Zeitoun

Abdulrahman Zeitoun is a Syrian American who was falsely imprisoned in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. But Dave Eggers' narrative nonfiction is not about a confrontation between the U.S. and Islam after 9/11. It is a book about what a colossal f---up the rescue efforts were. It is above all a very personal story about how one man reacted to danger and responsibility and how that affected his family. Zeitoun was arrested in flooded New Orleans on suspicion of looting. He was arrested along with another Syrian American and two white Americans. Under the circumstances, the arrest itself was not a grievous miscarriage of justice. The subsequent treatment of all four men and the violation of their civil rights was. Zeitoun is released on bail after 20 days. He did not eat or sleep well during his captivity, so he lost 20 pounds and looked a good deal older. His family, worried literally sick because he had no opportunity to call them, and especially his wife, were traumatized. But the others arrested with Zeitoun on the same flimsy evidence were held much longer -- six to eight months. We are not even sure from Eggers' account if one or the other of them wasn't actually guilty of looting. Zeitoun himself, whom the reader comes to know fairly well, castigated himself for his "hubris" in staying in New Orleans because deep down he wanted to emulate the heroism of his older brother, a champion swimmer who was prematurely killed in a car accident in the full blossom of youth. Even if he was justified in staying through the storm to take care of his house, his business and his rental properties, and even if he was able to help rescue stranded people in the first days of flooding, he owed it to his family, he felt in retrospect, to have availed himself of emergency evacuation possibilities as the crisis dragged on. He didn't evacuate and although he evaded encounters with armed gangs he was in suspicious enough circumstances to get arrested. He was together with the other three men in his rental property, where the landline phone still worked, with a blue and white motorboat that had been seen in a looting incident and electronic equipment piled on the dining room table to save it from the flood waters. It didn't help that two of the men arrested had large amounts of cash with them. The narrative of Camp Greyhound and the Hunt prison is riveting and dramatic. In some ways it overshadows some equally interesting narratives. The back story of Zeitoun growing up in Syria and roving at sea for 10 years before settling in Louisiana and courting his wife, Kathy, a young divorcee and convert to Islam. The narrative of Katrina and its aftermath was for me the most gripping. Like a good catastrophe film, the book eases into the event showing people going about their lives as usual, as radio bulletins of increasing seriousness warn of Katrina's approach. Zeitoun's family evacuated and he remains in his home, placing buckets to catch leaks as the storm blows over. He uses his secondhand canoe to silently paddle through flooded neighborhoods, hearing cries for help and summoning rescue teams for an elderly couple, a disabled woman and others. He hears dogs trapped in a couple of houses and finds a way to feed them, returning every day to give them food and water. He visits his rental properties, his mosque, he pitches a tent on the flat roof of his garage to escape the heat and odor of the house. Zeitoun is a resourceful, honest man that you cannot help but admire. Whatever his motivation, he responds generously and courageously to the unexpected crisis resulting from the storm. Perhaps it would have been wiser to evacuate, but it was hardly hubris to stay. He could not anticipate the grief that would come to his family when his arrest made him suddenly incommunicado. One tie keeping him in the city was the need to feed those dogs, who in the end died of starvation during his captivity, a note of true pathos. Eggers tells the story resolutely from the point of view of Abdul and Kathy Zeitoun. We are asked to swallow without comment Kathy's feeling of "liberation" as a woman in Islam, even though we know that women in Islam do not enjoy anything like what we would consider equality or freedom. The generosity and caring of the Muslims in the narrative are contrasted with the callousness of the non-Muslims, including Kathy's own family. It is all true, but of course it is not the whole story. The book is what is now called narrative nonfiction. Dialogue is fabricated on the basis of recalled conversations. Interior monologues are based on long interviews with the subjects. There are touching family photos. In his earlier book, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Eggers, by his own account, compressed incidents and timeframes. Since he makes no mention of it here, he presumably is not doing it in this book. In any case, the book reads like a good novel. It takes us inside characters, it transports us into a dramatic situation, it moves to a climax and it leaves us transformed in some small way. While Eggers' earlier book, which I have not read, was a type of memoir, this is more journalism the way Tom Wolfe envisioned it in The Right Stuff and his other early works. The writing is elegant but not showy, letting the story grip the reader directly. It is artful, but the art achieves a transparency like that described by Roland Barthes in The Degree Zero of Writing -- the language does not refract or distort the meaning but conveys it with great lucidity. Zeitoun reduces the drama and catastrophe of Katrina to a personal story that each of us can relate to. It gives the freefloating outrage that all of us instinctively feel about the criminal incompetence of the rescue efforts a focus on a genuine injustice and real harm to a family. It shows us that just because the Zeitouns, like so many others in New Orleans, are able to move on, damaged but resourceful and hopeful, does not remove the injustice that was done. Probably few will ever pay for the crimes committed, but that is no reason to forget the misdeeds and no reason not to punish those we can.

Zeitoun is a moving story about a good man in an impossible time. The simplistic tone of the text contributes to the story flow. This is a story about a man, an extended family, a time, and the disaster following Hurricane Katrina. The simplicity of the writing keeps the story moving forward. The first half of the book tells us about a man, Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a Muslim Syrian immigrant to New Orleans, his business, his wife Kathy, and their extended family. Zeitoun is a hardworking, decent, husband, father and employer who provides quality contracting services in New Orleans. A portion of his life and perspective is colored by his Muslim faith. As American readers, we are accustomed to seeing protagonists' lives colored by their Catholic, Fundamental or Jewish faith, and it may seem a little odd to watch a protagonist whose life is colored by a faith with which are not as familiar. Zeitoun's faith is not much of an issue, until the deluge of Katrina, and then his faith appears to color both his perceptions of how he is treated and also effect the treatment he receives. I imagine Tim Tebow affects others in similar ways and feels similar effects. The second half of the book deals with the collapse of civil society in New Orleans following Katrina and the 23 day imprisonment of Zeitoun. Eggers describes the Kafkaesque nightmare of the innocent in prison. The imprisoned have no access to counsel, much less the ability to make a phone call to their families. The imprisoned are subjected to repeated abusive conduct; humiliating searches; pepper spraying; inadequate medical care; and a judicial system that seems to perpetuate the broken system rather than try to fix it. To me, however, the story of Zeitoun's incarceration and failings of the justice system, seem far less interesting than the story of the man and family that have also been trapped and overwhelmed by the aftermath of Katrina. In an afterword, Eggers apologizes for the prison conditions as being "simply overwhelmed after Katrina." This apology by the author seems inconsistent with his protagonist's observations on the well-organized logistical efforts of men and machines required to create the prison, when compared to the disorganized logistical efforts of those attempting to rescue the civilians in New Orleans. Eggers compares the damage done to innocent, imprisoned individuals by our "blind grasping fight against threats seen and unseen," with bycatch. I think Eggers gives too much credit to those engaged in the "war on terror." Unlike those engaged in the fishing industry that provides food for many people, large portions of the "the war on terror," such as the costly and ineffective Potemkin security villages created by TSA, seem directed not at keeping us safe, but at giving the appearance that someone is trying to keep us safe. In the end, however, the question may not be the good faith or bad faith of our security forces, but whether the overall effects justify the real, and devastating effects on the bycatch, those collaterally damaged by our war on Islamic terror. At end of the book, I was left wondering what happened to Zeitoun's cellmates. Zeitoun was released from confinement, partially as the result of frantic familial efforts, after 23 days. His cellmates, equally innocent, spent 5 months, six months and 8 months. Maybe these cellmates are just stand-ins for thousands of other innocents accused. Although I understand this is the story of Zeitoun and his family, I would feel better about Zeitoun, if I knew what he had done, upon his release, to assist his cellmates, as he had assisted his neighbors. Maybe the whole experience was so exhausting, that he simply had nothing else to give. Maybe he did all he could. As a reader, I just don't know. This unanswered question about the apparent abandonment of his comrades leads me to question the protagonist's reasons for his earlier ordinary acts of heroism. In any event, Zeitoun is a compelling read and brings life to two separate stories that repeat, and here are intertwined in America: the immigrant experience and disasters. The combination of these stories is both entertaining and educational. I recommend it.

I struggle all the time with "must" when it comes to giving advice to other people. Who am I to tell you what to do? Will you forgive me this one time? Because if you do, you will learn some important things by reading this book. You MUST read Zeitoun. Especially if you live in one of those areas -- like I do -- that can be struck by a natural disaster. Most of us do now, don't you think? With global warming, there are more fierce hurricanes, more tornados. And just the other day I looked at an old National Geographic magazine's map of where earthquake areas are in the world -- there's a lot of them! And I live in the San Francisco Bay Area ... so we think about them all the time -- that is, when we're not in a state of denial. You better hope hope hope and pray (if so inclined) that you are never in a natural disaster of huge proportions like the poor folks in New Orleans were! The natural disaster parts are bad enough ... but what is far worse is the army of "helpers" who come in later: National Guard, FEMA, law enforcement from other areas. That's when the real tragedy will happen. These people don't know you. They've been told to watch for looters. And like one of the quotes says in the front matter of this important book: To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Every person looks like a looter. Or a terrorist if you've got a Middle Eastern-sounding name. That's what happened to Abdulrahman Zeitoun. At the time of Katrina, he was (and still is) a citizen and successful businessman in New Orleans. Think of it: you're well-known by your community and a successful businessman -- yet, after Katrina, you are thought of as a looter and terrorist. Without any proof. No evidence whatsoever. No hearing for weeks. No phone call. The phone call. It's that special part of the U.S. judicial system: the phone call. We're taught about this all the time as children: if you're arrested, you get a phone call. The worst serial killer gets a phone call. Don't count on it after a disaster. In a disaster with our friends from FEMA in control you become one of the Disappeared -- and yes, they are the ones in control -- and now that they are a part of Homeland Security they have even more control and an even worse attitude -- to an employee from FEMA, everyone looks like a looter and a terrorist. And what about you, woman in your 70s -- do you really think your safe? Read about the tale of Merlene Maten. She was 73 and a diabetic. She and her husband had fled their home before the hurricane and checked into a downtown hotel thinking they would be safer there. After three days, Maten went down to their car in the parking lot next door to get some food they had in the car. She was arrested for looting. It made no sense! Yet she was arrested anyway. Folks, this is what is so striking when you read this book: the "helpers" -- law enforcement, National Guards or whatever -- do not listen to you if you are just regular folks. Remember, you're a nobody. They don't listen to your story ... they don't look at the real facts: you're 73 and diabetic and you're at *your* car getting food. They don't take the time to see if you really are checked into that hotel next door. They just arrest you. You better hope hope hope and pray that a disaster doesn't head your way. I want to thank Dave Eggers for writing this book -- and for all the important things he does with his abundant energy. Good stuff. Thanks. From deep down. I hadn't read any of his books before, glad I started with this one. The writing is so very good too. The book is a page-turner. It's not depressing at all. The book has a main story -- the story about the Zeitouns -- plus lots of other very interesting stories. Although watch out! If you were mad about how folks in New Orleans were treated before -- WATCH OUT -- you're gonna be furious by the time you finish this book.

In ZEITOUN, David Eggers has written a remarkable true story of one man's struggle to both survive and make a difference in an atmosphere of devastation and official incompetence. In reviewing this book, I'll be struggling against the use of superlatives and glowing adjectives, the bane of those who evaluate the worthiness of another person's writing. Eggers has focused on many aspects of Hurricane Katrina. His probing examination reveals the overwhelming extent of the destruction, personal choices on how to cope with it, the ineptitude and cruelty displayed by officialdom, and individual stories of courage and compassion. The author has obviously connected with the Zeitoun family. Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun, along with their children and many relatives scattered around the world, personify the closeness and love that every family strives for. It was the group effort that overcame an individual's hardship. Distance, cost, or time were not factors in their efforts that ultimately brought the ordeal to a somewhat satisfactory conclusion. Eggers portrays this intimate bond with obvious admiration. Eggers is not so complimentary about the government's handling of its relief efforts. Officials responsible with maintaining order and providing assistance were caught up in the immensity of the disaster. Their confusion eventually gave way to abuse of power, indolence, and a herd mentality that resulted in the total breakdown of what should have been a humanitarian effort. I was outraged by the arrest of Zeitoun and his comrades in the first place and then totally devastated by their subsequent treatment by over officious law enforcement and military personnel. The bullying attitude by law enforcement is a problem that still exists today. The sad part, as recounted in ZEITOUN, is that this idiotic attitude starts at the top and then permeates the entire organization. Who the hell was responsible for this debacle? Has anyone been called to account for it? Abdulrahmin and Kathy's anxiety about keeping in touch with each other, although great during the actual storm, was exacerbated by Abdulrahmin's arrest. Panicky feelings of despair, and hopelessness became unbearable. The after effects of their ordeal seem more influenced by their encounters with law enforcement that by the storm itself. Their resilience is simply amazing, as is their ability to forgive. If this is a trait produced by their devout Muslim religion, then I'm impressed. So I absolutely recommend this book. The writing is outstanding. The experience is mesmerizing. The lessons learned are eye-opening. The characters are unforgettable. Zeitoun (pronounced zay-toon) is a name for the ages. Schuyler T Wallace Author of TIN LIZARD TALES

This is a book that tells the story of Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun, a wonderful family living in New Orleans, during the happenings of hurricane Katrina. Even when the book is not fiction, it reads like a novel. I personally expected more. I purchased this book expecting that it would blend the real story of the Zeitoun family with factual research about the catastrophe of hurricane Katrina and New Orleans. The book is 90% about the story and 10% about the facts of hurricane Katrina, so I finished the book feeling that my curiosity about this event is very much unfilled. In ways I also feel that referring to the tragedy of Katrina by using the story of only one family may be quite limited as it can't provide a broad perspective of what happened before, during and after the hurricane. In this context, I learned that the publishing company and the non-profit organization that was funded by the author (Dave Eggers) also published a book that was the initial inspiration of Zeitoun - Voices from the Storm: The People of New Orleans on Hurricane Katrina and Its Aftermath -. This book shares interviews with several people that lived in New Orleans during Katrina and probably it provides a broader perspective of that event as it shares views from different people rather than a single story. This book is then most about the story of the Zeitoun family. Although their story is interesting and dramatic in many ways, I felt that the book moves too slowly in some parts, becoming repetitive on aspects that are not that significant for the story. In ways I felt that this story is right for an assay at the New Yorker, but too weak for a full book. Besides this criticism I have to say that the book reads well, and the story will be difficult to forget and that overall it was an nice reading experience. So if you are a non-fiction reader who likes books that describe in-depth research while combining real stories and you like to learn about Katrina, this book will leave you unsatisfied. If you read novels and like simple stories about people, you will enjoy the book.

The topic of Zeitoun immediately caught my interest when I read the first blurb about it, and I'd always wanted to get around to reading something by Dave Eggers. So, I stuck it in my cart, and the moment I got a chance, I read it--and stayed up until 4:00 to finish it. When I loaned Zeitoun to my sister, she devoured it in a day, too. Zeitoun is an important story, and a gripping read. Zeitoun is really the story of a family. The Zeitouns, Abdulrahman and Kathy and their children, live in New Orleans, running a successful construction and painting business. Much of the book is focused on who this family is: how Zeitoun came to be in the United States after his childhood in Syria and how he came to be the competent, honest, devout, and stubborn person that he is; how Kathy came to convert to Islam and marry Zeitoun; and how the two of them joined to build a thriving family and business. And then it's the story of how their lives become shredded, thrown into turmoil, first by Hurricane Katrina and second, and much more devastatingly, by the irrational, violent, and dehumanizing hatred that is still directed toward them Muslims like them following 9/11 and that is unleashed in the chaos and mismanagement following the storm. Just by coincidence, I happened to read Zeitoun just after completing John Hersey's Hiroshima. Hersey's narrative, of course, served so well to tell the stories of people whose rights and basic humanity had been ignored in the bombing of that city. Zeitoun compares favorably with that classic. Eggers's narration is, first of all, well-paced, with clean and direct prose, and with some moments of absolute poetry. Eggers also accomplishes something similar to what Hersey did in his classic, capturing the horror of the Zeitouns' plight, and humanizing these people who are caught up in unjust forces of history and culture. This is the sort of story that has to be heard so that we can become more conscious and can change into a more just and loving people.

Although this book is listed on its cover as a "best seller", I came across it quite by accident, while searching for another book. Then I read some reviews, bought the book, and began reading it "between books", or so I thought. To my wonderment and to my very pleasant surprise, it's a riveting book, one which I found almost impossible to put down. It reads like the very best of adventure stories interwoven with the very best of crime fiction - and even that's inadequate praise for this highly entertaining and educational book. "Zeitoun" adds a very personal viewpoint and a powerful depth to the thousands of individual struggles and tragedies of the aftermath of the hurricane Katrina. It also points out things which we never read in the mass media - the over-reliance on high technology which probably cost lives, the incredible insensitivity of too many people at all levels (but in this book, mostly at lower and intermediate levels of the military and police forces). I had not known how many "indpendent security contractors" like members of the now infamous "Blackwater" firm, the Israeli Mossad, and others were flown to New Orleans to provide "security". I had not known how many thousands of guns were imported into the city after the floods. I hadn't realized how inflated were the reports of random citizen violence. I had some idea of the insensitivity and brutality of the security forces themselves, but the extent of it surprised me as I read the book. As a member of a multi-ethnic family, I felt a particular concern for the plight of the muslims in particular (Abdulrahman Zeitoun is a Syrian born American citizen) but also with all the "people of color" and the less financially well off, who suffered disproportionally in the haphazard efforts to stabilize the city and salvage some of its people. But "Zeitoun" is not all gloom and doom. It's a story of resilience, survival, and hope - sometimes against the odds. Even in 2009, years after the hurricane itself, "Zeitoun" is a compelling story, and a very topical one. Don't start reading this book late at night, because once you start, it will be very difficult to stop. Bill Hansen

With the recent controversy over the Ground Zero Mosque, it is crucial that teachers incorporate literature into the curriculum that highlights the fact the Muslim religion is not equated with terrorism; terrorism is not a religion. Eggers successfully documents the trauma of the Zeitoun family following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The novel is based on a series of in depth interviews of the Zeitoun family, friends, and relatives, as well as, other central figures who share Zeitoun's fate. About two thirds of the book is spent focusing on the bond between Zeitoun and his family, which extends to his community at large; a community that Zeitoun, even after Katrina, finds value in, from the disabled to the able-bodied, to the animals left behind. It is within this post-Katrina community, however, that Zeitoun is falsely accused, tortured, and degraded by the U.S. government because he is thought to be associated with terrorist activity. Although Zeitoun's imprisonment is one of the defining characteristics of the book, Eggers also touches upon what it means to be a Muslim woman in America today. Through Kathy, Zeitoun's wife who is an American woman that converted because she felt the religion gave her power and control over her own life, we learn that the hijab, which is often seen as a sign of suppression by a patriarchal culture, actually becomes one of liberation. It is within the pages of Eggers narrative that educators will find the opportunity to teach students how to embrace and understand other cultures beyond what is reported by media outlets. By not including this book in our curriculum, or a work that confronts the same issue, we are doing our students a disservice, which will eventually become extensions of further ignorance and intolerance. Making students aware of how 9/11 has changed what it means to be American will only foster the knowledge of real situations, situations like Zeitouns that forever altered a man and his family; a situation that forever altered Americans. An interesting aspect about this book is the title because Zeitoun represents the man, the family, as well as, the extended network of friends and relatives of Zeitoun's (the man) around the world. It may be an interesting aspect to bring up in class discussion after reading the book. This book also contains a comprehensive list resources on rebuilding New Orleans, support for, and education about the Muslim community. Utilizing these sources in the classroom would be excellent an way to get students involved in the reality of the text they have just read.