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)

spellbinding from page 1 to the end

The only problem with this book is that it ends. If you listen to audiobooks while exercising, as I do, you will find that you exercise more so that you can listen to more of this story, which never flags, never for one sentence, from page 1 to the end. Wonderfully read by Edward Herrmann. A true classic.

Unforgettable!

Well told story, excellent narration. I've rewound and listened to some segments again without feeling bored or sidetracked. Started over again after finishing to listen with my husband, who is also loving it. Excellent.

What a great book

Well told story of survival...if you ever wonder about the how far the human spirit can be pushed, read this book.

Terrible Narrator

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

No, because of the narration.

What didn’t you like about Edward Herrmann’s performance?

Sing song delivery. He could have been reading the telephone directory. Wrong inflections. emphasized wrong parts of sentences. Such a big disappointment because he is such a well known and talented actor.

Any additional comments?

The author is excellent. I loved Seabiscuit and I know several people who read the printed version of this book and loved it. The narration is the worst I've ever listened to.

One of the best this year

What did you love best about Unbroken?

I listen to dozens of books every year and this one has to be one I would put on the top of my list for 2011. A true, unbelieveable story. Hard to accept what our American prisoners of war had to endure.
If you enjoyed Seabiscuit, you'll like this one even more. Well researched, well told.

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

Hard to believe American servicemen serving in the Pacific could ever forgive the Japanese for their harsh, unforgiveable treatment.

Must Read

One of the best books I have ever read. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will be absolutely amazed. This book had me riveted from the first page to the last.

I devoured this book...

Do not read the reviews or anything about this true story of survival because it enhances your experience incredibly! I did not know anything about this book when I downloaded it except that I knew the author to be one of the most thorough researchers of her topic I have ever known (having witnessed this in Seabiscuit). This book is the best kind of page turner and would be appealing especially to those that don't normally read books (read: men). The only reason this book did not get five stars from me is that I felt the character development of the main character was a little lacking. It focused more on what happened rather than what the character felt about what was happening, which might have enhanced the already amazing story. I was truly inspired by this story of survival.

Wow, what a story!!

Would you listen to Unbroken again? Why?

Maybe. I loved this book. Grabbed you and held you from start to finish but I rarely ever listen to them again. That's just me.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Unbroken?

I never answer this question because I dislike spoilers.

Which scene was your favorite?

It was all good, but it is always hard not to like the moment the prisoners realize the war is over.

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

It was hard not to smile at the tales of of Louie as a child and tear up a little through his physical and mental pain.

Any additional comments?

The narrator did a great job. Read the story well. No overacting or poor vocalizations. Just did a great job. I'll be looking for this narrator and writer combo again!

Riveting and Humbling

Laura Hillenbrand's accounting of this story is horrifying, uplifting, inspirational, and absolutely riveting. If you're looking for a testament to the power of hope and the ability of the human spirit to endure, don't pass this book by. Magnificent!

Moving, inspiring, outstanding

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

I almost did. Stayed up late to finish it.

Any additional comments?

One of the best I've read on Audible. I understand it will soon be made into a movie and I hope they do it justice. A true hero I'd never heard of before, Zamperini's triumph of spirit moved me to tears - sounds cliched, but the book is anything but. More than worth the credits. One purchase you won't regret, read this book!