What Is the What" by Dave Eggers was first published in 2006. The novel is subtitled "The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng."The story in the novel is based on the real life story of Valentino Achak Deng. The story describes his struggles and how he overcame them. Achak Deng was a Sudanese refugee who had come to take refuge in the United States. He was the member of the Lost Boys of Sudan Programme.--Provided by publisher