Zeitoun (book)

Last updated
Zeitoun
Zeitoun.jpg
The cover of Zeitoun, illustrated by Rachell Sumpter.
Author Dave Eggers
LanguageEnglish
Subject Hurricane Katrina
Genre Nonfiction
Published2009 (McSweeney's)
Publication placeUnited States
Media typehardcover, paperback
Pages351
ISBN 9781934781630
OCLC 332257182
Preceded by The Wild Things  
Followed byA Hologram for the King 

Zeitoun is a nonfiction book written by Dave Eggers and published by McSweeney's in 2009. It tells the story of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, the Syrian-American owner of a painting and contracting company in New Orleans, Louisiana, who chose to ride out Hurricane Katrina in his Uptown home.

Contents

After the hurricane, he traveled the flooded city in a secondhand canoe rescuing neighbors, caring for abandoned pets and distributing fresh water, but was arrested without reason or explanation at one of his rental houses, along with three others, by a mixed group of U.S. Army National Guard soldiers and local police officers. Zeitoun and the others were accused of terrorist activities, presumably because of the large amount of money found in their possession as well as maps of the city and a storage disc, and were detained for 23 days. Zeitoun was refused medical attention and the use of a phone to alert his family. His wife and daughters, who were staying with friends far away from the city, only learned that he had disappeared.

Plot summary

Abdulrahman Zeitoun grew up in Syria. After a few years of apprenticeship in the Syrian port city of Jableh, Zeitoun spent twenty years working at sea as a crewman, engineer and fisherman. During this time he traveled the world and eventually settled in the United States in 1988. Zeitoun met his wife Kathy, a native of Baton Rouge, with whom he founded their business, Zeitoun Painting Contractors LLC. Kathy converted to Islam. [1]

In late August 2005, as Hurricane Katrina approached the city, Kathy and their four children left New Orleans for Baton Rouge. Zeitoun stayed behind to watch over their home, ongoing job sites and rental properties. Once the storm made landfall, their neighborhood (although miles from the nearest levees) was flooded up to the second floor of most houses. Zeitoun began to explore the city in a secondhand canoe, distributing what supplies he had, ferrying neighbors to higher ground and caring for abandoned dogs.[ citation needed ]

On September 6, Zeitoun and three companions were arrested at one of Zeitoun's rental houses by a mixed group of U.S. Army National Guardsmen, local police and police from out of state. They were detained in a makeshift jail in a Greyhound bus station -"Camp Greyhound" - for three days before being transferred to Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in nearby St. Gabriel, Louisiana. Zeitoun was held at Hunt for 20 more days without trial, but he was given a bond of 75 thousand dollars and read his charges. He was interviewed by officers and later by ICE officials and put in segregated cells.

Writing procedure

Eggers began work on the book in 2006, after meeting Kathy and Abdulrahman through another McSweeney's project called Voices from the Storm. He worked closely with the Zeitoun family while researching and writing the book, meeting with them multiple times in New Orleans and letting them read six or seven versions of the manuscript. [2] Eggers visited members of the Zeitoun family living in Syria, as well as Abdulrahman's brother Ahmad, who lives in Spain. Eggers said he would not personally make money from the book's publication; any funds from the book would be distributed by the Zeitoun Foundation, a nonprofit set up by Eggers and the Zeitoun family. [2]

Reception

Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade "best-of" list, saying of Eggers that, "He kicked off the decade as the look-at-me stylist behind 2000's A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius . The fact that Eggers bookended it with this gut-wrenchingly poignant and selfless Katrina story proves that even boy wonders can grow up." [3]

Awards

Film conversion

In 2009, an animated film based on the book was announced, set to be directed by Jonathan Demme. [5] However, in May 2014, The Playlist reported that the film was "percolat[ing] in development". [6]

Aftermath

The book describes the difficulty Kathy had in the years afterward coping with the stress of the jailing and related events. [7] The couple's relationship deteriorated in subsequent years, and they divorced in 2012. [8]

In August 2012, Abdulrahman Zeitoun was charged with plotting to have Kathy Zeitoun, her son, and another man murdered. [9] In July 2013, Zeitoun was tried and found not guilty of charges of attempted first-degree murder and solicitation of first-degree murder. The state's main witness, who had an extensive multi-state criminal record, was found not credible. [10] In 2016, Zeitoun was convicted of felony stalking his ex-wife. [11] In September 2018, after completing his prison sentence, Zeitoun was ordered deported by an immigration judge, but then freed from federal detention, as his native Syria was in the midst of a civil war and had no diplomatic relations in place to facilitate receiving deportees. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Orleans</span> Consolidated city-parish in Louisiana, United States

New Orleans is a consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 according to the 2020 U.S. census, it is the most populous city in Louisiana and the French Louisiana region; third most populous city in the Deep South; and the twelfth-most populous city in the southeastern United States. Serving as a major port, New Orleans is considered an economic and commercial hub for the broader Gulf Coast region of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bounce music</span> Energetic style of New Orleans hip hop

Bounce music is a style of New Orleans hip hop music that is said to have originated as early as the late 1980s in the city's housing projects. Popular bounce artists have included DJ Jubilee, Partners-N-Crime, Magnolia Shorty and Big Freedia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitch Landrieu</span> American politician (born 1960)

Mitchell Joseph Landrieu is an American lawyer and politician who served as Mayor of New Orleans from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana from 2004 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Nagin</span> American politician and businessman

Clarence Raymond Joseph Nagin Jr. is an American former politician who was the 60th Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, from 2002 to 2010. A Democrat, Nagin became internationally known in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Aaron Francis Broussard is a former American politician who served as the president, a combined municipal-parish position, of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, from 2003 to 2010. A Democrat, Broussard became known nationally for appearances he made in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 New Orleans mayoral election</span>

The first round of the New Orleans mayoral election of 2006 took place on April 22, 2006; a runoff between incumbent Mayor Ray Nagin and Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu took place on May 20, resulting in reelection for Mayor Nagin. The Mayor of New Orleans is the top official in New Orleans' mayor-council system of government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Media coverage of Hurricane Katrina</span>

Many representatives of the news media reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina became directly involved in the unfolding events, instead of simply reporting. Due to the loss of most means of communication, such as land-based and cellular telephone systems, field reporters in many cases became conduits for information between victims and authorities.

Vincent Joseph Marinello was an American longtime sportscaster who was featured on WWL AM/FM radio and, previously, on WVUE and WDSU in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was later known as a leading media personality, covering aspects of the recovery of the city from the devastation following Hurricane Katrina. Before his arrest for the murder of his third wife, he served as an in-house television host and analyst at the Fair Grounds Race Course from 1990 until 2005. Marinello died in custody at Dixon Correctional Institute on February 21, 2020 of natural causes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Orleans Police Department</span> Municipal police department in Louisiana, U.S.

The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has primary responsibility for law enforcement in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The department's jurisdiction covers all of Orleans Parish, while the city itself is divided into eight police districts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Rose (journalist)</span> American journalist

Chris Rose is a New York Times Best-Selling New Orleans, Louisiana, writer and journalist. For years best known for light-hearted writing in the Times-Picayune, he gained greater attention for his chronicles of the effect of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans since 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Willow School (Louisiana)</span> Public charter school

Willow School, formerly Lusher Charter School, is a K-12 charter school in uptown New Orleans, Louisiana, in the university area. Willow is chartered by Advocates for Arts Based Education (AABE), which acts as the board for the entire school. Willow School has three uptown campuses; the lower school program is housed at the Dr. Everett J. Williams, Jr. Campus, the middle school is at the Ellis L. Marsalis, Jr. Campus, and the high school is at the Elijah Brimmer, Jr. Campus on Freret Street. A temporary campus was housed at the Jewish Community Center on St. Charles Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hyatt Regency New Orleans</span> Hotel in LA, United States

The Hyatt Regency New Orleans is a 32-story, 361-foot hotel located at 601 Loyola Ave in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, US, opened in 1976. It has 1,193 guest rooms, including 95 suites. It is part of a complex of connected buildings, which includes the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, 1250 Poydras Plaza, Entergy Tower, and the Benson Tower. It was designed by Welton Becket and Associates. The Hyatt was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and remained closed until 2011.

Terreal Bierria is a former safety in the National Football League (NFL). He was a fourth round pick out of the University of Georgia in 2002. He played two seasons for the Seattle Seahawks in 2002 and 2004, starting twelve games in 2004 for a defense that ranked 23rd in the NFL against the pass. He was cut after he left training camp to help families members trapped by Hurricane Katrina. He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder of a man in Slidell, Louisiana but, after two trials, was never convicted.

<i>A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge</i> Non-fiction graphic novel by Josh Neufeld

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge is a non-fiction graphic novel by cartoonist Josh Neufeld. Originally published as a webcomic, A.D. tells the stories of a handful of real-life New Orleans residents and their experiences during and after Hurricane Katrina. The graphic novel was a New York Times best-seller and was nominated for an Eisner Award and a Harvey Award in 2010. In addition, A.D. was selected for inclusion in The Best American Comics 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lance Africk</span> American judge (born 1951)

Lance Michael Africk is a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

<i>Treme</i> (TV series) American drama television series

Treme is an American drama television series created by David Simon and Eric Overmyer that aired on HBO. The series premiered on April 11, 2010, and concluded on December 29, 2013, comprising four seasons and 36 episodes. The series features an ensemble cast including Khandi Alexander, Rob Brown, Chris Coy, Kim Dickens, India Ennenga, John Goodman, Michiel Huisman, Melissa Leo, Lucia Micarelli, David Morse, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Jon Seda, and Steve Zahn, as well as musical performances by a number of New Orleans–based artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danziger Bridge shootings</span> 2005 police killings in New Orleans, Louisiana

On the morning of September 4, 2005, six days after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, members of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), ostensibly responding to a call from an officer under fire, shot and killed two civilians at the Danziger Bridge: 17-year-old James Brissette and 40-year-old Ronald Madison. Four other civilians were wounded. All the victims were African-American. None were armed or had committed any crime. Madison, a mentally disabled man, was shot in the back. The shootings caused public anger and further eroded the community's trust in the NOPD and the federal response to Hurricane Katrina overall.

Hurricane Katrina has been featured in a number of works of fiction. This article is an ongoing effort to list the many artworks, books, comics, movies, popular songs, and television shows that feature Hurricane Katrina as an event in the plot.

Henry Glover was an African American resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, who was shot to death on September 2, 2005. Glover's charred body was later found in a destroyed Chevrolet Malibu parked on a Mississippi River levee near a police station.

Camp Greyhound is the nickname of a temporary makeshift jail at the Greyhound Bus station next to the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal that was operated in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina of August 29, 2005.

References

  1. ↑ Pilkington, Ed (11 March 2010). "The amazing true story of Zeitoun". The Guardian . Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  2. 1 2 Stephen Elliott (June 9, 2009). "The Rumpus Long Interview with Dave Eggers". The Rumpus. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  3. ↑ Geier, Thom; Jensen, Jeff; Jordan, Tina; Lyons, Margaret; Markovitz, Adam; Nashawaty, Chris; Pastorek, Whitney; Rice, Lynette; Rottenberg, Josh; Schwartz, Missy; Slezak, Michael; Snierson, Dan; Stack, Tim; Stroup, Kate; Tucker, Ken; Vary, Adam B.; Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Ward, Kate (December 11, 2009), "THE 100 Greatest MOVIES, TV SHOWS, ALBUMS, BOOKS, CHARACTERS, SCENES, EPISODES, SONGS, DRESSES, MUSIC VIDEOS, AND TRENDS THAT ENTERTAINED US OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS". Entertainment Weekly . (1079/1080):74-84
  4. ↑ "2010 Northern California Book Award nominees". San Francisco Chronicle . March 7, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  5. ↑ Dave Itzkoff (October 28, 2009). "'Zeitoun' as Cartoon: Demme Plans Animated Film of Eggers Book". The New York Times . Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  6. ↑ Jagernauth, Kevin (May 16, 2014). "Daniel Radcliffe To Star In Adaptation Of Dave Eggers' 'You Shall Know Our Velocity' Directed By Peter Sollett". Indiewire . Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun Talk With Honors Students — LSU Honors College". www.honors.lsu.edu. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
  8. ↑ Times-Picayune, Naomi Martin, NOLA com | The. "Zeitoun found not guilty on charges he tried to kill his ex-wife". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-09-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ Simerman, John (2012-11-09). "Famed Hurricane Katrina protagonist Zeitoun indicted in alleged murder attempts on ex-wife". The Times-Picayune . Advance Publications. Retrieved 2013-02-06.
  10. ↑ Martin, Naomi. "Zeitoun found not guilty on charges he tried to kill his ex-wife," The Times-Picayune (July 30, 2013).
  11. ↑ Times-Picayune, Emily Lane, NOLA com | The. "Subject of post-Katrina book, 'Zeitoun,' sentenced to 4 years for stalking". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-09-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ Simerman, John (2018-09-28). "Disgraced Katrina literary hero Abdulrahman Zeitoun ordered deported, but released after prison term". The Advocate . Capital City Press LLC. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.