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)

Wow!!!

What a story! Breaks the heart but fills it up at the same time! Great!

Incredible Story

Speechless. This is the only word I can truly use to describe this story. This story truly shows God's abilities.

Amazing Book!

Best book I have ever read. Could not put it down. Had me in tears a few time

In a word- Wow

A remarkable story of survival, defiance and deliverance. Deeply moving. Superbly narrated. Throughout the book, you can't help but wonder- "would I have come through it unbroken?" Whether using your free monthly Audible credit or buying it outright, you will be glad you selected Unbroken.

Powerfully heart gripping.

To listen to a story such as this and knowing what the service men of our country endured is unbelievably inspiring.

Amazing story of remarkable men!

Thank you Laura Hillenbrand for bringing the story of Lt. Zamporini and our US service men to the masses. The remarkable life and times of Lt. Zamporini should humble us all. And Edward Herrmann did an amazing job bringing the book to life. Sometimes while listening I was completely lost in the story.

The impossible made possible

If you've only seen the movie unbroken get this book now and read the rest of the story. The background to the rest of the story is just amazing the movie does no justice.

Inspirational

What did you love best about Unbroken?

Author Successfully hooks us into both the character and the excitement of the plot, but best of all is how we can examine our own response to hardship and do better - find resilience, ingenuity and persevere!

Incredible

The writing, the narration, the story all marry to one incredible experience. I loved this audible book and will be listening to it again.

One of the best storys ever...thought I was there!

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

Just the vivid color of it all. I could smell, taste, hear all the sounds. The reader is phenominal.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Unbroken?

When they were on the raft for days and the sharks were swimming round and round as if they knew it was only a matter of time. At first one could feel the tense fear but as time went on you could feel it dissipate as the days got longer and hope was fading.

Any additional comments?

This book can truly have an impact on ones life....I highly recommend it.