What is the What

Valentino Achak Deng, 2006

Date read: 3/3/25

This isn't exactly a novel, and probably shouldn't have been on the list. This is a novelization of someone's memoirs. But, I read it anyway.

Not sure I'm glad I proceeded. It is very hard to read, especially knowing it is true. I imagine myself or one of my kids at 9, 10, 11, experiencing what Achak and all those thousands of other children experienced. Well, I can't. I can't picture it. It is too horrific.

If anyone had one single one of those events happen to them, any of us would be like, nope you have trauma for life. But these poor kids experienced thousands of traumas and indignities and threats. How do you ever get better from that?

Apparently, Achak did. I'm so happy and proud of him. And I'm so sick and tired of America's gluttonous quest for oil. Maybe China and their new magic rock will have the answer.