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)

Best WWII story I've ever read!!! Get it now!

Grabs you from the first page and never lets go!!! I will always remember this story for the rest of my life!

Hollywood Image Replaced by Authenticity

I was a youngster during these struggling years of WWII. I am indebted to the author for helping me reconstruct a more realistic reflection on the invaluable personal and corporate sacrifices of the U.S. and its allies.

As they say, Essential Read

I had heard that this book is a "must read", and as a granddaughter of two WWII vets, thought I would pick it up one day to get a better connection to their experiences (also having had a great uncle survive the Bataan Death March). What point me over the top in selecting this for my next audiobook was learning that Edward Herrmann - Richard Gilmore, to me - would provide the narration.

Fittingly, I completed the last minutes of the book during my Memorial Day travels. The story shocked me, impressed me, and educated me. It is a very personal yet universal story of surviving the odds.

Heart wrenching!

I wish this kind of true story was taught in our schools. Maybe it would help our younger generations appreciate what their Grandfathers went through.

this book

Me
Great book loved it nice and short book nice quick and easy read go

Wonderful!

Loved this!! Narater was amazing. Great book for trips!! I'd suggest it to anyone! ☆

Spectacular

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

100% Absolutely Amazing

Any additional comments?

This book is in my top 3. Absolutely amazing, you will not be able to put it down. Highly, highly recommend!

so much better than the movie

an epic tale of survival, strength and overcoming evil. wish I had read the book prior to watching the movie.

Great Listen

This is an emotional book and the performance keeps you focused on the detailed story.

I read this book, and then listened to it.

Laura Hillenbrand has done another excellent job researching and writing. Her characterizations are clear and compelling. The story is better than any fiction that I have read in a long time.