"What Is the What" Quotes
A gripping tale of survival and resilience as a Sudanese refugee navigates a war-torn country and starts a new life in America.
fiction | 475 pages | Published in 2007
Quotes
We need better stories. Or maybe we just need better ways to hear them.
Every border is a tragedy and every crossing a crime.
The past is always tense, the future perfect.
It's a beautiful contradiction, when the absence of something can be just as tangible as its presence.
The world is full of monsters with friendly faces.
The refugee in a limousine and the refugee in a tent are both vulnerable.
In this world, survival demands the elimination of compassion.
Exile is unbearable, the land is uninhabitable, and love is treacherous.
My nightmares are real and my dreams are false.
Hate is a strong emotion, but love is stronger.





