by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman

This year’s selection for One Book, One Philadelphia, What is the What, written by   Dave Eggers about Valentino Achak Deng, one of the lost boys, is - in my thinking - the best choice yet. Not that the book is easy reading, but it’s important considering what’s happening in the world today.

Because of interest in Darfur and the lost boys, for the first time teacher training has been offered—co-sponsored by the African Studies and the Middle East Centers at the University of Pennsylvania.

A record 550 community partners are working to support the effort as well, creating activities and programs. The City Paper, working with Drexel University’s Writing Program, is running a story about a local Sudanese resident each week.

Not only has the program focused on the travails of the boys, but it has motivated those in the city to tell their individual immigrant stories, helping everyone understand both the similarities and differences we share.

At the closing event at the central branch of the Free Library, March 20th at 7pm, both Eggers and Deng will be speaking. There’s still time to read the book.