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)

Amazing story.

This book was amazing. I am glad that this story of Louis and all the prisoners of war has been told.

The story telling was wonderful, taking me through a range of emotions.

A must read!

An amazing story of strength, endurance, hope and forgiveness. Truly, an inspiring story of the power of God's grace. Robyn

Amazing

This was a great book, a sad reminder of what happened in history but truly remarkable how strong willed human kind can be to walk through Hell and overcome to be great.

Exceptional book

Loved the way the book was written and really enjoyed the narrators style in relating the story. Very well done!

Excellent

Amazing story, very well written. Perfect narration, with the right emotion and perfect pitch. Overall a wonderful listening experience.

amazing how easy we forget

If you like personal stories about WWII history you should like this. Good story, at 38 years old I have never heard of these people, how easily the world forgets...sort of sad I'd say

Excellent true story

Even better than expected... Hard to put down... It is amazing what God can overcome

Loved It!

Couldn't put it down, looked forward every evening to hear what other obstacles Louis would face and endure with unmatched courage.

Deep character development

I like how Laura H writes in a way that helps you experience what the characters are feeling. At times this is quite painful. Fortunately, this story includes redemption so the finish is worth looking forward to. Enjoy!

Absolutely gripping

What about Edward Herrmann’s performance did you like?

Exactly the right tone for the book. It's grim, and he conveyed the seriousness and levity BOTH, perfectly.

Any additional comments?

I'm not usually one for nonfiction, but this was incredibly gripping. Louie is a charismatic leading man, and Hillenbrand did a fabulous job making the story come to life.