Toe the line of athletics where it describes runners poised at the starting line, and in the context of behavior where the miscreant is expected to "toe the line." The first published use in a political context was in March 1826, where Willie Mangum of the United States House of Representatives proposed that "every member might 'toe the mark'." The behavioral use also stems from around that time. The term continues to be used in the context of cross-country and track and field running, although sometimes also symbolically in bicycle races to be at your mark along the starting line before a race.
What Is the What What Is the What What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng is a 2006 novel written by Dave Eggers. It is based on the life of Valentino Achak Deng, a Sudanese child refugee who immigrated to the United States under the Lost Boys of Sudan program. It was a finalist for the National Book Award. As a boy, Achak is separated from his family during the Second Sudanese Civil War when the Arab militia, referred to as "murahaleen" (which is Arabic for the deported), wipes out his Dinka village, Marial Bai. During the assault, he loses sight