Chiao Xu Xu itibaren Lahat, Perak, Malaysia itibaren Lahat, Perak, Malaysia

Last year I had a friend who decided to forego xmas cards and instead donate the same $ to the Lost Boys of Sudan. At that point in time 1) I didn't really know who the lost boys were and 2) I was annoyed, because I had already sent my xmas cards out, and it made me feel shallow. I finally picked up this book a couple of weeks ago, and have spent the past 2 weeks journeying in and out of Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Atlanta. I kept joking that "I'm going to Sudan"; I would pick up the book and disappear to my couch, only to reemerge an hour later distracted and pensive. I don't know the last time I read a book this well-written. Eggers takes the story of Valentino Achak Deng (and yes, you do easily begin to tell the Sudanese names apart) and tells his memoir (ie. true story) in novelistic form. It is absolutely spellbinding. You hear the accent in the writing, and the voice is one of the most distinct I've ever read in fiction. At the same time, Eggers knows his audience (as does Valentino), and he weaves the story in a way that will enrapture modern audiences. There is so much to think about when you put this book down, it's one of those books that you can say changed your life and how you see the world. If I could give this book a standing ovation, I would.

This is a very well-done retelling/interpretation of Shakespeare's King Lear. I had a hard time getting into the novel, and had I not had to read it for my class, I may not have made it past the slow beginning. I'm glad I did. What kept me interested in the beginning, was trying to find the connections in this book to Lear, however, as the novel went on, I found myself becoming more engaged with the novel and I focused less on its connection to Lear. This novel discusses themes of nature, identity, the treatment of women and nature, rural life, secrets, and memory. If you enjoyed King Lear I would suggest reading this book to see a different perspective of the narrative. The way this story is told may alter how you interpret Shakespeare's version.