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)

Captivating!

At so many times I felt as if I were there. Ad if I could hear the sounds and smell the smells.

Still crying

I think this is one of the best books I've ever listened to. Funny, heroic, and soul searching. The greatest lesson of all.....forgiveness. Almost all too amazing to be a true story.....but it is.

An amazing testament to the power of the human spirit

It’s hard to imagine today the types of hardships encountered throughout this story. This is a great tribute to the greatest generation.
Very well written and read.
I most strongly recommend this book

Great Book

The author was able to captured with vivid details WWll.
It is somewhat similar to the movie, I watched a few years back but the book was is so much better.

Fascinating and powerful! It's got it all.

Couldn't stand turning it off and waiting to get back to it. Perfectly narrated and written. Much more than just one man's story.

Amazing and Powerful!

This book paints and incredible picture of bravery, hope, and forgiveness. Heart-wrenching and touching on so many levels.

Incredible story!

This book was captivating! I love WWII stories, and this one was very inspiring and interesting. It’s a beautiful story in the end.

Non-fiction excellent story

I didn’t realize this was a nonfiction book when I bought it, but I’m glad I did regardless. It was a very interesting story that kept my attention throughout!

Best book I have ever read

Amazing story - why was this no written before? Louie is a true American hero and his story should be a part of history--

Just wonderful

Would you consider the audio edition of Unbroken to be better than the print version?

Great audio

Who was your favorite character and why?

Louis of course

What does Edward Herrmann bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Good voice. Good temper.

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

The end made me cry. Realizing that he had recently passed away made me sad, as if he would have been someone I wished I had met.

Any additional comments?

This is a very inspiring book. Great part of history, Hope the film does the right justice, and do not divert from the real story too much.