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What book did you just start?
By Stephanie · 3501 posts · 467 views
By Stephanie · 3501 posts · 467 views
last updated Feb 27, 2024 08:11PM
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Zeitoun is a moving and eye-opening journalistic account of a much-loved and respected Syrian-born small business owner and resident of New Orleans in the days before, during, and after Hurricane Katrina. Eggers worked closely with Abdulrahman Zeitoun (known simply as "Zeitoun") and his American wife Kathy to faithfully represent Zeitoun's experiences when he remained in New Orleans to supervise his residential properties and business sites following the hurricane.
Some of the most emotionally r ...more
Some of the most emotionally r ...more
I thought I was taking a break from my prison binge, reading this pick for my prison book group. An offender told me this was a book every American citizen should be required to read. I thought he might have been a bit hyperbolic. But he was absolutely right. Not only is this an important book, it is the most powerful of all my prison reading in establishing the huge dysfunction of the American penal system.
You may have an opinion about Dave Eggers, or his publishing company, McSweeney's. You m ...more
You may have an opinion about Dave Eggers, or his publishing company, McSweeney's. You m ...more
I was livid through the second half of the book.
The story of Zeitoun who immigrated from Syria, married an American-born convert to Islam, has a family, develops his own remodeling, handy-person business and is known through New Orleans when Katrina threatens the city. Kathy, his wife, leaves town with the kids while Zeitoun stays behind for to protect his properties. Through the first part of the book, we learn the true character of Zeitoun. The second part of the book made me shudder due to t ...more
The story of Zeitoun who immigrated from Syria, married an American-born convert to Islam, has a family, develops his own remodeling, handy-person business and is known through New Orleans when Katrina threatens the city. Kathy, his wife, leaves town with the kids while Zeitoun stays behind for to protect his properties. Through the first part of the book, we learn the true character of Zeitoun. The second part of the book made me shudder due to t ...more
Loved it! Eggers did a great job of telling this story about a Muslim family who experienced Hurricane Katrina, by showing the dichotomy between what's wrong with the US and how the Zeitoun family handled a very scary, but real situation, that I'm sure occurs more frequently than any of us knows. The book is both well-researched and well-written. I was about to put it down to read something else, and then the story took a surprising turn and I couldn't even think about reading anything else unti
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The New York Times Book Review called Zeitoun "the stuff of great narrative fiction," and critics agreed that Eggers tells Zeitoun's tragic story without the postmodern trickery and tirades he has exhibited in previous works. Instead, he allows the story to tell itself while imbuing Zeitoun's tragedy with deep sympathy and emotion. Although Eggers didn't witness Hurricane Katrina's devastation firsthand, he captures the experience through Zeitoun's eyes and approaches his subject very intimately
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The true story of Zeitoun, a Syrian born New Orleanian who stayed behind during Hurricane Katrina, and found himself wrongfully "detained" by law enforcement. Makes you a bit afraid of how quickly law and order and civil rights fall by the wayside during a devastating disaster.
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This was a well-told, important story and I read it on the 5 year anniversary of Katrina. I agree with another comment that this probably could have been done just as well as an essay, but it was a quick read.
Everyone should read this - it is unbelievable that this could happen in this country.
Loved this book! But am sickened to what happened to this man in Katrina. Bush & his cronies should be ashamed of themselves!!!
Jun 03, 2010
Karen
rated it
it was amazing
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review of another edition
Shelves:
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Loved this book! Everyone should read this book to see exactly what went on during Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath.
Bookmarks Issue: Nov/Dec 2009
Aug 19, 2009
Julie
marked it as to-read
Oct 10, 2009
Paula
marked it as to-read
Dec 11, 2009
Suzanne Moore
marked it as to-read
Sep 10, 2012
Amanda
marked it as to-read
Jan 06, 2015
Kate
marked it as to-read
