One nice things about traveling for work is that you tend to have extra time on your hands whether at the airport, on the plane or in the evening that if at home you fill up with chores. I used my down time while in DC reading Zeitoun. I picked it up in Atlanta a few weeks ago at a bookstore where I heard a guy talking to the clerk about it.
It's basically about a guy and his families experience of his false arrest and lack of due process following Hurricane Katrina. I've actually been interested in Katrina and the rebuilding of New Orleans from a public policy perspective since the event in the super dome unfolded so publicly on TV. I recall being on vacation at Lake Chelan and watching in disbelief what was occurring in New Orleans. I was involved locally in planning for the arrival of Katrina evacuees in Seattle and have been to New Orleans twice since the hurricane. I was not aware of this book until I heard about it in Atlanta - what a find!
In some ways reading this book was transformative in nature in that I learned a lot about Islam, the Qur'an and Muslim's. It's challenging enough to deal with natural disaster but when the larger challenge becomes the man-made response it's outrageous!
Imagine being arrested - guilty or not and not being allowed to notify your family. What a sad chapter in our history. I can't recommend this book highly enough. Check it out - happy reading!
Jim
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Thanks. I am housesitting for a nice guy who I think may have the book. I will see if I can read it while he is gone.
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