Good friends and good books

I had a wonderful visit with an old friend this week.  Alta Peachy is the very first person I got to know when I started university in 1991, when we were in a class together called The English Novel.  She and her family have been living in Saskatoon for the last four years but she was back in Edmonton this week for some work related training.

After getting caught up on each other's lives over dinner, Alta asked that all important question: "So what are you reading these days?"  My favourite question!  When I told her I was reading a really interesting book called What is the What, her eyes lit up and she exclaimed "I loved What is the What!" 

As Alta pointed out, she and I have always had similar tastes in books.  When she was still living in Edmonton, we used to get together for our birthdays and our gifts to each other were always books.  I think both of us looked forward to those occasions mostly to see what new book we'd be getting.

What is the What is written by Dave Eggers and tells the true story of Valentino Achak Deng and his nightmare journey as one of the so-called Lost Boys fleeing the civil war in southern Sudan in the mid-1980s and 1990s.  To say this is a powerful story is an understatement. 

My friend, Liz, told me about a documentary available on YouTube entitled, God Grew Tired of Us which tells the story of three of the Lost Boys of Sudan.  In fact, if you search YouTube for "Lost boys of Sudan" you'll find quite a number of videos on this topic.

In 2006, Deng established the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation to provide educational opportunities for those affected by the conflicts in Sudan.  His website details the incredible work the Foundation is doing thanks to the proceeds of book sales and charitable donations.  It is so heartwarming to see the pictures of healthy, smiling young students and the new schools they are attending in their villages after reading of the terrible suffering endured by so many.