A review by ericfheiman
Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

4.0

Can this be the same author of "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius"? I mean this as the kindest of compliments. "Zeitoun" is a stark piece of work, all nervous stylistic tics repressed to let this Kafkaesque true story tell itself. Eggers keeps the prose minimal—almost Raymond Carver-like—and it's a smart move. What makes this book required reading is that this retelling of a very personal Hurricane Katrina family experience is not just a perseverance of the human spirit thing, but a cautionary tale of how our government practiced racial profiling and oppressed the individual's rights in the name of safety and calm during this dark period of our country's recent history. I wish the book was longer and went even deeper. Looking forward to seeing Eggers and the Zeitoun family in person soon!