Though zeitouns story could have been a source of cynicism or despair, dave eggerss clear and elegant prose manages to deftly capture many of the signature shortcomings of american life while holding onto the innate optimism and endless drive to more closely match our. It tells the story of abdulrahman zeitoun, the syrianamerican owner of a painting and contracting company in new orleans, louisiana, who chose to ride out hurricane katrina in his uptown home. Great nonfiction doesnt always start with a great subject, but it helps. The postkatrina trials of abdulrahman zeitoun would have baffled even kafkas joseph k. When hurricane katrina struck new orleans, abdulrahman zeitoun, a prosperous syrianamerican and father of four, chose to stay through the storm to protect his house and contracting business. Eggers, the boy wonder of good intentions, has given us 21stcentury dickensian storytelling which is. Aug 06, 2017 baheya zeitoun was born and raised in cairo, egypt. Jonathan demmes animated film based on eggerss book might have to be put on hold, considering zeitoun. How did including the perspectives of both kathy and abdulrahman affect the way you read the book.
Its the stuff of great narrative nonfiction fifty years from now, when people want to know what happened to this once great city during a shameful episode of our history, they will still be talking about a family named zeitoun. Abdulrahman and kathy zeitoun run a housepainting business in new orleans. He believes in both the system and his country, but time and again hes shown that something is broken, that americas progress as a nation is slow, sometimes too slow. The books bottom line is that zeitouns ordeal could happen to anyone in this country under the right circumstances. Find books like zeitoun from the worlds largest community of readers. Answers were everywhere and peoples opinions on dave were found mostly in. The author said to just write three pages a day, and i figured, i can do this. His story is a moving testament to the resilience of the. Tying the canoe to the house is an act of great foresight. Sameer rahim finds strength and hope in the story of zeitoun by dave.
More than that, though, was the feeling that i was being overtly manipulated into having certain opinions or feelings toward the main character and his situation. The best study guide to zeitoun on the planet, from the creators of sparknotes. Understanding the great gatsby ending and last line. It tells the story of abdulrahman zeitoun, the syrianamerican owner of a painting and contracting company in new orleans, louisiana, who chose to ride out hurricane katrina in his uptown home after the hurricane, he traveled the flooded city in a secondhand canoe rescuing neighbors, caring for. Just as gatsby is obsessed with the green light on daisys dock, so the sailors coming to this continent for the first time longed for the green breast of the new world. She is a citygirl to the core, who is inspired by the noise, chaos and liveliness of city life. Zeitoun is a nonfiction book written by dave eggers and published by mcsweeneys in 2009. The great tragedy of zeitoun is that he suffered for doing what all of us would hope to do in similar circumstancesthe best we can in times of crisis to help our neighbors. My fears, in all regards listed above, were unfounded, and i read the book in about four days. One of the stories in the book was about the zeitoun family.
Still, both ahmad and zeitoun would end up being seamen themselves. Zeitoun s childhood in syria, kathys conversion, their courtship and friendships, business and aspirations first dominate and then pepper the story. Friday, august 25, 2005, is a normal day for the family. Zeitoun eventually settled in the united states and made his way to new orleans.
Zeitoun is certainly a notable book and deserving of all the praise its received, but its not flawless. The question and answer section for zeitoun is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. I found much of it plodding and poorly written disappointing in light of eggers considerable literary talent. Zeitoun is an odd book, not beautifully written and not always entirely credible. Zeitoun is the result of dave eggers oral history project, voice of witness, a nonprofit book series that empowers those most closely affected by contemporary so cial injustice. Dave eggerss latest book, zeitoun, patiently unravels the harrowing tale of how kathy zeitoun, a louisiana native who grew up in a southern baptist family in baton rouge, came to be on the other. Zeitoun is revered in his adopted city as a fair and hardworking businessman.
Fifty years from now, when people want to know what happened to this once great city during a shameful episode of our history, they will still be talking about a family named zeitoun. Zeitoun had grown up in a coastal town called jableh in syria with many brothers and sisters. Zeitoun was a family man and had a great desire to begin his own family. Kathys son from her first marriage, zachary, is already there. Final thoughts on zeitoun alison and ryans bridge class.
He was so content in this country, so impressed with and loving of its opportunities, but then why, sometimes, did americans fall short of their best selves. Book groups will also find good fuel for discussion here. With that said if you liked the movie, read the book. This new ending emphasizes the depth of a tragedy where love. Eggers spends a fair few pages making sure we all understand how wonderful of a person zeitoun is, which i wont. Final project overview for our final project in methods ii. Zeitoun rescues several people and thinks it is gods will that he stays and helps during the catastrophe rather than take care of his wife and kids. Here he chronicles the kafkaesque tribulations of syrianamerican abdulrahman zeitoun in the wake of hurricane katrina. The book really highlights the injustice of the post 911 racism in the us, as zeitoun is on the recieving end of alot of racist remarks from guards at a us government prison camp, as well as being detained with trial or access to a phone call or lawyer, and being housed in inhumane conditions. Fifty years from now, when people want to know what happened to this oncegreat city during a shameful episode of our history.
She considers herself to be a feminist writer, and is usually inclined to write more realistic fiction with female protagonists. About the book abdulrahman zeitoun is a syrianborn entrepreneur who runs a busy painting company in new orleans. Eggerss zeitoun is a loving family man peaceful, calm, and devoted to his wife. He is known simply as zeitoun to his many neighbors, friends and loyal clients. Once the sardines were ready, tens of thousands of them glistening in the refracted light, the fisherman would cinch.
Does the story of what happened to zeitoun have more impact as it is told by both of them and by dave eggers in a rather matteroffact narrative instead of a histrionic tabloid style piece. This study guide consists of approximately 33 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of zeitoun. What is the impact, as you read, of this narrative. Though zeitoun s story could have been a source of cynicism or despair, dave eggerss clear and elegant prose manages to deftly capture many of the signature shortcomings of american life while holding onto the innate optimism and endless drive to more closely match our ideals. If you got him started on the subject, it was the end of any pleasant meal. In dave eggerss 2009 book, abdulrahman zeitoun, a syrian immigrant and contractor, opts to stay in new orleans while his wife and four children evacuate in. Dave eggerss zeitoun is a frightening book, telling a story of terrible and unexpected consequences of the terrorist threat to the united states.
Books similar to zeitoun meet your next favorite book. Jonathan demmes animated film based on eggerss book might have. In striving to enrich the lives of all readers, teachingbooks supports the first amendment and celebrates the right to read. This final chapter furnishes nick with more information about the mysterious gatsby and his struggle to climb the social ladder. To me, the only reason why we heard about the abuse is because there is a book out based on zeitoun and the book portrays zeitoun as this great godly man. The language of the novels ending paragraphs and the last paragraph of the first chapter links gatsbys outstretched arms with the hopes of the dutch sailors the people of the past. Mar 20, 2010 zeitoun is an odd book, not beautifully written and not always entirely credible. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. He met kathy, an american woman who was a single mother and had converted to islam after going through a bitter divorce. This is not necessarily because they dont believe them although the fact that a third of the country thought bush did a good job with katrina. Although the main events of the novel end with gatsbys murder and georges suicide, the great gatsby concludes with a chapter in which nick reflects on the aftermath of gatsbys death. Zeitoun is forced to ask this question time and again throughout the narrative, especially when hes incarcerated for a crime he hasnt committed. The armed men who burst in who are, in fact, six men and one woman seem to be law enforcement officers, and they promptly arrest everyone in the house as well as todd gambino, who arrives just as they are about to leave with the prisoners.
Smashwords about baheya zeitoun, author of expectations. The creators of sparknotes zeitoun study guide from litcharts. I thought, if really want to write, its time to start. Entertainment weekly put it on its endofthedecade bestof list, saying of eggers that, he kicked off the decade as the lookatme stylist behind. Zeitoun is the realdeal actuallyhappened story of one abdulrahman zeitoun, a syriancumamerican living in new orleans with his american wife, kathy, and their many children. Dave eggers is the new york times bestselling author of the critically lauded a heartbreaking work of staggering genius. This 40page guide for zeitoun by dave eggers includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 15 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. He decides to stay in new orleans to ride out the storm, and pays the consequences. All author proceeds from this book go to the zeitoun foundation, reads the beginning of a clearly stated note at the end of zeitoun, which is followed by a list of nonprofit organizations. The book s bottom line is that zeitoun s ordeal could happen to anyone in this country under the right circumstances. This guide is intended to enhance your groups reading and discussion of dave eggerss zeitoun, a harrowing nonfiction account of what happened to one man, and his family, in the chaotic aftermath of hurricane katrina. A hard working syrianamerican man living in new orleans who owns a contracting business. Indepth summary and analysis of every chapter of zeitoun. Zeitoun knew that kathy was the right woman for him the second he set eyes on her.
His story is a moving testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Dec 09, 2012 eggerss zeitoun is a loving family man peaceful, calm, and devoted to his wife. The narrative doubles back to september 6, when zeitoun is at the house on claiborne with nasser and ronnie. Again we dont know what exactly triggered zeitoun to act out this way. Zeitoun by dave eggers meet your next favorite book. So, i decided to introduce the book to my boyfriend, and once he heard that it was from dave eggers, he said oh nooooooo. Baheya zeitoun was born and raised in cairo, egypt. Zeitouns frustration with some americans was like that of a disappointed parent. Aug 15, 2012 egger was writing the story based on about now, and he was going off of what stories he got. The sheer hell that zeitoun, his family, and the countless, nameless people who suffered during the aftermath of katrina went through is a modern parable we should all heed. He is now forced to confront the increasingly severe nature of the storm, but remains focused on keeping his house as safe and protected as possible.
In the novel, zeitoun by dave eggers, the main character, abdulrahman zeitoun, is an immigrant of syria who stays in new orleans after hurricane katrina and is arrested due to the suspicion of looting, but really is arrested because of his race and how he looks. The couple bickers, with kathy growing frustrated by zeitouns stubbornness about everything, but they clearly have a. Dave eggers treads extremely carefully around zeitoun protagonist abdulrahman zeitoun, whose life puts him astride several contemporary american preoccupations, but his remarkable tale needs no such protection. Sep 18, 2009 dave eggers is the new york times bestselling author of the critically lauded a heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Fifty years from now, when people want to know what happened to this oncegreat city during a shameful episode of our history, they will still be talking about a family named zeitoun. Here we learn in great detail how zeitoun is denied the right to call kathy, how his injured foot is not attended to, how the other men are beaten, stripped, and starved, how he prays constantly, yet loses hope. Although zeitoun continues to reassure kathy, it seems that he is reassuring himself as well. Zeitoun summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. Audiobook excerpt created by recorded books listen to the recording share. Zeitouns childhood in syria, kathys conversion, their courtship and friendships, business and aspirations first dominate and then pepper the story. It was produced with the assistance and approval of the zeitoun. Notes about this book xv gives a sense of how the book was written, whose point of view it reflects, and eggerss efforts at accuracy and truth in his depiction of events. He believes in both the system and his country, but time and again hes shown that something is broken, that americas progress as a.
I did see the movie, if you just saw the movie and didnt read the book the movie is a spoiler for the ending of the book, but there is so much the movie cannot say that the book does. It was produced with the assistance and approval of the zeitoun family, and all author proceeds go to the zeitoun. Part iv 20390 tells the story of zeitouns imprisonment. Abdulrahman zeitoun, owner of a painting contractor business, lives in new orleans, louisiana with his wife kathy and their four children. The best books atlantic staffers read in 2015 the atlantic. This 40page guide for zeitoun by dave eggers includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 15 chapters, as well as several more in.
I picked up the book how to write a novel in 90 days. And while she dabbles in both poetry and prose, she feels she is better suited for prose. Zeitoun is a poignant, haunting, ethereal story about. Its simplistic style and important message make it a good choice for just about any type of reader, including young adults. I think us as readers are forgetting that this is reality. Despite facing some mild prejudice after 911, zeitoun has built a life that is both financially and socially successful. Our lady of zeitoun, also known simply as elzeitoun, zeitun or rarely our lady of light, was a mass marian apparition that occurred in the zeitoun district of cairo, egypt, over a period of 23 years beginning on april 2, 1968. Zeitoun is set in new orleans, louisiana, and begins with the protagonist abdulrahman zeitoun known by his last name and his wife kathy preparing to send their children nademah, aisha, and safiya to school. His father had been a ship captain, but after a neardeath experience had decided to settle down.
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