior to my journey, but I didn't. And I'll say this: I'm glad.
The 5th star I'm keeping, if only for the fact that the end came a little too abruptly, and I found the closing statements a little obvious.
But still! Remember! This man is real, and his struggle is real. I was hiking in Colorado in the dead of winter when reading this. 7 miles up, 7 miles down. And I almost put this book aside prior to my journey, but I didn't. And I'll say this: I'm glad.