The 2008 One Book, One Philadelphia kick-off was a standing-room-only affair--conclusively answering this question ...--with hundreds of people interested in learning more about Dave Eggers’ critically acclaimed novelization of Valentino Achak Deng’s life story filling the Central Library’s Montgomery Auditorium and two simulcast locations. Valentino himself was unable to attend--he’s currently in the midst of an extended visit to Sudan, working on a school-building project made possible by proceeds from sales of What Is the What--but Eggers was joined onstage by Abraham Awolich, a friend of Valentino’s and fellow Lost Boy whose work as co-founder and co-director of the New Sudan Education Initiative has been instrumentally helpful to Valentino in establishing his own foundation . If you couldn’t make it to this event, don’t despair--just be sure to mark your calendars for March 20th, when Eggers will return to the Central Library for the One Book closing event with Mary Williams.