After reading Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, I had to try this one. Eggers knows how to tell a story, and this is one helluva story. Achak Deng is a Sudanese who tells his life story from childhood in Sudan to his emigration to the US, from child refugee during the civil war to eventual escape. There is a lot of senseless war and tribal violence, sadness, death, victories, accomplishments, happiness, and humor. The story of this man is nearly unbelievable, but it’s said to be true.
If you’re the type to send checks to charities doing work in Africa whenever starving children are shown on late-night TV, avoid this book. Otherwise it’s extremely well-written, and an educational tale of what life was (is?) like there.