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)

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival

I guess I'm slightly against the grain on this one. I agree Edward Hermann did an excellent job narrating and I would recommend the book for its historical value certainly. In some portions, the flow was excellent where the author gave you plenty of information so that you could get a good feel for Louie Zamperini and what he was like but without going over-board on minutia. In other areas, however, it was so exhaustive as to hint of boring. Example: It was fine to hear of the incident with one albatross and even two but by the time the third was mentioned, I thought ... enough with the albatross already! The innumerable incidents with Wattanabe were, to me, overkill as well. We needed to know what a tyrant he was but we heard so much of it that it eventually failed to impact as I'm sure it was intended to.

Wow, just Wow

Wow, I new thing in Japan were bad and our troops were miss treated. But wow... This story is truly heartbreaking.

Recommend

I found it hard to turn off my Ipod because I enjoyed the story so much. Well narrated. I am sure it will be a movie soon.

I have recommended this book to all of my friends

I have recommended this book to all of my friends. The author does a fantastic job of telling the tale of a remarkable life with incredible detail. The research that she puts into each book she writes is commendable.

Unbroken: The Whole Package

This is a wonderfully written, meticulously researched, and compelling biography about a person you probably never heard of, but whose name you will never afterwards forget. The production starring the voice of Edward Herman is a pleasure to listen to. I highly recommend this audiobook to just about anybody.

Once I started listening, I couldn't wait until the next segment.

Great Book!

This book was very inspiring, this is a terrific story of over coming obstacles, trials and hardships that seem impossible to endure. It was fascinating to hear of the events as they happened and how when faced with difficult circumstances a person can find peace if they know where to look.

worth the wait

I have not read a book in ten years, since I got my bifocals. I listened to this book, enjoyed every word, and worth the wait!!

An amazing story

I enjoyed every minute of this great audiobook. The narration is perfect, so is the plot. Highly recommended!

My all time fave... So far.

Never write reviews- honest. But w/ this story and narration talent that accompanies it, I felt compelled to at least give the author and title character the acknowledgement and praise they so deserve- I'm incredibly thankful I took the time to listen (not my typical genre). "Unbroken" far exceeded my expectations on so many levels... the heartbreaking and resilient journey this one man shares will blow you away- the strength and power of the human spirit will leave you mesmerized and inspired!!!

The Spirit Moves You

This book is an unexpected page turner. If you are a reader of WWII histories this one is a must read. It gives not only the personal narrative with the historical background but covers the political views of post war Japan and America. Unlike Europe, where Nazi hunting is still being done, there was no group to argue when the war criminals in Japan were exonerated in the name of the Cold War. It is an unfair travesty that our soldiers can be used and abused and then forgotten by the very Government that they fought to protect. Buy it, read it, and enjoy it.