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)

What a life he lived

From Luiy's childhood to war time, then sad struggle after the war to the peace he found letting God have his horrors. Then to the enjoyment of continuous work with struggling boys and speaking engagements he lived so many chapters of a lifetime that many people never get to.

It is such a testament to what God can do to your life if you let him in.

A strong story with historical relevance

Unbroken, was a long winding tale of a former Olympic runner. The story details the hardships that were faced throughout his time in the U.S. military fighting during ww2 and beyond. It is well written and great to listen to. The story has a well written end and its basis in history makes it more fun to see how it ends!

Fantastic and inspiring true story!

This story is fantastic! It is truly inspiring and shows that we have more strength than we think. I am so grateful I had a chance to learn about this story.

Riveting

Fantastic listen. This is my first book that I have listened to trough audible. The quality was great and the story was captivating. If not for work and the little social life I have I would have listened to it straight through. I will be listening to this again very soon. I can't get every all the trials and tribulations these men went through. It's stories like this one that give me that much more pride to be part of the few within the greatest military in the world. The United States military.

Great Book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this book bc it is a great story of survival both mental and physical. This story gives you an intimate look at the capacity to endure suffering and the ultimate victory over the demons that come with that suffering.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Unbroken?

The moment in the raft when they are desperate for water and Louie hears someone singing, he later cries out in prayer and it begins to rain.

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

I laughed and I cried and I though, so in the words of Jimmy V I "had a full day" while reading this book

Amazing story!

For most of my life, I've only managed to listen to maybe 2 hours of audio books a day. This book changed that. I finished this story in 4 days. It is an incredible story, so addicting! I felt like I was watching a movie (I haven't seen the movie yet, by the way).

A must read.

Incredible story highlighting a widely unheard recollection of the conflict. The narration was flawless. Both accurately historical and awe inspiring.

HERO

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

A generation that gave all and never asked for acknowledgment for their service or sacrifice.

What did you like best about this story?

Truth of will.

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

He brings a credibility as if he witnessed first hand the actual events in the story!

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

YES!!! But, it was hard not to hate and that was a hard thing to do.

Any additional comments?

A must for everyone.

The Pacific Side

Where does Unbroken rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my favorites.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Philip as he was a hero as well.

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

No

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

One man's struggle to overcome unthinkable odds.

Any additional comments?

I learned a lot about the Pacific side of WWII, but in a personal way.

1 of the most amazing stories of the greatest war

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

The narrator sounds like the man telling the story. A story that is so riveting it will leave you short of breath and begging for more.

What did you like best about this story?

The unbelievable tale of human survival against all odds.

Which character – as performed by Edward Herrmann – was your favorite?

The protagonist, Louis Zamperini, is a hallowed, if not forgotten, hero of world war II. His story of courage, survival, redemption and repentance is bound to make any listen stop in awe of his plight. Truly, one of the greatest stories of WWII.

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

It made me stop listening, and reconsider my relationship with God. It made me reconsider my status as a man. It made me reconsider my status as a patriot, a soldier and a citizen. No written word about the greatest war, or the greatest generation, has effected me so much.