Unbroken

A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

By: Laura Hillenbrand

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-one New York Times best seller

The incredible true story of survival and salvation that is the basis for two major motion pictures: 2014’s Unbroken and the upcoming Unbroken: Path to Redemption.

On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.

The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.

Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.

In her long-awaited book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in Seabiscuit. Telling an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, Unbroken is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.

©2010 Laura Hillenbrand; 2010 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Unbroken is wonderful twice over, for the tale it tells and for the way it’s told. A better book than Seabiscuit, it manages maximum velocity with no loss of subtlety. [Hillenbrand has] a jeweler’s eye for a detail that makes a story live." (Newsweek)

"A master class in narrative storytelling.... Extraordinarily moving...A powerfully drawn survival epic." (The Wall Street Journal)

"Ambitious and powerful.... Hillenbrand is intelligent and restrained, and wise enough to let the story unfold for itself. Her research is thorough, her writing crystalline. Unbroken is gripping in an almost cinematic way." (The New York Times Book Review)

“[A] one-in-a-billion story...designed to wrench from self-respecting critics all the blurby adjectives we normally try to avoid: It is amazing, unforgettable, gripping, harrowing, chilling, and inspiring.” (New York)

“Staggering...mesmerizing...Hillenbrand’s writing is so ferociously cinematic, the events she describes so incredible, you don’t dare take your eyes off the page.” (People)

“A meticulous, soaring and beautifully written account of an extraordinary life.” (The Washington Post)

“Hillenbrand...tells [this] story with cool elegance but at a thrilling sprinter’s pace.” (Time)

“Unbroken is too much book to hope for: a hellride of a story in the grip of the one writer who can handle it.” (Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run)

Over the top!

Amazing. Loved it. Louis is an American hero. Wish we had leadership with his character. Highly recommended. I will read it again.

Epic story!

This is a must read! It's important to know what our forefathers did before us so we may more appreciate what we have!

An amazing adventure

What made the experience of listening to Unbroken the most enjoyable?

The connection to family war experiences.

What other book might you compare Unbroken to and why?

Winds of War

Have you listened to any of Edward Herrmann’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, his voice, diction and inflection ensure the reader can follow and engage in the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Too many to list!

Edward Hermann is perfect comfort food!

What did you love best about Unbroken?

It's very inspirational, and well researched. I also find Edward Hermann's voice to be like a comfortable chair that you are familiar with if you watch any History Channel documentaries. The combination of the writing and narrating was riveting.

What did you like best about this story?

It's Laura Hillenbrand as you would expect, if you read Seabiscuit. She is a great biographer who does very thorough research, and goes the extra mile to give additonal details which provide context and perspective to the story she is telling.

Which scene was your favorite?

Chapter 15, the men in the raft.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Unbroken is an epic tale

If you could sum up Unbroken in three words, what would they be?

God be praised!

Have you listened to any of Edward Herrmann’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Edward Herrmann brings this story to life. His voice suits any work from this era. I finished this story on the day that Herrmann died. I can't think of a better tribute to the actor's cadre.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This book made me cry. I feel that under similar circumstances, I would not show a fraction of the grace and perseverance that seemed inherent in Lou Zamperini. I'm glad to have come to know him through Laura Hillenbrand's book.

Great WWII Story

Wonderfully detailed story of a horrific time in history, but with such an incredible depth of human redemption.

Very long and very detailed, but helped me go there in my imagination, though, I am so grateful to have never had to actually go there!

Stirred an awesome and wonderful appreciation for those who have fought and suffered for our freedom, but mostly left me in absolute awe of the transforming miracle of God's forgiveness.

You simply must listen to this wonderful story!

Just finished listening while our walking my dog, and tears were literally running down my face. What a remarkable story, so beautifully told. I'm enormously grateful to both subject and author for sharing Louis' story with me. I hope that when I need strength and courage in the future, I remember to think back to Louis' story for inspiration.

Remarkable story

Painful to learn what the POWs had to endure. A story of remarkable events very well written and flawlessly narrated

Awesome

If anyone out there feels bad for themselves read this book!!! One of the best books I've ever listen to

True Story! Totally amazing!

Kept me listening all the way to the end! Thank you Laura for investing your time into this work. And Louie for telling/living it.