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)

STOP WONDERING IF THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU... IT IS!

Would you listen to Unbroken again? Why?

I'm not going to give a literary review since there are plenty of those by more qualified folks. I'm just going to speak to those Audible listeners who (like me) are on the fence about this book. You've seen the title each time you come to the website to use your monthly credit and you've thought about getting this book but aren't sure it's for you. I KNOW YOU! I AM YOU! Just take a leap of faith and GET THIS BOOK! It's an amazing story. As a history nut (yeah... not a Lit major), I thought I new all of the epic survival stories from WW2 but this one took me by surprise. It's fascinating and will keep you engaged. I've taken long drives just to listen. And of course if you've ever heard anything narrated by Edward Herrmann, you don't need me to tell you what a great job he does. SO STOP PROCRASTINATING AND USE YOUR CREDIT... or get it even if your credit hasn't posted yet; it's worth it.

Incredible story of survival

I had to keep reminding myself it was a true story. How someone could endure so much amazes me. I am humbled by the story.

Amazing story with average narration

Amazing biography and well researched. The down side in my mind was the book many times reads as though the narrator is reading an encyclopedia version of the main characters life. Don't know if it the writing style or the narrator's monotone voice. Also just a little too much details in the book that does not add to the story in my mind. The good side of the book is the amazing subject. I am usually not a fan of historical non-fiction but this story was worth it. This book is not for everyone but for many it will be well worth it. I would recommend people read a description of the book prior to buying this one. I try not to do that so I don't spoil the plot, in this case I wish I would have. If there is an abridged version in the future, that would probably be the better choice.

An Exquisite WWII Epic

The first impression of “Unbroken,” even more than most audiobooks, is that the narrator is a total pro, and a familiar one. His warm, articulate, animated delivery makes you want to sit back and let him entertain you. He’s Edward Herrmann, the actor and prolific narrator of programs on The History Channel and PBS, who died in 2014.

Combined with the uncommonly sparkling writing of Laura Hillenbrand, the singular life story of Louis Zamperini is a spellbinder from start to finish.

He is an almost-feral delinquent, and the tale of his transformation into a world-class Olympic runner would be satisfying in itself. But then the war breaks out, and a young man with a fear of flying becomes a standout bombardier. Rather than missing the record for a four-minute mile (barely), he survives a record-breaking ordeal on a raft, drifting thousands of miles and right into the hands of the enemy, trading schools of sharks for brutal conditions as a prisoner of war, given up for dead.

He eventually falls under the shadow of a sadistic Japanese prison official known as The Bird, who practices beatings and all manner of psychological torture, and harbors a special hatred of Louis. The conditions are unspeakable, and routinely fatal for thousands.

For POWs, the description of the end of the war is like nothing I’ve heard before. Yet its effects didn’t end for many, who were afflicted for decades with enduring psychiatric effects, PTSD, alcoholism, and high rates of suicide.

It is a very long time before Louis finds religion, and at long last, peace, forgiveness, and compassion. But he does, with an unceasing resilience that characterized his entire remarkable life.

Remarkable Story! A must read!

A very well researched and written account of hardship, perseverance & survival. The author not only does an amazing job of telling the story of Louis Zamperini and those around him, she also seamlessly integrates events and statistics happening around the story to set the stage for what must have been going through the minds of the POWs which brings a level of depth to the story which makes it that much more incredible! Also, the performance here is exceptionally well done!

Worth it

One of the most incredible stories I’ve ever heard. The voice actor does a great job.

One of the all time best stories

This story is a true story and one of the most powerful true stories. When the story is over it leaves you wishing you forget it and start over again. If you are looking for something this powerful try boys in the boat. It is a similar moving story told with an amazing narrative.

Seriously...you must get this book!

I absolutely loved every second of this mind blowing book!! What an incredible story. I literally could not stop listening, I even stayed up until 3:30am just so I could hear the ending! I can’t wait to watch the movie now! Don’t even think about not buying this book, it’s worth every penny!

fantastic!

I had seen the movie and I didn't think I'd would want to read it. But it's a must read for anybody. The story is heartwarming, educational and something that everybody should have to read

What a life!

Wow, what a life this man had. He survived so much, it's incredible. I enjoyed the story and narration. My thoughts wandered a few times, but a story that needed telling.