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

I was captivated by this story from the first chapter. Well written and narrated. A must read for students of WWII.

Outstanding testament!

This was one of my two favorites.......the other being Matterhorn. This is an outstanding book; the combination of Ms Hillenbrand's and Mr. Herrmann's work makes this a wonderful read. Highly recommend this for your audio library.

Absolutely fantastic

A fantastic book... My dad was a B-24 pilot in the European theatre. Shot down over Hungary. He and some of the crew made it to safety, however, some ended up in German prisoner of war camp. This book brought me inside what they lived through, although there were differences in Japanese/German camps. Those who served with my dad are the most wonderful men I have had the privilege to meet. I would have loved to have met the men in "Unbroken".

"Unbroken" is unforgetable!

Could not stop listenening to this story. What an amazing gentleman! I hope the movie industry does this book justice.

No1plumber

What an incredible experiance. Its amazing what people have gone through to deffend our freedom. Thanks to every one who has put their life on the line for us. This book is a great listen. Very well writen and narrated. I was only disapointed when it was over.

The most remarkable untold story--ever--until now.

Louis Zamperini's--a name I never hear of before Laura Hillenbrand's marvelous accounting. A juvenile delinquent, an Olympic Athlete, a USC graduate (almost), a WWII bombardier, survivor of lost at sea for 47 days, survivor as a Japanese POW (horrendous), survivor of PTSD, finally a whole and happy man, thanks to Billy Graham. What an amazing story to give perspective to the atomic bomb from the eyes of a Japanese POW (Zamperini, et. al.) This is a story about character, determination, unbelievable suffering, unbelievable compassion--the stuff that restores hope in humanity. Do yourself a favor.

Wow

I am not a war book reader.. This is my first. I traded off reading and listening to this book. I did enjoy the book. But much of it is difficult to hear. It is a very long time of suffering....

I recommend this book. The written book has photo's which you miss in the audio version.

I liked to be able to skim over the parts which were difficult. It is hard to do that in a audiobook.

Listen to it, but get the book so you can see pics also!

Very Very good

All I can say is, WOW, no wonder they were called the greatest generation. What a story of endurance.

Powerful and moving...

This book is stunning. It is fabulously written and flawlessly narrated. I was literally moved to tears at the end of this book. I was a bit forlorn when it was over. You MUST get this book!

Superb!

This book is excellent in so many ways...from the detail of the narrative, to the emotional pull, to the reading by the narrator. The capacity of certain resilient people to survive extreme depravity and physical abuse, yet emerge stronger and, indeed, unbroken, is inspirational in a way that's hard to articulate. Highly recommended!