Zeitoun

By: Dave Eggers

Narrated by: Firdous Bamji

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

In his new nonfiction book Zeitoun, New York Times best-selling author Dave Eggers tells a Hurricane Katrina story unlike any written before.

When HurricaneKatrina struck New Orleans, Abdulrahman Zeitoun - a prosperous Syrian-American and father of four - chose to stay through the storm to protect his house and contracting business. In the eerie days after the storm, he traveled the flooded streets in a secondhand canoe, passing on supplies and rescuing those he could. A week later, on September 6, 2005, Zeitoun abruptly disappeared.

Eggers's riveting work, three years in the making, follows Zeitoun back to his childhood in Syria and around the world during his years as a sailor. The book also traces the story of Zeitoun's wife Kathy - a boisterous Southerner who converted to Islam - and their wonderful, funny, devoted family. When Zeitoun vanishes, Kathy is left to make sense of the surreal atmosphere (in New Orleans and the United States generally) in which what happened to Abdulrahman Zeitoun was possible.

©2009 Dave Eggers (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Imagine Charles Dickens, his sentimentality in check but his journalistic eyes wide open, roaming New Orleans after it was buried by Hurricane Katrina ... Eggers's tone is pitch-perfect - suspense blended with just enough information to stoke reader outrage and what is likely to be a typical response: How could this happen in America?" (Timothy Egan, The New York Times)

Pulls you in from the get-go!

I so enjoyed this story though felt amazed that all this could happen to such a nice man and his family. Reader was excellent.

Dry and Drawn out

The book seemed fictional and at times truly unbelievable. Given that its a book of reflection of the Zeitouns encounters it would help if there were other sources of information to confirm these accounts. Also it would've been more interesting if the book progressed quicker. At some points the book really dragged and made you actually not care about the upcoming tragedy. And even after the the storm and him staying, the book dragged through his time away from his family. And the long reveal for the outcome with his cell mates, and jumping back and forth towards the end between present and past... It couldve been edited better.

Hope after miscarriage of justice

This story wrenched my heart, but I loved the attention to detail and care Egger did with this family's horrific ordeal. Yet another instance of our government dehumanizing its citizenry in their time of great need, as it does with our military-prison-industrial complex. How police used FEMA money for these injustices reminds me of what North Dakota is doing at Standing Rock.

All this aside, this story makes me want to meet Zeitoun's family.

Amazing story

An engrossing account of a good man and a good family, and their encounter with a terrible storm & grim aftermath. Brilliant!

Important story that could be told better

I cannot believe this happened in America. The narration is a little weak and the story could be more fluid. However, this is a story that needed to be told and is so amazing that these flaws are almost forgotton.

Zeitoun

Wow - this book blew my mind, and opened my eyes. It revealed to me the barely hidden prejudices of ordinary people. Here was the excuse to give authorities the apparent right to take away human dignity and basic human rights. Imagine what we would have to say if this happened in the middle east? A reminder to never stand by when you see injustice. Question everything!

very interesting

this was a very interesting listen in its exploration and depiction of hurrican Katrina.
the reader did a good job,. the characters are very accessible

Brilliant

Great story - regardless of your biases or political standings just to read the story gives you a look at how unfair life can be and how the governement can jst mess up sometimes. Great book moves along well and keeps you interetsted

Beautiful story

Even though I read this book for my English class, I enjoyed it. It was touching and eye opening.

Read it. Good Story, Boring Listen

I am 2/3 of the way through, and it so slow. So many of the details are unnecessary and repititious. If I read it, I would skim quickly past those parts, but you can't when you listen. Either listen to an abridged version or read this book. Warning: it will take forever if you listen! This is about the 80th book I have listened to and this is only the second time I wished it were abridged. The story is worthwhile, just not in this format.