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)

Wonderful Book!

When I bought the book I thought it was a novel. I had no idea the story was TRUE! Enjoyed it thoroughly.

Wonderful read

This is one of the best written books of all time! Emotional and interesting in many ways.

a must read

What did you love best about Unbroken?

a strong story about humans over coming tragedy about war time in ww2 and life afterwards

An amazing story of the will to live

Would you listen to Unbroken again? Why?

Yes it is World War II biography, but you won't be able to turn it off. You journey alongside an olympic athlete who becomes a soldier, a survivor, a prisoner and struggles to return to life after captivity. The most inspiring biography I've read in a long time.

Do not miss this one!

This is an incredibly well written book. The mind blowing facts of the POW enslavement by the Japanese and the resulting emotional turmoill was masterfully blended in this book. At times it was painful to listen to the incredible suffering and it haunted my dreams. What was so well done was the utmost respect portrayed by the author for all who was involved - even the Japanese. This is one of the best books I have ever come across.

Amazing....just amazing

This book is pure inspiration and amazement. Every time I thought that it couldn't get worse for Louie, it did. And every time it did, he rose above and triumphed again and again. It was a beautiful listen. The narrator did an excellent job, reading with emotion, but never over acting. It was one of the best stories I've ever heard.

Must Read

This book was so good that I wound up sitting in my car to listen to it after I arrived at my destination. Really brings home how much sacrifice may be required by those serving in our military. I recommend this book to anyone.

What a story!!!

I am a huge fan of true stories. This book was captivating and gave me a new understanding of what it must've been like. Towards the end of the book I got a little choked up I must admit. This will have to go down as one of my all-time favorite stories. I wonder if the movie is as good… Usually not.

Non-fiction top pick

Don't miss this book if you like a good non-fiction story or love reading books about the human side of war. So funny, touching, devastating, inspiring and poignant.

The life of a true American legend!!!!

Were do i start ,what a great book.I saw all the great reviews on this book so i used a credit.The book was hard to put down i knocked it out in two days..this book is a true story of the life of a POW, A GREAT RUNNER ON THE OLYMPIC LEVEL,A ROWDY CHILD HOOD.. To over come it all. Most people would have quit and gave up on their self NOT LOUIE... To think what he went through time after time and it never got better,he could have lost his family,drank his self away to nothing. Insted he found faith forgave everyone and told his story.. A TRUE HERO!!!!!