About Zeitoun

Zeitoun is a nonfiction account of Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a successful Syrian-born painting contractor, who stays in New Orleans to protect his property and help his neighbors while his family flees during Hurricane Katrina. After the storm, the book’s central character travels the flooded city in a secondhand canoe rescuing neighbors, caring for abandoned pets, and distributing fresh water. However, Zeitoun is wrongly arrested and is accused of being a member of al-Qaida and sees that his race and culture may explain his predicament. The book addresses social and cultural issues plaguing our society.