History & Heritage Book Club Discussion

The South Dakota History and Heritage Book Club is joining the South Dakotan across the state to read "What is the What" by Dave Eggers. And you're invited to join the discussion.

The South Dakota Humanities Council selected "What is the What" for its One Book South Dakota program. The program encourages state residents to read and discuss the same title throughout the course of a year.

The South Dakota History and Heritage Book Club will discuss the novel when it meets on Tuesday, April 13.

"What is the What" is based on the life of Valentino Achak Deng, one of the so-called "lost boys" of the Sudan. It tells of Deng's experiences in Sudan, as a refugee in Ethiopia and Kenya, and as an immigrant in the United States. In 2006, Deng and Eggers established the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation in San Francisco to help rebuild Sudanese communities by increasing access to educational opportunities.

Joining the History and Heritage Book Club via telephone will be Greg Larson, the associate director of the Valentino Achak Deng Foundation. Larson graduated from Stanford  University with a degree in English. He worked in the development office at Stanford University and became involved with the foundation after working on projects associated with "What is the What". He will talk about the foundation's work, the educational center and secondary school the foundation built in Sudan, and the current state of affairs in Sudan.

The April  meeting of the South Dakota History and Heritage Book Club starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. People can also join the conversation by contacting Dorinda Daniel in advance at 605-773-6006 or at dorinda.daniel@state.sd.us

The book club is sponsored by the South Dakota Heritage Fund, the nonprofit financial partner of the South Dakota State Historical Society, and the South Dakota State Historical Society Press. The Featured book is available in the Heritage Stores at both the Cultural Heritage Center and the State Capitol.